headache accompanied by numbness,tingling

[ts98199]

On occassion I will get a dull headache, marked by a tingling and numb feeling, generally emphasized on one side of my head (usually the left).  My sinuses on that side are also impacted.  I have tried to locate the source and it may be associated with chocolate or related properties.  The tingling and numbness are alarming.  Is is possible that this could be an allergic reaction of some sort?

[sickofit405]

A related discussion, numbness in head was started.

[medtran]

A related discussion, headache was started.

[mintdove]

My mother is 63 years old and for the last 6 weeks has had constant pain in her head and an aching in her neck.  the first dr. she went to said it was a sinus infection and put her on antibiotics.  This went on for 3 weeks and she did not feel any better.  So she went to a ears, nose throat dr.  he did a cat scan on her sinuses and found that they are clear.  he's now sending her for a cat scan of her neck...  in the mean time she's got numbness in her mouth and it is swollen... there are also white postules growing on her cheeks.  she's going to see an oral surgeon about it in a week.  she also complains that her ears feel..."raw"... the dr. looked in her ears and saw nothing wrong...  she went to the eye dr. this morning and he found what looks to be tissue behind her left eye...she's going to call an eye specialist.  she's currently taking advil...she says it takes the edge off, but the pain never goes away...  the ear, nose throat dr put her on steroids for a short time and she felt noticeably better.  i'm so concerned and so is she...  has anyone heard of this?   before this happened she was active, felt fine and had no head pain at all...

[kthunt]

This sounds very close to what I'm experiencing. It started 4 months ago with a sinus infection. I had a sudden onset of tingling/numbness in the left side of my face and a low grade fever. X-ray's showed a fluids build up in my sinuses. After treatment with antibiotics the symptoms went completely away for 2 weeks then returned but lessened. Another treatment again produced results but took a little longer and wasn't as successful. I've never had a lot of pain with this but have had a sense of lightheadness, not dizzy but more of a drugged feeling, like being on heavy cold medicine (without taking medicine).

The ENT I'm seeing now has found nasal polyps and I'm about to get a sinus CT scan. A previous CT scan showed nothing unusual about my brain. As the feeling of sinus pressure builds up the numbness also increases and well as the lightheadness. No vision problems or muscle weakness or balance problems.

This message could have been written by be (but wasn't):
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/messages/32001a.html

[PRP]

I agree that it sounds like a migraine, but they can come from many different sources besides chocolate. My husband gets his from too much stress or too much sleep. I get mine from my estrogen. I have friends that get them from not eating on a regular schedule, smells, bright lights, etc. So, you need to eleminate things to see what your own trigger is. Also, a trip to a neurologist can be extremely helpful. Good luck.

[Croz]

Sounds like migraine to me.  You may have to let go of the chocolate.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

Neurological symptoms such as numbness, tingling or weakness that accompany a headache can all be part of what's known as a complex migraine. It can certainly be alarming for patients, but if it really is just part of the migraine then it should resolve with resolution of the headache.  Chocolate as well as nitrites (food preservative found in hot dogs, etc...), sleep deprivation, changes in the menstrual cycle are well-known precipitants.  Allergic reaction is possible, but it sounds more like migraine. (keep in mind I have never personally examined you)

Talk to your doctors about your symptoms.  You may want to consider a neurological referral for a formal examination just to make sure everything is ok.  Depending on what they find, an MRI of the brain may also be considered.  THere are other things that can causes headache and neurological symptoms (which can be ruled out with MRI), but complex migraine is high on the list. Good luck.