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For the past 4 months, I have been living one of my worst fears. Having a headache that won't stop. I've dealt with headaches all my life and sinus issues does run in the family. However, usually advil, a hot shower or nap would knock it out. I've never had headache last for this length of time. Now I wake up every day wondering if my headache is gone, and being depressed when I start feeling the aching again.
The headaches started in the middle of the brutal heat and humidity here, and I have experienced headaches for a length of time in summers before. After a month though, I went to see my family doctor. She immediately said I was congested and had a sinus infection. I did two rounds of an anti-biotic and nasal spray. Nothing changed.
I went to see an ENT, and he also prescribed a different anti-biotic. 14 day round, and still no change, although I was certain the headache was sinus related because it would typical hurt one one side above my eye and that same sided nostril felt clogged. I would also feel pain briefly in my cheekbones. All classic sinus headache symptoms.
Last Friday, I went back and had a cat scan. At this point, I was worried about brain tumors. Much to my relief, he told me the cat scan was clear. The bad news is it kinda rules out the sinus theory as I was having a bad headache while the scan was being done.
A friend suggested that I have migraines, but I never felt nauseated, can look at bright lights, don't feel light headed or dizzy. I also checked my blood pressure several times, and it is normal. One pattern seems to be that I feel fine when I wake up, mild headache by the time I get to work at 7:30am, and just feel miserable with a severe headache after I come back from lunch.
Advil, prednisone, zrytec, nothing gives me relief. But at least I can sleep at night.
The other troubling symptom is that I can't bend over comfortably anymore. My head feels like it is in a vice with intense pressure and my face turns really red if I do something as simple as tying my shoe.
My next step is to see a neurologist. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? Like I told my girlfriend, I can deal with the pain, it's the fear of not knowing if this will ever end that is the worst.
When I have a severe sinus infection I get that intense pressure upon bending that you describe. When you bend hold your head up as you go down. This seemed to help when I really had to reach lower. You might want to try a decongestant. I use Mucinex-D round the clock to relieve my sinus symptoms. Claritin is a different drug than zyrtec yet treats the same symptoms. Maybe it will have an effect on you.
Allergies. Even without an infection, you could have swelling in your sinuses. You said hot humid weather caused your headaches. It's likely you are allergic to something in season during that time. In my area, tree allergies are in the spring, grass allergies are in the summer, and weed allergies are in the fall. Daily allergy meds can help. If not, spring for allergy testing and allergy shots.
Dental problems. Don't discount the possibility. My child had terrible pain on one side of his face and head and behind his eyes for a long time. Many tests were run by many specialists. It turned out to be the teeth. Guess who figured that out? Me, his mother. Apparently dental pain can be that bad for that long. If it's nerve related, it can just shoot up into other areas of your head, and it's possible to not realize it's tooth related.
I'd seen an allergist and a dentist before seeing a neurologist.
Hi everyone,
One pattern seems to be that I feel fine when I wake up, mild headache by the time I get to work at 7:30am, and just feel miserable with a severe headache after I come back from lunch.
Could it be an allergic reaction to something you are eating or drinking at breakfast and lunch? Could it be a blood sugar issue such as hypoglycemia?
You might look up Cluster Headaches, I used to have them and even though I haven't had one in many years I still have a little fear that one day they may return. Once I worked with a guy who had them and he thought heat and humidity was a trigger for his, I thought working around paint and chemicals were the trigger for mine. They do occur with clockwork accuracy which leads me to think hormones levels may be involved or something internal that reaches the same level every day at the same time.
the fact that you said the headache is one-sided and your eye and one nostril is affected make me think migraine. As someone who suffers 10-20 migraines per month I can tell you mine are always on my right temple,right eye and I get a runny nose from my right nostril.
How bad is the pain, based on 1-10?
Mostly mine are the result of food allergies; most specifically Yellow Dye #5 but that ingredient(that I now refer to as poison) is also found in shampoos,soaps,face creams,etc
I also have reactions to onions,kiwi, the scent of perfumes/colognes.
Might I suggest you try Goody or BC Powders? IF you can take aspirin with no problem.
Also try adding 500mg magnesium supplements to your diet. (Take with food)
Not saying you for sure have a classic migraine but it won't hurt to "assume" that for now and treat it as though you do as a trial and error stage.
Thank you for the replies and suggestions. Some encouraging changes over the weekend. The head pressure sensation when bending over is gone! This is a huge relief as it was really scaring me. It also rained Saturday morning and my headache disappeared for most of Saturday. It came back mildly Sunday night.
I'm leaning more towards the allergy theory since I really improved after that rain, and we haven't had many rain events here this summer. But is it possible to have headaches as the only allergy symptom? Unfortunately I've developed a moderate headache already today so I'm not out of the woods. Pain scale gets up to a 7 at times, bad enough where I must have some heat or ice on my head.
Could it be an allergic reaction to something you are eating or drinking at breakfast and lunch? Could it be a blood sugar issue such as hypoglycemia?
^^^^A former co-worker of mine developed shell-fish allergies in their late 30's and I developed an allergy around age 40. It gave my co-worker migraines. In my case it caused mixed symptoms.
These were new allergies to foods we commonly ate.
I'm leaning more towards the allergy theory since I really improved after that rain, and we haven't had many rain events here this summer. But is it possible to have headaches as the only allergy symptom?
It's possible to have headaches as the only allergy symptom. A mild allergy might only cause inflammation in the sinus.
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In my case it caused mixed symptoms.
