Attention: head pressure, pressure in head, headache people

[Citizen T]

Hello everyone, after suffering for nearly 2 years with a mysterious neurological-like condition, I have almost given up all hope of living a normal life again.  After a whole lot of research on the net, I have run into several postings with people describing my condition almost down to the exact letter.  However, many of these posts are on some obscure website with the postings being months or years old.  The purpose of my post here is to *hopefully* unite those of us who suffer from this unexplained condition.

The one symptom that seems to bond us all together is a constant "pressure" sensation behind the forehead and beneath the front top of the head.  The way people describe this varies according to personal expression, but it is usually best described as an expanding sensation behind the forehead as if the brain is growing larger with nowhere to go.  The headache is dull, non-throbbing, and does not get worse with exercise.  The patient will also describe a sort of "perpetual dizziness" that may be constant or may come and go again.   Usually, but not allways the patient will describe the sensation of having a constantly blocked nose even in the absence of any type of discharge or sinus infection.  Most but not all patients will describe a feeling of tension or stiffness in the cranial muscles, especially in the forehead.

[AmorDeJay]

OMG, this is ME. Exactly.

[jpleasant]

A related discussion, head pressure/ hallucinations laying at night and morning was started.

[LadyVooDoo]

Hi here sweetie. I just read your post and realized we have/had quite a few symptoms in common. About three years ago I was diagnosed with panic attacks and was treated with Diazapam. It never worked. Even at 60mgs a day. Along with that, I was constantly dizzy, had a heavy pressure in my head, ears popping, headaches, post nasal drip, vertigo, distorted vision, what I thought were heart palpitations in my throat, flushing ( heat ) of the body, chest and neck pain, pain in my muscles and a slight tingling in my arms and legs at times. To make a long story short, and after a million different medical tests, I found out that I had severe acid reflux disease and I was dangerously low on Vitamin D. While I never experienced the usual burning sensation associated with acid reflux, I did have other common and less common symptoms of the disease. For instance, the dizziness, the heavy pressure in my head, the popping in my ears, the vertigo and the post nasal drip, were the signs that acid was rising far beyond my esophagus and into my sinus cavity. ( I was a smoker and didn't realize that nicotine actually relaxes the esophagus and allows twice as much acid to rise without any restriction. ) Secondly, since I couldn't eat any dairy products by having acid reflux, ( not that I knew that then. I just thought it made me throw up ) along with the fact that I never left my house for fear I would freak out in the middle of a shopping mall with a panic attack, my body was starved for Vitamin D. This was the cause of the body flushes and significantly added to the dizzinand painc.  You see, both conditions can absolutely mimic panic attacks, as well as the other symptoms I discussed earlier in this post. I suppose I'm trying to say, if you are ever diagnosed with high anxiety, panic attacks or PTSD and to you, the diagnosis just doesn't fit who you know you are. Or, if psychotropic or sinus medications are prescribed and is has no notable effect, don't assume you're crazy or have a brain tumor. Look at other options. I went three years thinking I was completely insane while assuming the worst. Another clue would be that panic attacks aren't incessant by nature and don't usually don't last ten hours to days on end. After being treated with Tagament and prescription Vitamin D, I was back to normal. One last thing, there are several other reasons why one could easily believe they are having panic attacks. Food allergies are one. A histamine intolerance is another. Even the body's response to high levels of Vitamin B can fool even the best of Doctors. Even alcoholism van cause most of these symptoms. Ask questions people. Don't be afraid. Document everything. What were you doing or eating prior to your dizzy spells or panic attacks. You won't be sorry. Best of luck to all of you.

