Persistent headache inflamed artery

[jatiro]

Please help!! I have been suffering from a persistent headache now for 2 months and cant shift it, I have seen various GPs and a neuro and they believe it is a vascular problem. This is after the GPs have tried me on a variety of meds and given me dx from tension headache to cluster headache to spinal problem. I have had two CT scans that came back clear. The headache has usually always been located in my temple region on the left hand side of my head and is so intensity on days it reduces me to tears. The artery infront of my left ear (suoperfdacial temporal artery) is also inflammed and can be clearly felt throbbing and is raised. I am 22. After seen the neuro i am now taking indomethacin and sodium valproate. Has anyone had success on these. I have also had a 3 week period were i took nothing as was concerned it may have been a rebound headache as first month involved alot of pain killer meds on prescription.

Has anyone else had a very one sided throbbing headache with pain behind the eye and is the inflammed artery anything to worry about. The meds i am on are having no affect and am not seeing the neuro for another 2 months ( good old NHS)?

Other symptom include
Weight loss, Fever (on and off from 35.6 to 38.4 C)

Should i be pushing for an MRA to discover why this artery is raised and why this headache which is a 8/10  24/7 will not go away

Any help and advice will be gratly recieved?

[concerenedmother]

Sorry the type of therapy is called cranio sacral.

[jatiro]

Could this inflammed artery just be the result of having this headache for so long or do you think that it is related or the cause of the headache. I have a GP appoint on wens to get blood work back and am now looking to get a private MRI of head and neck and also a MRA of head, all for

[jatiro]

No i havent. Although some of what you say rings a bell. I have been seeing a ostopath for 5 week now and although it has not got rid of my headache i do for about an hour after he has manipulate me feel a small bit better and then the temple pain returns. Are you in the uk and if so were is this clinic.

What were the other symtoms of your sons headaches if there were any?

James

[jatiro]

Im only 22 although i did find during the course of my research that i match the sypmtoms of temperal artitis (a type of vasculitis i think) exactly, although it says that it very rarely occurs in anyone under the age of 55 and GP said it was highly unlikely and that was that. I would have thought that the indomethacin (anti inflamatory) and the dicofenic (also an anti inflamatory) which was my previous medication would have helped although does not seemed to at all. The artery itself is raised from just in front of my left ear to about 1 1/4 inches up towards my temple. When i sit in a quite room i can hear the pulse in my head. However i do not understand why i sometimes get the headache on other side where there is no inflamation although hadache over left temple and left eye has been present since day one and never gone away.

P.s Thanks for posting by the way. Its good to be able to talk to people who can atleast understand how fraustrating a continous headache can be and to get some other suggestions and thoghts. My GP seems to treat me as if its a common cold and everyone has it!!! All suggestions and input are welcome and gratefully recieved

[nosol]

Have your doctors check you for vasculitis ASAP.  This is an inflammatory condition that may lead to strokes if left untreated.   Aside from that, try finding a neurologist who specializes in headaches.

Good luck!

[jatiro]

Have had blood tests done for thyroid, blood count, kidney and liver function and plasma C and these came back fine. What is an ANA? Have also seen n ostupath for 5 sessions and he believes that there is no more he can do!