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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Pain in the middle of the head
Answered by
Lama Chahine, MD - Neurology
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland - OH
This forum is for questions and support regarding neurology issues such as: Alzheimer's Disease, ALS, Autism, Brain Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Pain, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, MS, Neuralgia, Neuropathy, Parkinson's Disease, RSD, Sleep Disorders, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury
Doctor's Answer
by Lama Chahine, MD, Jul 21, 2008 07:35PM
, Jul 21, 2008 07:35PM
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 pains in your head and that the area is tender, meaning that the pain worsens if you touch a specific area. Without the ability to review your history and examine you, I can not provide you with a diagnosis but I hope I can provide you with some useful information.
Superficial head pain (on the surface of the head, in the skin, the scalp, under the hair) may not be neurologic. It may be related to bruising if for example you recently hit your head. It could also be related to other dermatologic problems such as a folliculitis. A small mass (such as a benign tumor of some sort like a lipoma) may also sometimes cause pain, particularly if it were to get infected. It may be helpful to have someone part your hair and look carefully to see what is going on in the skin at the area where you have pain. If there is a palpable bump where you have pain, the previous possibilities are more likely than a neurologic problem.
If your symptoms are not related to a particular spot that is tender but you are rather suffering from headaches, 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, 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.
It would be best for you to be evaluated by a general practioner, with referral to a neurologist as necessary.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.
It sounds like you are having pains in your head and that the area is tender, meaning that the pain worsens if you touch a specific area. Without the ability to review your history and examine you, I can not provide you with a diagnosis but I hope I can provide you with some useful information.
Superficial head pain (on the surface of the head, in the skin, the scalp, under the hair) may not be neurologic. It may be related to bruising if for example you recently hit your head. It could also be related to other dermatologic problems such as a folliculitis. A small mass (such as a benign tumor of some sort like a lipoma) may also sometimes cause pain, particularly if it were to get infected. It may be helpful to have someone part your hair and look carefully to see what is going on in the skin at the area where you have pain. If there is a palpable bump where you have pain, the previous possibilities are more likely than a neurologic problem.
If your symptoms are not related to a particular spot that is tender but you are rather suffering from headaches, 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, 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.
It would be best for you to be evaluated by a general practioner, with referral to a neurologist as necessary.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.
The pain has being there for sometime now, when you touch the spot tenderl its so painful and even a slight pressure is applied. Of late it gets worse at night when I lay my head to sleep, sometimes I'm awoken by the pain in the middle of the night which make my head fell heavy and sometimes the pain comes done to my face like its being pulled.
Though sometimes I feel the area and it does feel swollen. Its a nightmare going to the salon to have my hair washed.
If it will help I have a history of migraine.
I really need to get a lasting solution to the problem