A little more then just a headache

[Holly_Jns]

Im 17 years old female and for the past year I have been having horrible headaches, mostly in the evening or night time, two or three times a week. These headaches are not just your normal headaches, sometimes they even bring me to tears. Nothing seems to help, pressure, tylenol, nothing. It feels like pressure, or fullness. Its only on one side of my head at the time, but it vaires. Lately things have seemed to gotten worse, when I bend over my head feels tight, I get nautious and lightheaded, feel like im going to pass out. Ive also been getting chest pain on my left side, and last week my jaw was hurting. Im a volunteer firefighter, and I know some of these things are not normal, but I dont know if its something to go see a doctor about. Please, someone help me?

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

How old are you?

You have mentioned of a chest pain and jaw pain. I would assume that your job entails a lot of stress. It would be best to have a complete cardiac assessment at this point. An EKG, 2D Echo and blood tests for your blood sugar, cholesterol levels and coagulation factor levels may be needed. Headaches may be a manifestation of underlying systemic disease like a heart problem or a bleeding problem. It is important to have these eliminated first before considering other causes for your headaches. You have noted that the headaches appear to progress over time. This occurs at least three times a week. You may need to have your blood pressure monitored. Increase in blood pressure levels, anxiety and stress may cause headaches. Let us rule out these disease conditions first before we consider more localized disease conditions like migraine and tension headaches.

[Taya6]

Do you take birth control pills? I know from my research that frequent headaches or migraines are usually caused by "hormones" If you are on them I would suggest stopping them (take other precautions in the mean time) and see if they subside.