Extreme head pressure (worse at night) and dizziness

[halifaxqueen]

Hello. For two weeks I have experiencing extreme head pressure and dizziness. Other symptoms are confusion and balance problems. I also have frequent and loose stools. I went to the emergency last night becuase it was the worst its ever been in 2 weeks. The doctor examined me and they took blood tests and did a CT scan. Nothing unusual turned up. However, my fiance told me they normally inject a contrast solution so that they can see things better in the head. They didnt give this to me! Should I go back and ask for that? I just really cant live like this. I'm having to take more and more days off work, and at night its so bad I cant sleep. (like my head is in a vice). Is there something else I should be checking for? Thank you.

[lhowell]

I suppose the ER checked your blood pressure in triage?  Your symptoms are so general it's hard to nail it down to one thing.  :(  

It could be caused by current meds you are taking, vision impairment, vertigo...or a lot of things.  First thing that came to mind is your blood pressure.  Make an appt with your general practitioner for an evaluation.  Best wishes!

[meandbe]

I would suggest seeing a neurosurgeon who could do more testing to help determine the cause of the head pressure. There can be quite a few different causes for your symptoms. From my experience the ER really isn't going to be of much help. I've experienced this first hand. My sister has had head pressure pain for the past 5 years. She was diagnosed with Chiari I Malformation but over the past few months has been dealing with extreme pain. She has also been diagnosed with Pseudotumor Cerebri which deals with high pressure headaches. It's been quite a journey dealing with the ER department as well as doctor's in general.

Good luck with finding a caring doctor that can help.