The Haunting Head Ache

[elcid75]

I am currently 18 years old and have been suffering from some form or another of episodic headaches for the last 3 years. I call them Haunting headaches because they are a extremely painful as well as leaving me for several months at a time and randomly coming back. They will generally stay for about two weeks and then leave without a trace until whenever they deem fit to return.

I wish that i could say that they have a certain pattern, but they can, will, and do strike me at any point of they day, They do tend to strike me in the mornings about an hour after I get up, not wake up, but from when i get out of bed. It starts off as a small almost burning sensation from behind my right eye. My eye will begin to water (i am not sure if it is caused by the pain or a symptom of the headache) and then my right eye will become bloodshot. By the time my eye is bloodshot, i am feeling sick to my stomache, am dizzy, and am literally crying from the pain during some episodes.  In short, it feels like someone is trying to dig my eye out of my head with a rusty old spoon and continuously scraping at the back of my eye. The pain spreads generally so the entire upper right side of my head hurts with the most concentrated pain at the back of my right eye.

i have had a CAT scan, x-rays, and eye exams done, (all about a year ago) which showed that i should be in perfect health. My doctor said that there wasn't really anything we could do about them but treat the pain, so initially he prescribed Tylenol with codeine. It got to a point where that wasn't helping very much so i upgraded to hydrocodone and later vicodin. since they have started again i have wanted to stay away from using any narcotic, and have been trying 800mg of ibuprofen under his direction. It helps for about an hour and a half and takes about half an hour to start helping. without damaging my body more he said i shouldn't exceed taking the 800mg once every 4 to six hours as needed. So i am currently dealing with brief hour and a half spurts of relief from an ordeal that has once lasted four days straight.

ANY ideas or suggestions would be very very appreciated.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

Yes, a complete ENT examination will help. Not all headaches are migraines or tension related. Underlying structures especially involvement of nearby structures have to be ruled out. Drink plenty of water and eat well. Get enough sleep and stay in a well ventilated room. Get enough exercise and fresh air. This should help improve the condition.

As for cluster headaches, this may be a likely differential. Do discuss this with your physician so that the right management may be given.

[elcid75]

No. I don't think my doctor has mentioned them to me but i will ask him about them. And now that you mention it, the right side of my sinuses always seem to get clogged up whenever i get a headache.

Thanks!

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

This sounds like cluster headaches. Cluster headaches may present with eye tearing and redness as well as nasal discharge. They are severe headaches which may occur several times in a day in short bursts. As the name implies, they occur in clusters. "The treatments of choice for acute cluster headache are oxygen (7 L per minute for 15 minutes), sumatriptan, or a combination of the two ….”

Source:http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050215/717.html

Prednisone has also been used to prevent any of the attacks. Has cluster headache been considered in your case?