Head pain - need diagnosis

[bspad]

Suddenly in Sept. 2000, on the left side of my head, I felt a pain that bounced around to different areas.  The bouncing lasted one day, but the pain localized to a spot about 2 inches above the back part of the ear. The next day, I had transient, very excruciating jabs of pain shooting from the area above the ear forward to the hairline (never hit the face).  These lasted for about 3-5 seconds each and occurred about 5 times total. I never had those jabs again.  The left cheek was slightly numb for about 1 week.  The pain has been with me constantly, every minute I am awake.  I had no head trauma or illness prior to this.  On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst, the pain is mainly in the range of  4-7.  

In October 2000, an MRI with and without dye and a CT without dye were negative; neuro exams were normal.  During the 1st 2 yrs., I was given muscle relaxants, Tegretol, Effexor XR (came off both in a week because of reactions), 3 days of Prednisone.  Sed rate normal.  Recently given Indocin. Nothing helps,including OTC medication.  

The pain is a strong ache

[pcacef]

A related discussion, Head pain was started.

[chris588]

I saw this thread and must chime in. I am 28 and have head this sharp short burst pain (5-10 seconds) in the same exact spot on my head (2 inches above back of ear, top middle of head) since I was a teenager... probably about 15 years now on and off. I recently quit smoking six weeks ago and have double my exercise to about 1.5 hours per day six days a week. Just today the pain came on intense toward the end of a 3 mile high speed run. It was followed for the first time ever by lightheadedness and some numbness in my left leg. I of course set up an appt right away with a specialist. I then called my mother to find out most of the older men on her side of the family have a blood disorder resulting in aneurysms and strokes. This scares me but obviously I don't want to jump to conclusions. I just figure its better to get checked out thoroughly and if somethings wrong, take care of it right away.

[tonyaintenn]

My problem started back in february of this year (2004).  I would just be sitting around or talking to my mom and all of a sudden I'd have these sharp shooting pains in the top of my head.  You know, the kind that makes you squint.  They were very random.  They stopped and now I have pain in the top left part of my head.  It's not like a headache but it's constantly there.  I really notice it when I bend over to tie my shoes or to pick something up.  I also have numbness in the left side of my face, and weird muscle twitching in my left palm, both hands and arms.  I also have a heavy left leg.  When all of this first started I thought I was having a stroke.  I went to the ER and they did a dye test, this and that test and I found out that there's nothing wrong with my heart, my cholesterol is great, my blood pressure is normal, I have absolutely no blockage whatsoever.  So, I'm off wednesday to have an MRI.  Has anybody else had similar symptoms to mine?

[ezloanlady]

I have seen several others with this same pain.  The top of my head hurts.  My scalp on the top of my head is sensitive and very tender.  I don't have any scaling or flaking, there isn't a rash or skin irritation.  Its more of less a dull pain that has been going on for a few weeks.

[dessi]

hello so happy to hear that others understand my pain.....my story as follows....i hit the middle part of my head on the top of the bottom of the frezzer...it was open at the time...(i was cleaning the fridge and frezzer)....any hoo i came up on the bottom of the frezzer and struck the middle part of my head ...right in the center.....i do not know if i had a concussion.....some details are blurry.....i had a small cut and dr'd it.... the pain was excrutiating.....the pain lasted for 2 days and then i was ok......1 week later i got this chronic pain at the back of my head down my neck and at the center of my scalp......the pain has not subsided at all!!!!!and a month later i went to the emer. romm i had a ct scan done where they said nothing was wrong on the scan i was diagnosed  w/ post concussion and given vicadin for the pain...it didnot help sand made me sick....i later went to my dr. where she tried to give me blood pressure meds......i have no history of high blood pressure so i declined and told her i would rather get a mri done ....i also in the meantime had been going to a chiro.,that did not help but i actually felt worse....i had the mri done and they found nothing conclussive but reported that they noticed the high activity of lupus in the brain.....but insisted it was not the cause of my pain.....my dr, then sent me to a neurolgist who did the reg. test they do balance, dexterity etc. he then  found things fine and attempted to give me anti-dep......i became depressed at that time but i wasnot before i went in to see him i refused those i am allergic to alot of meds in concerns w/ my lupus and since i know this i again refused.......now i am going to another neuro on thurs. and hope he can diagnose me properly.....this pain is unbearable and i go to work,sleep, and do all daily activities w/ it  it never goes away...lately i have noticed that the bottom of my feet are numb(i have raynauds syn) the back of my leg is numb and my vagina is a bit numb....i take advil for the pain and it helps for 5-10mins. ...it does not go away but it is in degrees.....help me.......i have had this pain since May!!!!! help...

[dessi]

hello so happy to hear that others understand my pain.....my story as follows....i hit the middle part of my head on the top of the bottom of the frezzer...it was open at the time...(i was cleaning the fridge and frezzer)....any hoo i came up on the bottom of the frezzer and struck the middle part of my head ...right in the center.....i do not know if i had a concussion.....some details are blurry.....i had a small cut and dr'd it.... the pain was excrutiating.....the pain lasted for 2 days and then i was ok......1 week later i got this chronic pain at the back of my head down my neck and at the center of my scalp......the pain has not subsided at all!!!!!and a month later i went to the emer. romm i had a ct scan done where they said nothing was wrong on the scan i was diagnosed  w/ post concussion and given vicadin for the pain...it didnot help sand made me sick....i later went to my dr. where she tried to give me blood pressure meds......i have no history of high blood pressure so i declined and told her i would rather get a mri done ....i also in the meantime had been going to a chiro.,that did not help but i actually felt worse....i had the mri done and they found nothing conclussive but reported that they noticed the high activity of lupus in the brain.....but insisted it was not the cause of my pain.....my dr, then sent me to a neurolgist who did the reg. test they do balance, dexterity etc. he then  found things fine and attempted to give me anti-dep......i became depressed at that time but i wasnot before i went in to see him i refused those i am allergic to alot of meds in concerns w/ my lupus and since i know this i again refused.......now i am going to another neuro on thurs. and hope he can diagnose me properly.....this pain is unbearable and i go to work,sleep, and do all daily activities w/ it  it never goes away...lately i have noticed that the bottom of my feet are numb(i have raynauds syn) the back of my leg is numb and my vagina is a bit numb....i take advil for the pain and it helps for 5-10mins. ...it does not go away but it is in degrees.....help me.......i have had this pain since May!!!!! help...