BG Medical: Chronic Headaches

[Karshe]

Before we start... it's not lupus, and it's not cancer. Moving on.

I've had a severe problem with a headache for years now... and where all the medical professionals I've seen have failed, I have faith in BG!

Brief history: I've had the same headache for going on four years now. The pain is behind my forehead and eyes, I describe the pain as "pressure," pushing out. There was no physical trauma or injury when it began. When it started, I was working in childcare and thought it might be noise/stress related... however, I left that job three years ago and the headache remains. I now have a stress-free job, and, for the most part, a stress-free life.

I don't "get headaches," I simply always have it. I don't have any of the normal migraine symptoms, it's never something that keeps me home from work or anything. On a scale from one to ten, I would describe it as "A very constant five or six." For a good two or three years I was popping tylenol/aspirin like candy, and I'm sure some of my problem was rebound headache related... however, I've been pill-free for about six months now and there has been zero improvement.

In the past year I have gotten my eye glasses prescription checked twice (and an annual exam), I've seen an ENT to see if it was sinus related (it's not), I've done two overnight sleep studies and slept with a CPAP mask for a month to see if it was sleep apnea related (it's not), I've gotten two CT scan's and one MRI of my skull/brain under the care of a neurologist to make sure there was nothing cancerous showing (everything came out normal), and the most recent doctor I've seen was a "Headache Specialist" who simply advised me it was a chronic headache and to gradually stop taking all medication, which I have and again, no improvement.

So, has anyone here suffered or known someone who suffers from chronic headaches? At this point I feel like I've literally tried everything with zero success. I'm up for any suggestions.

[Bipolargod]

I think they might be looking for different diagnoses, ask the "headache specialist" about Hemicrania continua, you have 3 of those symptoms. Also, I'd ask about some blood thinners not just aspirin, most cephalalgia is taken care of that way. This is real interesting, headaches for years on end...please keep us posted ^^

[Kaylia]

Have your eyesight checked. Muscles around the eyes get cramped trying to focus constantly when your glasses are too weak/strong, and it might lead to headache similar to the one you described.

Too much pc/shitty sleep schedule probably doesn't help either.

[Guitarman]

im just going to give you some ideas, so toss them or try em as you will:

-stress can still be the cause, do you suffer from anxiety? Alot of the time i'll stress migraine myself without knowing i am. you can still be stressed without feeling stressed.

- do you grind your teeth? or do your teeth hurt in the morning? You may want to try a nightguard for your teeth when you sleep. Putting pressure on your teeth will trigger all-day headaches.

-are there any abrasive or unpleasant odors in your neighborhood or home? A strong unpleasant scent can cause headaches easily.

-get a second opinion on the sinus issue. I again suffer from sinusitis and it will absolutely cause me headaches.

-any neck or back injuries? muscles can be connected throughout your body, a damaged muscle group in your shoulders neck or upper back can cause strain giving you headaches. You might consider a neurologist as your next step.

I do wish you luck, i suffer with alot of headaches but i couldn't imagine chronic issues.

edit: it could be in your home. a small gas leak, or some type of nearby chemical you don't know about. might have someone come to your home and test the levels in your home for toxins.

[Bipolargod]

In the past year I have gotten my eye glasses prescription checked twice (and an annual exam), I've seen an ENT to see if it was sinus related (it's not)

Can't be the glasses, if he's had three exams in under a year. Still though, this is very interesting.

[izembo]

ive had headaches very similiar to this for years as well, a question though, do you drink a lot of caffiene?

[Colenzo]

stop smoking weed

[Kaylia]

Can't be the glasses, if he's had three exams in under a year. Still though, this is very interesting.

I missed that line, but the headaches he described are very similar to mine. That's why I think it's related to eyes' muscles.

[Effluo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trepanation

[Karshe]

Thanks for the positive responses so far... I've done quite a bit of research over the years, but hadn't stumbled across "Hemicrania continua," so that's much appreciated. It definitely sounds familliar enough symptom-wise for me to do some additional looking into it.

I don't think it's my glasses, given my exams throughout this year, although I have so much pressure behind my eyes that I still haven't 100% ruled it out.

My original thoughts about the headache were that it felt like SINUS pressure, and I've always had bad allergies... but my ENT assured me that the CT scans came out clean and it "couldn't" be sinus related. I haven't gotten a second ENT opinion, however, I'd like to think that there would be little room to misinterpret some sort of sinus blockage on two CT scans.

Guitarman, I definitely appreciate the different factors to look at, however, the answer to your questions are all "N/A" for me. None of those ring a bell. I have been thinking about getting a second ENT opinion, however. I have a one year old so I can't say my life is "stress free," but overall I'd say my stress level is low... and I've had the headache a lot longer than I've had my son.

I drink a decent amount of caffiene each day, I'd say 0-2 sodas per day (no coffee). I've tried limiting caffiene to the point of not having any at all over the span of a few weeks, however, it didn't seem to have any effect.

And finally... I've smoked weed zero times in the last 5 years.

Two additional symptoms I hadn't mention in OP, a lack of sleep or too much sleep intensifies the headache. And this is where I start feeling like I'm insane, but heat (stuffy office building, heater in my car) intensifies the headache and cool air (A/C in my car, fan blowing at night, going outside during fall/winter) alleviates a decent amount of the pressure. As a result, I have a fan blowing on my face at work, and a fan blowing on my face at night (since the cool air helps... a bit). I've also looked into the constant air blowing into my face as a cause of the headache (I went a week without any fans), however, this had no improvement.

