Tension in Face, Cheeks, Jaw?

[gann78]

Hi...I'm a relatively healthy 33 year old female. I recently had my first child in 2011. I have PCOS and the only medicine I take is Metformin, which I'm now only on 500mg. I'm not sure what is going on, but about 8 weeks ago I woke up with this pressure around my nose & ears and now seems really bad around my jaw area...I thought it was sinus and a couple of days later visited a dr. who said my sinuses were all clear...she told me to take otc allergy meds...a week went by and still no relief so I went back to the same dr. who said everything was still clear and told me to get my eyes checked and gave me a steriod/pain shot, which did nothing...went back a week later and they decided to send me for a CT scan of the brain. My eyes are perfect and CT was normal...I also visited my dentist to rule out TMJ, which he did. The dr. then proceeded to give me 10 days of antibiotics...which did nothing...then told me to try a different antibiotic for another 10 days and Flonase...nothing helped! She then prescribed me xanax...which I thought was helping a little, but later figured out it wasn't...I was just having some better days (I was only on .25 twice a day and have stopped taking them). I saw a neurologist last week who claims I don't have migraines or any other form of actual headache (after I explained that it doesn't hurt, but just intense pressure)...she recommended a psychiatrist saying it must be anxiety. I have an appt. with an ENT next week and a psychologist (I don't want meds) the next week. I'm just not sure what is going on. I feel the pressure all day and it has made me anxious...sometimes my hb's fast and I feel like I'm going to pass out...I don't know if I actually have an illness or just anxiety. I must include that my mother suffers from depression and my father died by suicide about 3 years ago. I have never been depressed or anxious and I feel if this was from stress I would have suffered these symptoms long ago! I've even wondered if it could possibly be neck related. I have lost the curve in the upper part of my spine, but my regular dr. says that the back of my head and/or neck should hurt or bother me if that was the case and those both feel fine! I'm so frustrated. Any help would be appreciated!

[Robott1970]

Hi,

I have the same symptoms as you're experiencing. I'm male currently 42, but I have felt symptoms since I was in my mid 20's. Xanax helps a little.
But I have narrowed it down to fragrances, bounce drier sheets perfume candles and many perfumes.
Tyr to isolate yourself from fragrances including your deodorant. See if the symptoms go away.

[gann78]

Just wanted to update after my last appt., geez I feel like I'm taking a day off work a week for all these visits!! My ob appt. went great. She spent a ton of time with me. So her plan is first we are checking all my hormones....making sure I have no thyroid or pituitary gland problems...then I go back next Thursday morning for fasting bloodwork to see if staying on the low dose Met is fine or if I need to up it....and I'm doing a pelvic u/s just to see how my ovaries are looking. After that she said she would sit down and look it all over and give me a call....if my hormones are all normal then she is going to start me on prometrium for the next couple of months and have me sent for an MRI  just to check out things a little better...along with also checking my neck (she almost agreed that it might have be the cause)....if my hormones are all whacky then she is starting me on the mini pill for a couple of months and schedule me to come back in after the first of the year! She didn't think my headaches were caused from anxiety...but she did agree that seeing the therapist was probably a good idea and for sure wasn't going to hurt anything...she thinks it's more muscular/nerve related since it's more in the front of my face and I have no neck or back of head tension...maybe I will finally get some answers in the next month or two!

[gann78]

I only take Metformin when I'm TTC, it helps get rid of the pearl like cysts on my ovaries. It took 7 years for me to conceive my son who is about to turn 2 and right before all this tension head crap started we were getting ready to TTC one last time and hopefully get a 2nd little miracle...that's put on hold for now until I figure out what the heck is going on.

[Londres70]

I am not sure why you are taking Metformin if you aren't insulin resistant as this is why it is prescribed for PCOS.......to control sugars/treating insulin resistance.  Metformin is NOT a treatment for PCOS, but treats the insulin resistance that's associated with PCOS.  

OB/GYNs can manage this condition, however, an Endo is ideal to manage PCOS in my opinion.  

