help please /headaches

[nozmeg]

hi there sorry to bother you  i went through bad anxiety few yrs bk bad headaches fear of aneursym seen neurologist who ordered mri/mra came bk satisfactory no aneursym found. this was in oct 06 im not very good with headaches but past couple days ive being getting severe headache heavy arms legs nauseous woke up with pain this morning shooting across forehead felt sick n scared comes across ears and agaim my arms feel heavy been to my doc he said he isnt listening to my headache due to the fact that i had the mri/mra 2 yrs bk theres nothing there would be wasting time repeating test aneursyms are congenital and it wasnt there i havnt said it was i just want to know why and wat is causing this headache obviously doc thinks all in my head but its real its making me feel ill any way you could shed some light on this would be truley gratefull im scared because of the anxiety ur labelled and things can be overlooked

[Lama Chahine, MD]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.

It sounds like you are having headaches, and that you had an MRI/MRA 2 years ago that was negative. I can not comment on the cause of your headache, but I will try to provide you with information.

It is understandable to be concerned about aneurysms or other causes of a headache, but it is also important to understand that after a headache has been adequately worked up with imaging, physical examination, and by history taking, a diagnosis of primary headache disorder can be made. There are several causes of headaches. Headaches can be divided into primary and secondary. Primary headache disorders are headaches without a direct cause. Secondary headache disorders are due to an underlying problem, such as a tumor, aneurysm, medication side effects, central nervous system infections, clots in the veins in the brain etc.

There are several primary headache disorders, over 50 different types.  For example  migraines, which usually a pulsating throbbing one-sided pain with nausea and discomfort in bright lights that lasts several hours. Another type is cluster headaches, which are sharp pains that occur around and behind the eye often at night and are associated with tearing of the eye and running of the nose. In primary stabbing headache, sharp or jabbing pain in the head occur, either as a single stab or a series of brief repeated volleys of pain. Primary stabbing headache often occurs in people with migraine.The pain itself generally lasts a fraction of a second but can last for up to one minute in some people.

If you continue to have headaches with a negative work-up (negative MRI/MRA), it is like you have a primary headache disorder. You may benefit from evaluation at a specialized headache center for evaluation by a headache specialist, who can then make recommendations to your local primary doctor or physician regarding management of your headaches.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.