Thanks again for the thoughts and theories, much appreicated.

[Guitarman]

yeah no problem, like i said just shot in the dark anything to help. since you mention too much sleep, maybe try sitting and drinking your full 8 glasses of water (throughout the day obviously). dehydration can cause headaches as well. I had gone years just drinking soda and thats about it, and since ive started drinking alot of water regularly i feel much better. something easy to try.

[Celeste]

It's syphilis.

[Boyiee]

halp dr. bg, I keep farting.

[Celeste]

You have cancer of the anus.

[kuronosan]

Before we start... it's not lupus, and it's not cancer. Moving on.

I've had a severe problem with a headache for years now... and where all the medical professionals I've seen have failed, I have faith in BG!

Brief history: I've had the same headache for going on four years now. The pain is behind my forehead and eyes, I describe the pain as "pressure," pushing out. There was no physical trauma or injury when it began. When it started, I was working in childcare and thought it might be noise/stress related... however, I left that job three years ago and the headache remains. I now have a stress-free job, and, for the most part, a stress-free life.

I don't "get headaches," I simply always have it. I don't have any of the normal migraine symptoms, it's never something that keeps me home from work or anything. On a scale from one to ten, I would describe it as "A very constant five or six." For a good two or three years I was popping tylenol/aspirin like candy, and I'm sure some of my problem was rebound headache related... however, I've been pill-free for about six months now and there has been zero improvement.

In the past year I have gotten my eye glasses prescription checked twice (and an annual exam), I've seen an ENT to see if it was sinus related (it's not), I've done two overnight sleep studies and slept with a CPAP mask for a month to see if it was sleep apnea related (it's not), I've gotten two CT scan's and one MRI of my skull/brain under the care of a neurologist to make sure there was nothing cancerous showing (everything came out normal), and the most recent doctor I've seen was a "Headache Specialist" who simply advised me it was a chronic headache and to gradually stop taking all medication, which I have and again, no improvement.

So, has anyone here suffered or known someone who suffers from chronic headaches? At this point I feel like I've literally tried everything with zero success. I'm up for any suggestions.

Try to consult a cardiologist to see if maybe your heart is pumping blood too hard. With all the medication you've mentioned taking your blood might have thinned and your heart worked harder to compensate. Prior to that the headaches seem to definitely be blood-pressure related and I'm surprised they didn't check it.

It could also very well be a parasitic infection, but that's stretching it and I doubt visiting a parasitologist is going to help you.

You mentioned when you're hot it hurts worse and when you're cold it hurts less. This is usually indicative of extreme vasodilation and could explain the pressure you're feeling. When your vessels swell it puts pressure on you, which since there are so many in your head, can resemble a headache. The coolness helps alleviate this swelling as it reduces the immune response to the area. Heat obviously makes it worse.

I'm thinking it has something to do with your circulatory system. Consult a cardiologist or an immunologist and get your blood screened and your vessels checked out. A general physician isn't going to do anything for you.

[Rowe]

Are you allergic to dust? Have you been exposed to Mold Spores?

Does Claritin-D help or have no effect?

Does an anti-inflamatory such as Advil/Motrin/Ibuprofen help?

[happydude]

halp dr. bg, I keep farting.

you should poop.

thatll be 400$ copay please

[Ivaden]

I used to get migraines all the time as a Senior in high school which ended up related to stress (people were dying, school sucked, becoming adult, etc., etc.), but given the amount of time you've been having this constant headache, only one thing really came to mind as a non-professional.

Four years seems like the average amount someone on this forum would have been playing FFXI, or any other computer game. Sounds like you have a desk job too. How close do you sit to your monitors? How bright are they compared to the lighting in the area you sit? Bright screens in dark areas will strain the eyes, and if you spend a lot of time on the computer, may be related to that. Even turned down the brightness on your monitor displays? This was also one of my problems when I was getting migraines. Turning down the brightness on my computer helped a ton, and having another light on instead of playing in the dark.

[Slapper]

Start doing illicit drugs. No joke.

[Elesirdur]

Even though you mention there's no sinus complications (ie no sinusitis), do you suffer from runny or stuffed up noses, post-nasal drip, or have you had sinus infections in the past? Since all of these things can lead to headaches, here's some personal info:

Something worth try would be a Neti pot to clear out your sinuses. I use one from NeliMed (http://www.neilmed.com/can/nasaflo.php) that's about 15 for a starter kit, including the neti pot itself and enough isotonic powder solutes for about 20 or 25 full uses. I suffer from a constant, low level dust/pollen allergy (both my father and his father had runny noses their entire lives, granddad just lived with it and spat every 5 minutes, my dad takes OTC antihistimines - Novopheniram is what we both take every day and it's awesome, pretty much Sudafed without all the other shit in it like analgesics) and I absolutely swear by nasal irrigation for good nasal and sinus health. Using it once every few days really clears things out and I feel fantastic.

For a cheap solution that doesn't involve pumping pharmaceuticals into your system it's certainly worth a shot, even if it's just for a cold.

I hope you find some relief soon though. As an occasional low-level migraine sufferer I can empathize fully and hope that you can find a good solution that doesn't involve 2+ grams of analgesics a day in your system.

PS: Yes, the concept of putting fluid up one nostril to come out another is fucking weird at first, but it's a very pleasant feeling and is very easy to do.