Severe Headache during winter

[2701]

I have been gettting severe headache specially when I travel during winters. This has started during this winter only. I work in consulting field in IT industry and I don't undergo any stress due to work. Eralier I used to get severe headache once a month and which used to last for a day. This has begun from Aug 2007. During Oct to Dec '07, whenever I tarvel early in the mornings or if I travel long distance, I have been getting severe headache.
Request you please let me know what is the problem. I am planning to consult Neurologist during the next week, Meanwhile I would like to have some understanding of my problem.
Thanking you in advance.

[bjrowe01]

I am not a doctor and below are my opinons only. This is not a substitute for being seen by a doctor.

I have a brain condition called Arnold Chiari. I have had 2 surgeries, one for tethered cord, and I have headaches that I describe as low pressure headaches because I have had 7 spinal tap leaks and they feel the same. I have a ton of problems on top of the headaches but most of them occur in the winter months. This is due to barometric pressure, per the Neurosurgeons that specialize in Chiari. If the pressure is too low or too high I will have serious headaches. By being too low or too high I am referring to pressure below 29.90 and too high is basically anything above 30.10. Monitor these and keep a journal, you may very well find out that this may be your problem. If it is, you may have an underlying condition. I do not know if you have any other problems or not so I cannot comment on what I experience and what could be the cause of your problems. A good website for some more information on this is: www.chiariconnectioninternational.com. I am in no way saying that Chiari could be your problem but take a look at the symptoms of it and related disorders. Your headaches just sound so familiar in my experience with support groups for over 7 years with 7,000+ members.

[Joyce K Lee, MD]

Dear 2701,

Thank you for submitting your question.
I will answer your concerns to the best of my abilities, but please be informed that I am unable to offer a diagnosis based on your history and list of symptoms.
I am extremely limited in not having the opportunity to perform a full neurologic examination on you, nor am I able to review the pertinent imaging.
This is solely for educational purposes and should in no way be a substitute for a formal evaluation by a certified physician.

From what I gather, you are having severe headaches that generally last for 24 hours and seen to occur only in the winter for the past 6 months.

Unfortunately, there are many different types of headaches that are severe in nature.
Each of the primary types of headaches have different characteristics that we tease out in our history taking.
For example, migraine headaches tend to be one-sided, throbbing in nature, moderate to sever in intensity, increased with exertion and associated with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sounds.
On the other hand, tension type headaches usually are diffuse and feel like a band around the head, mild to moderate in severity and not affected by exertion.
Cluster headaches conversely are the excruciating types of headaches that tend to cluster around a certain time of year, are usually located on one side and behind the eye and associated with one-sided eye tearing, eye redness, and nasal drainage. Patients often describe this headache as an "ice pick" stabbing sensation.

Without knowing these details, I can't really offer you more advice.

Please see a neurologist as you had already planned to do.
Be prepared to answer a lot of questions.
In the meantime, if you happen to have one of these headaches, jot some notes down on the characteristics of the headache in a "headache diary."
We as physicians find this most helpful!

Hope this helps,
JKL, MD