I'm getting scared now

[UKmamainUS]

I went to the ER a week and a half ago because I keep getting headaches in the back of my head on the left side. They just dismissed me and sent me home with Vicodin. Well,I've had a headache almost every day since, exactly the same, left side only,back of the head. Usually a dull ache or throbbing (the throb is more when I move). Basically, it feels as though the left side of my head is on fire or bleeding or smashed in with a baseball bat. No auras, so not like my usual migraines. My neck also really hurts on the left side but has for a few weeks. I have had massages to try to help but it hasn't. Today the pain is affecting my eye also. Plus, I had a nosebleed and have been tasting blood in the back of my throat all day. Moving and talking makes the head ache worse. Obviously the doctors office is closed, and I'm not really sure there is any point going back to the ER if they are just going to give me more vicodin and send me on my way. The headaches generally start in the late afternoon / early evening, but can come on any time. I am staying well hydrated.

Anyone got any thoughts or experience to share?

[Agadch]

I have been having the exact same type of headaches. Everyday, worse in the evenings, left side/back of the head. I feel like it's in my left temple and then I can sometimes feel mild pain in my jaw/ear/eye on that side and then awful neck pain, also on the left side. It's horrible, I know how you feel. I've been to get my eyes tested but the optician said I have perfect vision so that isn't causing it, been to the GP and he reckons it's just tension. He also told me to stay well hydrated but as you've noticed yourself, it doesn't help. The pain at the back of my head usually worsens when I'm lying on my back and I'm too afraid to lie on my left side because my headaches are on that side. I've started rubbing white tiger balm onto my temple and Traxam gel into my neck. Not sure if you need a prescription for Traxam as I've robbed it from my dad to use but you could get a neurofen gel or something and use that. I'm not sure if the tiger balm actually takes away the headache or just distracts me from it because it tingles lots when you rub it on but I find it a bit helpful. Hope you feel better soon :)

[UKmamainUS]

Thanks for your input. I'm sorry to hear you are going through this too.

I know I have a lot of tension but it seems weird to have tension headaches in just one side. I have TMJ but use a bite guard, and there is a chance I have a tooth infection (occasional pain but no infection evident in X-rays - been to 3 dentists) on the lower left side, but I can't see how that would cause pain like this. Besides, it wasn't affected by antibiotics so it's looking less and less likely to be an infection of the tooth. I've been seeing a chiropractor and this seems to help for the very short term.

I just want to feel well. My kids are getting a bit sick of hearing "not now, mommy has a headache".

[Agadch]

I read something not too long ago about headaches like the ones we've been experiencing. A dentist who suffered with headaches for 5 years and had TMJ invented a bite guard for just the front of your mouth because he discovered that the TMJ one causes you to bite harder at the back and makes headaches worse. The one he created makes you bite down just on the front which leaves your jaw open at the back and prevents headaches and neck pain.

heres a link to it:
http://www.drjimboyd.com/book/text.html

It's quite long so you probably don't want to read it all. The thing he created is called the NTI-tss so maybe just have a look on google what people are saying about it and it might help you. I've been looking into getting one for myself :)

[UKmamainUS]

Ooh thanks for that information. I've definitely noticed an improvement using my current guard, but I have also noticed I chew on the plates between my teeth. A front one might be much better. Especially since the headaches started after I started using the mouth guard (previous neck pain improved a lot though. I never used to be able to turn my head to the left at all - the current pain feels more localised to the side, rather than the back part of my neck). I'm definitely going to look into that. Thanks again.