[LadyVooDoo]

Hi here sweetie. I just read your post and realized we have/had quite a few symptoms in common. About three years ago I was diagnosed with panic attacks and was treated with Diazapam. It never worked. Even at 60mgs a day. Along with that, I was constantly dizzy, had a heavy pressure in my head, ears popping, headaches, post nasal drip, vertigo, distorted vision, what I thought were heart palpitations in my throat, flushing ( heat ) of the body, chest and neck pain, pain in my muscles and a slight tingling in my arms and legs at times. To make a long story short, and after a million different medical tests, I found out that I had severe acid reflux disease and I was dangerously low on Vitamin D. While I never experienced the usual burning sensation associated with acid reflux, I did have other common and less common symptoms of the disease. For instance, the dizziness, the heavy pressure in my head, the popping in my ears, the vertigo and the post nasal drip, were the signs that acid was rising far beyond my esophagus and into my sinus cavity. ( I was a smoker and didn't realize that nicotine actually relaxes the esophagus and allows twice as much acid to rise without any restriction. ) Secondly, since I couldn't eat any dairy products by having acid reflux, ( not that I knew that then. I just thought it made me throw up ) along with the fact that I never left my house for fear I would freak out in the middle of a shopping mall with a panic attack, my body was starved for Vitamin D. This was the cause of the body flushes and significantly added to the dizzinand painc.  You see, both conditions can absolutely mimic panic attacks, as well as the other symptoms I discussed earlier in this post. I suppose I'm trying to say, if you are ever diagnosed with high anxiety, panic attacks or PTSD and to you, the diagnosis just doesn't fit who you know you are. Or, if psychotropic or sinus medications are prescribed and is has no notable effect, don't assume you're crazy or have a brain tumor. Look at other options. I went three years thinking I was completely insane while assuming the worst. Another clue would be that panic attacks aren't incessant by nature and don't usually don't last ten hours to days on end. After being treated with Tagament and prescription Vitamin D, I was back to normal. One last thing, there are several other reasons why one could easily believe they are having panic attacks. Food allergies are one. A histamine intolerance is another. Even the body's response to high levels of Vitamin B can fool even the best of Doctors. Even alcoholism van cause most of these symptoms. Ask questions people. Don't be afraid. Document everything. What were you doing or eating prior to your dizzy spells or panic attacks. You won't be sorry. Best of luck to all of you.

[mountainsplitter]

some one mentioned the dream like state, is it just mildly like your just inside yourself looking out from a shell

[mountainsplitter]

i dont get nausea or dizzy but if i hold my nose and blow as if to pop my ears it does offer some releif, but the constant having to pop my ears and my neck is getting old

[Elizabeth50]

I have pressure in the front of my forehead, between my eyes and across bridge of nose.  It starts as a wave, I am very aware of it.  Then jumjps to my stomach giving me a scared feeling in the pit of my stomach and sometimes nausea.  This repeats all night long and keeps me from sleeping.  Any ideas?
Elizabeth

[Specman96]

Im a healthy guy 62 with alot fo the same symptoms you all discuss.Maybe weve all been implanted by the aliens or the secret mind programming found in network news. Gingevitis makes sense.

[JessicaC86]

I am too having this SAME problem! I had a "brain zap" the other night & ever since then, I get this feeling that my brain is swelling & it has no where to go. The other day I felt as if someone was trying to shove both sides of my head together. It doesn't throb or really hurt, it's just annoying & scary. Sometimes I will feel as if I have been at a concert & then go outside..you know the weird feeling in ur ears after you have been in a loud place for a while & then you go outside where it's quiet? I kinda feel pressure behind my nose & I also kinda feel as if I have a stuffy nose but I have NO mucus what so ever in my nose..If anyone has any answers PLEASE let me know! I was thinking it was my TSH level & I am getting that checked soon, I thought it was my anxiety but it even happens when I am not anxious. The only time I don't feel it is when I am asleep. This also comes in spells.

[Rita51]

I too am experiencing this.  On day, I had a strong dizzy spell followed by what I thought was a typical migraine.  Now, for the past 4 months, I have had severe throbbing in the left temple area that mimics migraines, along with pressure building in the center back of my head.  If I lay flat on the back of my head, the pressure immediately builds around my left temple.  When sleeping, the pressure gets so intense, it wakes me, and when walking, it causes me to have dizzy spells that knock me to my knees.  CT scan of brain and sinuses, MRI and MRA all negative.  Tried Prednisone, Z-pack, Augmentin 875, Midrin, Ibuprofen, Butalbital, Nortriptolyne, steroid and Lidocaine-Steroid shot, and nothing helps.  I have been checked for temporal arteritis, sinusitis, and TMJ.  I am now being told it's just chronic daily headaches and to keep trying different meds.  Would chronic daily headaches actually cause a tender spot in the back of head that radiates pressure build-up?

