Aa
Constant Headache for almost a year w/sensitivity to light.
Here's my problem.
Upon graduating from college a year ago, I moved from Illinois to Las Vegas for a job. After about 2 months working at the job, one day I got this intense headache, possibly the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I had to miss the next two days of work...I couldn't even get out of bed. After those two days, the intense pain went away, but ever since that day last April, I have had a consistent headache every hour of every day. It feels like it starts in the front of my head (almost behind my eyes, and goes back). I've noticed that I am also very sensitive to the light of the sun. Also, sometimes when I'm talking to someone in the office, it's hard for me to remain looking at them (or I blink a lot).
I went to a doctor, and he suggested I get bloodwork and an MRI. Both came back normal. I started taking Verapimil (sp?), but that never really seemed to help much, and I sort of gave up on it. I also did an overnight sleep study to rule out any sleeping disorders, and that came back fine as well.
I'm in relatively good health otherwise, however I have had lots of neck and back pain even before this happened. However, I have also noticed I tend to have to stretch and "crack" my neck a lot more often now. Some times my neck hurts so bad that it's hard to fall asleep. I don't really exercise too much because I have a natural thin build, but I have been doing yoga about 5 months since the headache started.
Also, this may seem weird, but I think my head may actually be getting bigger. I'm a relatively smaller guy (6'0", 155) and I've noticed that hats that fit me a year ago, now fit tighter and cause my head to hurt.
I don't know where else to go from here. I've now gotten used to them and they don't affect my day to day life, but as of now, no one has been able to figure out what is wrong. I've since moved back to Illinois. Any help or advice would be appreciated!
Upon graduating from college a year ago, I moved from Illinois to Las Vegas for a job. After about 2 months working at the job, one day I got this intense headache, possibly the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I had to miss the next two days of work...I couldn't even get out of bed. After those two days, the intense pain went away, but ever since that day last April, I have had a consistent headache every hour of every day. It feels like it starts in the front of my head (almost behind my eyes, and goes back). I've noticed that I am also very sensitive to the light of the sun. Also, sometimes when I'm talking to someone in the office, it's hard for me to remain looking at them (or I blink a lot).
I went to a doctor, and he suggested I get bloodwork and an MRI. Both came back normal. I started taking Verapimil (sp?), but that never really seemed to help much, and I sort of gave up on it. I also did an overnight sleep study to rule out any sleeping disorders, and that came back fine as well.
I'm in relatively good health otherwise, however I have had lots of neck and back pain even before this happened. However, I have also noticed I tend to have to stretch and "crack" my neck a lot more often now. Some times my neck hurts so bad that it's hard to fall asleep. I don't really exercise too much because I have a natural thin build, but I have been doing yoga about 5 months since the headache started.
Also, this may seem weird, but I think my head may actually be getting bigger. I'm a relatively smaller guy (6'0", 155) and I've noticed that hats that fit me a year ago, now fit tighter and cause my head to hurt.
I don't know where else to go from here. I've now gotten used to them and they don't affect my day to day life, but as of now, no one has been able to figure out what is wrong. I've since moved back to Illinois. Any help or advice would be appreciated!
Try going to a chiropractor.
My husband went through something similar....he head a headache for 9 months straight. He had a CAT scan, MRI, went to see a neurologist, had took topamax but nothing nothing helped. No one could figure out what was wrong with him. He event tired yoga and meditation and acupuncture. I know this is going to sound crazy, but try going to a chiropractor. Within 3 sessions he could already feel a huge difference. For 9 months he had this and for 9 months we could not to a single thing to make it go away....within a few sessions with the chiropractor, his headaches were gone.
My husband went through something similar....he head a headache for 9 months straight. He had a CAT scan, MRI, went to see a neurologist, had took topamax but nothing nothing helped. No one could figure out what was wrong with him. He event tired yoga and meditation and acupuncture. I know this is going to sound crazy, but try going to a chiropractor. Within 3 sessions he could already feel a huge difference. For 9 months he had this and for 9 months we could not to a single thing to make it go away....within a few sessions with the chiropractor, his headaches were gone.
I just wanted to check back in with everyone who was following the thread.
So I got a new general physician a couple weeks ago as I've needed a permanent one since I move back to Illinois. He checked over my past results, checked my eye sight (20/15, which i think is good) and gave me a little bit of a physical exam where he was genuinely suprised about how tight the muscles below my neck were and he recommended a physical therapist, exactly like Vanessa suggested.