Well.....anyways...keep us posted.  :<)

[gann78]

Nope...I never knew to see an Endo...just been seeing my ob all this time...going to see what she says..then find me one! Since I'm not insulin resistant..I just didn't know if it would help! Thanks and hopefully I'll get some answers next week!

[Londres70]

I would agree.....I didn't think this was any sinus issue, well.....it didn't sound like one.    

Confused?  Weren't you already seeing an Endo for the PCOS?  If not, you should have been.  

Well....keep us posted dear.  I hope you get some answers soon.

[gann78]

Just wanted to check in and say the ENT was great, but of course found nothing...he looked over my CT scan and said the images were perfect and the only issue he saw in the scans is my spine is super straight, but he didn't think this was causing my present issues. He thinks it's hormone related and I need to see an endocrinologist. His wife ironically suffers from PCOS so he was very knowledgable about it. I have my ob appointment next Tuesday so hoping she will give me some answers...this is so stressful and I'm tired of feeling this head/face pressure every single day! It's been 4 months since I had a period, so just maybe it is my hormones, but honestly I'm not holding out too much hope at this point!

[Londres70]

Well, meant lucky in the sense you aren't having to deal with a weight issue, an infertility issue, plus all the other issues that go with PCOS.  The weight with PCOS usually doesn't budge easily.  Well, in any case, this condition is nothing pleasant to deal with.  

[gann78]

I don't know if I'm lucky, especially on the infertility side of things, but I sure know that PCOS is no fun at all!!

Thanks for your suggestions and replies. I will keep you posted!

[Londres70]

Thin and dealing with PCOS.......you are very lucky.  Most if not all of the patients I have taken care of with PCOS were overweight to obese.  

Well.....see what this Specialist says.

[gann78]

I'm getting a copy of my actual CT for the ENT to look at so hoping he has some answers! I don't think it's pseudotumor cerebri as I did mention this to my ob and she says it's generally found in overweight PCOS patients and I'm thin! Also forgot to mention that I'm not on bcp because we were getting ready to try for a 2nd child since it took me 7 yrs for my first, so I haven't had a period for 3 months, and I'm not pg so I suppose my hormones are all whacky from the PCOS again!! I have an appt with my ob on the 30!!

[Londres70]

Well...you should probably have imaging done specifically of your sinuses and your Temporomandibular joints......a CT ideally.  

See this ENT Specialist and see what he/she thinks.

Keep us posted.  

[gann78]

Thanks for the replies! I did have my eyes checked and retna's, all was perfect! I haven't had any other tests, just routine bloodwork! My head feels more tingly the last 2 days, but my jaw has a ton of pressure, still wondering if it could possibly be TMJ since the dentist didn't actually take xrays, just hoping the ENT will figure something out!

[Londres70]

I don't think this is any "pure anxiety," but anxiety secondary to whatever is going on with you.  Just can't see how pressure around your nose, ear and jaw relates to "pure anxiety."

Were your eyes assessed by an Ophthalmologist?  You should have your retinas checked to make the pressure isn't coming from the retinas or something pushing on your retinas.  

You can try to repeat the CT, but ONLY focusing on the sinuses and see what the results are, however, you not responding to medications makes  me tend to think you aren't dealing with a sinus issue.  Consult with this ENT Specialist and see what he/she thinks.

Another thing that came to mind was Pseudotumor Cerebri.  This condition is commonly associated with PCOS.  The only thing is is that your symptoms aren't really matching to this, however, you could be presenting atypical.  With this condition, MRIs and CTs can come back COMPLETELY clean, however, an MRI of the brain with contrast would be ideal to do along with an LP to check the CFS pressure.  That's why I mentioned to have your retinas checked because PC affects the retinas.  

The psychologist......hmmm, yeah....ok, go and see what he/she says.  

[Threewheelmobile]

Did they do an emg or a cardiogram?  Go see a ortheomanuele therapist regarding your spine. Just to be sure!