[dnepayne]

My problem is similar, although not exactly the same. I feel constant pressure and tingling pain in the BACK of my head, as well as the top, to the point where it hurts to lay down. I went to the Cleveland Clinic and was diagnosed with atypical migraines. Like you, I've had MRIs, an MRA, CT scans, blood work, etc... I'm a 29-year-old female. My doctor thinks it's anxiety, which would make sense because I have a history of panic attacks. All of these symptoms started in Fall 2008, after I stopped taking Klonopin. (I was on it for a year for panic attacks, but went off it hoping to get pregnant.) Consequently, when my doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I got VERY depressed. I started taking Zoloft to help with the depression. About 6 weeks later, I noticed a huge change. I was feeling much better. The "headaches" had almost stopped. I didn't feel the tingling or pressure anymore. A couple months later, I noticed that I had gained over 20 pounds while on Zoloft. So I stopped taking it. That was 4 weeks ago. Now the pain/pressure/tingling in the back of my head is starting again. I could go back on Zoloft, but I don't want to. I'm still trying to get pregnant, plus I don't want to gain any more weight from the Zoloft! I don't know what to do. I should go back to my doctor, but she thinks I'm crazy, that it's all in my head.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[pshepdog]

I had the same issue, At times it felt like pressure and other times like emptiness in the head. I had two MRI's but everything looked fine. The doc told me not to stress and live a relaxed life. About three weeks ago I had a sinus infection. I felt clogged and pressured. My sinus's broke lose and when I would blow my nose the discharge was black and red. This went on for 4 days. During this time frame the pressure began to subside. THe pressure and strage feeling is gone. I think maybe I had clogged sinus passages. The pressure relieved from my ears, beneath eye's and cheeks.

[taybojo]

I have what seems to be similar. I'm a 19 year old female who has a lot of pressure in my ears and sinuses which carries over to the head and temple. Constant, yet dull, headache. No real problem, but only slight discomfort. I've been to ear, nose and throat doctors, been prescribed antibiotics for "ear infection" and taken natural remedies. No changes have taken place. Like I said, its not too painful and easy to endure... but I cannot remember a time where I wasn't in slight discomfort. Its not fair.

[Littlegirl972]

Hello, I'm  a 25 year old female and I've been going through the same situation. Everytime I lay down I always seem to feel alot of pressure on my forehead. It causes me to lose sleep and to wake up at random times during the night. Sometimes I have to put a wet rag on my forehead when I sleep just so the pressure will go away. This has been going on for a couple of months now and it's getting worse. Any advice?

[delilahcallon]

I had constant dull headache as well that never went away.  It turned out by self-diagnosis that I had gingivitis that had spread to the bone and caused internal pressure in my skull, due to the infection.  Once the tooth was pulled and the infection was gone, I felt instantly 10 yrs younger and no dizziness.

Make sure you don't have gum disease if you suffer from dizziness and headaches.

[Citizen T]

I forgot to add that almost all of us also feel like we are living in a perpetual dream-like state, a very frightening state of mind.

[Citizen T]

Also, a lot of sufferers may describe the sensation that a heavy weight is sitting on top of their head all the time.  A few sufferers describe visual hallucinations such as black streaks out of the corner of their eyes especially early on in the course of the illness.

Every one of us have been to multiple doctors, neurologists, ENT, even chiro's with no answers.  We have been mocked by doctors, brushed aside, referred to psychiatrists, and have lost our ability to live a normal life.  We have all have the usual brain scans and bloodwork which all appears normal.   When we first started feeling bad, we all thought we were dying, but we're still alive and kicking but we are in serious discomfort all the time.  We have thought of all the possibilities such as environmental factors in our homes.

Please reply and describe what is going on with you if this describes you.  I would like to actually accomplish something here rather than just swap stories. I'm really sick of feeling like this. I don't know what I want to do yet, maybe start a petition describing our problem and one of us take it to the Mayo Clinic or something.  I am actually convinced that we have an illness that is yet to be discovered.