I went there today, and had like an hour long assessment. From what I can remember (like i said, it lasted forever and there was a lot of talking), my neck range of motion seems good, and she definitely checked my spine/vertabrae, and i dont remember her pointing out anything wrong. As for the bad things, apparently my posture is terrible (my weight is distributed too much on my heels), some muscle near my pelvis is really tight, as are the muscles between my shoulders, and also my hamstrings. Those are the things I can really remember right now. She wants to take a "bottom to top" order of treating these things.
Anyone else have any suggestions or comments whether this sounds like a reasonable cause for my headaches?
As far as the dural leak suggestion, it is something i'm definitely going to bring up to my physician next time I see him. Thanks for the tip LivvyCO.
So I got a new general physician a couple weeks ago as I've needed a permanent one since I move back to Illinois. He checked over my past results, checked my eye sight (20/15, which i think is good) and gave me a little bit of a physical exam where he was genuinely suprised about how tight the muscles below my neck were and he recommended a physical therapist, exactly like Vanessa suggested.
I went there today, and had like an hour long assessment. From what I can remember (like i said, it lasted forever and there was a lot of talking), my neck range of motion seems good, and she definitely checked my spine/vertabrae, and i dont remember her pointing out anything wrong. As for the bad things, apparently my posture is terrible (my weight is distributed too much on my heels), some muscle near my pelvis is really tight, as are the muscles between my shoulders, and also my hamstrings. Those are the things I can really remember right now. She wants to take a "bottom to top" order of treating these things.
Anyone else have any suggestions or comments whether this sounds like a reasonable cause for my headaches?
As far as the dural leak suggestion, it is something i'm definitely going to bring up to my physician next time I see him. Thanks for the tip LivvyCO.
Chronic head, neck, and upper shoulder pain are common presentations of temporomandibular disorder.Seeing a tmj specialist is advised.
Have any of your doctors considered that maybe you could possibly have a Spontaneous Dural Leak (which then can result in intracranial hypotension)? I have spent the last year with a dural leak (caused by the failed repeated epidural/spinal anesthesia) or otherwise a daily spinal headache (spinal headaches were better known when they were doing caudals/spinals for pain relief for labor). My dural leak isn't considered spontaneous b/c we know exactly what the cause was however the two conditions have the same signs and symptoms, treatment options etc. However there are many people who get this and aren't sure what it is and alot of docs don't know about this or it is just out of their realm of possible diagnosis. One guy in my town had one and he "thinks" he got his while shoveling snow. Anyways, symptoms are severe headache which initially can be very intense (sometimes called a thunderclap headache) kind of coming out of nowhere. They are often positional. Is yours? They tend to get better pretty quickly while lying down and get worse a bit after you get up (makes sense because you are leaking spinal fluid so when you stand up your fluid gets low and your meninges (layers around the brain and spinal cord) get pulled and your brain can actually sag a little. When you lay back down, they fluid reaccumulates some and you just also relieve that pressure on the brain. Other symptoms include sensitivity to light (photophobia), ringing/buzzing in the ears, sensitivity to loud sounds, and neck pain or stiffness. You can also have some visual field disturbances and dizziness. Anyways, I just wanted to jump on this thread as I am visiting this site for the first time but your symptoms reminded me of alot of a dural leak (or otherwise called spinal fluid leak). Something to consider or ask your doc if he/she has considered. Good luck! Oh, and while MRI and CT scans can be part of the testing they do, it is very specialized and you really need a board certified neuroradiologist to be able to see these things (my first one was read as completely stone cold normal by a general radiologist but luckily at the hospital I was in it was protocol at night to have the specialists re-read tests that are more specialized. My test was far from normal with lots of blood and blood clots etc. around the subarachnoid space.
Wow, I have all of your symptoms just add on nausea, fatigue, and worsening visual snow.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi,
It is best at this point to have your back and neck checked. A rehabilitation medicine specialist may be able to assess any spine related problems. He/she may give you a proper referral for proper management if needed. There may still be an overlying migraine or cluster headache component .For how long have you been taking the Verapamil? You may discuss with your physician prescriber the advantages of other forms of therapy for a cluster headache. Your management may be modified once your spine has been further assessed.
It is best at this point to have your back and neck checked. A rehabilitation medicine specialist may be able to assess any spine related problems. He/she may give you a proper referral for proper management if needed. There may still be an overlying migraine or cluster headache component .For how long have you been taking the Verapamil? You may discuss with your physician prescriber the advantages of other forms of therapy for a cluster headache. Your management may be modified once your spine has been further assessed.
Vanessa, thanks for your response.
I have not had my spine checked yet. My last physician in Las Vegas never suggested it, even though I mentioned my neck and back pain, although I think the neck pain may have been getting worse since I last visited my physician.
To clarify a few other things, my physician said of my headaches that I "had a cluster pattern, mainly ocular but he has profound light sensitivity as well. He has partial response to Verapimil but does not feel well".
So cluster headaches were the original diagnosis. My eyes aren't typically red, and although I have never been to a doctor about allergies, I sometimes take Claritin if I'm feeling stuffy. Also, as far as sinuses go, my physician said the CT scan would have shown any sinus problems, which is something I thought might be causing the headaches. And lastly, as far as visual problems, although my sister, mother and father all wear reading glasses, I've had perfect vision all my life, although it has been awhile since I've gotten my eyes checked.
Also, while my sister has a history of migraines, until these headaches, I had never had serious headaches or a single migraine. In fact, these headaches are not like any headaches I used to have, like for example, hangover headaches after drinking. And now, when I do have hangovers after drinking, the headache is doubled...like I can feel both headaches.
Just today I had a dentist appointment for a teeth cleaning and their lights were about blinding me....also, perhaps it was the light glaring off the snow, but the drive to the dentist was killing my eyes as well.
No doubling of vision, nausea, vomiting or fever.
Sorry if my thoughts seem a bit scattered.
I have not had my spine checked yet. My last physician in Las Vegas never suggested it, even though I mentioned my neck and back pain, although I think the neck pain may have been getting worse since I last visited my physician.
To clarify a few other things, my physician said of my headaches that I "had a cluster pattern, mainly ocular but he has profound light sensitivity as well. He has partial response to Verapimil but does not feel well".
So cluster headaches were the original diagnosis. My eyes aren't typically red, and although I have never been to a doctor about allergies, I sometimes take Claritin if I'm feeling stuffy. Also, as far as sinuses go, my physician said the CT scan would have shown any sinus problems, which is something I thought might be causing the headaches. And lastly, as far as visual problems, although my sister, mother and father all wear reading glasses, I've had perfect vision all my life, although it has been awhile since I've gotten my eyes checked.
Also, while my sister has a history of migraines, until these headaches, I had never had serious headaches or a single migraine. In fact, these headaches are not like any headaches I used to have, like for example, hangover headaches after drinking. And now, when I do have hangovers after drinking, the headache is doubled...like I can feel both headaches.
Just today I had a dentist appointment for a teeth cleaning and their lights were about blinding me....also, perhaps it was the light glaring off the snow, but the drive to the dentist was killing my eyes as well.
No doubling of vision, nausea, vomiting or fever.
Sorry if my thoughts seem a bit scattered.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi ,
You have mentioned that you developed the tendency to crack your neck more often now. Have you had your cervical spine assessed?
Since most of your blood tests came back normal, a cervicogenic headache or headaches caused by problems of the cervical spine may be considered.Cluster headache is also another differential. Do you have any associated eye redness, eye tearing and nasal discharge? Tension headaches, uncorrected visual problems and sinus problems are also likely causes .
A complete physical and neurologic examination will be able to help. With regards to your increase in head circumference, this has to be assessed objectively. It is important to note that adults do not experience the enlarged head that infants with hydrocephalus or increased intracranial pressure present due to the fusion of the cranial plates after infancy.
Are there any blurring or doubling of vision?
Any associated nausea and vomiting?
Any fever?
Do keep us posted.
You have mentioned that you developed the tendency to crack your neck more often now. Have you had your cervical spine assessed?
Since most of your blood tests came back normal, a cervicogenic headache or headaches caused by problems of the cervical spine may be considered.Cluster headache is also another differential. Do you have any associated eye redness, eye tearing and nasal discharge? Tension headaches, uncorrected visual problems and sinus problems are also likely causes .
A complete physical and neurologic examination will be able to help. With regards to your increase in head circumference, this has to be assessed objectively. It is important to note that adults do not experience the enlarged head that infants with hydrocephalus or increased intracranial pressure present due to the fusion of the cranial plates after infancy.
Are there any blurring or doubling of vision?
Any associated nausea and vomiting?
Any fever?
Do keep us posted.
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