[Carnation]

Hi you two.
Don't get scared, but I had the same thing for 3 months.
Only because I didn't know how to get rid of it or know what was causing it.
Firstly, it is tension and anxiety causing this. The muscles in your neck and possibly your shoulders are causing this.
So, what can you do?
I know you are doing this, but drink plenty of fluids.
Secondly, get plenty of rest and sleep.
Thirdly, relax you body. Lie on the bed and let all you limbs from top to toe, let them go and make them feel like jelly. If you feel that you want to drift off to sleep, then do so.
Walking is good, but drop those shoulders.
Stay out of extreme heat. If you do go out, where a hat. Heat makes it worse.
Another thing, relax your Jaw. Its automatic when we get tensed, we tighten our Jaw.
Eat and drink stuff that helps the stress cells in our brains.
Massages are good, but only last momentarily. You need to self massage the top of your shoulders every day. (Youtube has info on this).
Take time to breath properly. (you tube again).
Stop fretting you have some disease or something, this will make it worse.
Lastly, don't expect miracles immediately, but you will notice you get them less and less, until they have gone completely.:)

[NotCool]

Headaches are very seldom a direct result of a tumor, so don't let yourself to jump to worst conclusions - It's almost certainly either anxiety, stress, lack of sleep, dehydration, side effect of medication (if you're taking any), clenching your jaw, bad posture while standing/laying down, sinus troubles, etc..

I'd recommend trying to address the real source of your stress - anxiety. Once you find some ways of dealing with it, and look at life from a more positive viewpoint (the viewpoint that you're probably NOT going to die any time soon from a disease), I guarantee the symptoms you're having will start to disappear, and you won't be focusing on your body so intensely anymore.

[Catherine S]

It may also be caused by infected sinuses, especially with the nose bleed, tasting blood at the back of your throat and pain around your eye. I get this type of headache from time to time, always on left side and starts at the back of my head, radiates over the top and down over left eye and around my ear. It usually lasts around 3-4 days start to end. I don't get a nose bleed but I do have blood streaks if I blow my nose. Might be something else to consider.

ISB x

[UKmamainUS]

Carnation - thanks for these tips. I already avoid the heat and wear a hat whenever I go in the sun (many moles and a melanoma fear whilst living a mile above sea level will do that to a girl). I definitely need to learn to relax my jaw. It's always so tense :-)

Thank you.

---------- Post added at 17:55 ---------- Previous post was at 17:51 ----------

NotCool - fortunately Ido not have a rain tumor fear - I did but a couple of MRIs three years ago showed nothing, and fortunately it never returned. I guess I'm just scared it'll never go away and I'll have headaches forever - I know that seems crazy but it's already been two weeks solid.

ISB - mines more a streak too - and the taste. Sinus infection is definitely something to consider. If I can't relax myself out of this in a couple of days I might just pop in to dr to get a quick check up. I haven't seen her in about three weeks - she must be missing me by now anyway - hahaha

---------- Post added at 17:57 ---------- Previous post was at 17:55 ----------

Brain tumor not rain tumor

[NotCool]

You're listening, but you're not hearing. :)

Doesn't matter what your fear is, a brain tumor, a mole, or something else - at the end of the day, you'll still have to address the real issue, which is a mental issue - hypochondria, otherwise it will become (if it hasn't yet) life consuming and you'll never break free of reassurance seeking. Don't think I'm being a smartass or anything - after all, we're all in the same boat, that's why we're on this board. But the sooner you start dealing with the real problem, the sooner you'll be able to live your life as a happier person.

[UKmamainUS]

No, I get it, I really do, and like I said in my previous post, I AM working on it. These things just take time. For now I have the help of some anxiety meds while I work through the hypochondria. I have also weaned myself from googling symptoms. The problem with getting better mentally is, the physical symptoms of anxiety get in my way - oh the irony.

Also, I contacted a therapist I was recommended and she is not taking new clients, so she gave me some names and numbers for me to call - I'm getting there - you'll see :-)

[NotCool]

No, I get it, I really do, and like I said in my previous post, I AM working on it. These things just take time. For now I have the help of some anxiety meds while I work through the hypochondria. I have also weaned myself from googling symptoms. The problem with getting better mentally is, the physical symptoms of anxiety get in my way - oh the irony.

Also, I contacted a therapist I was recommended and she is not taking new clients, so she gave me some names and numbers for me to call - I'm getting there - you'll see :-)
Glad we're on the same page. :P And trust me, it might sound like a cliché, but I know very well what you're going through when you talk about how physical symptoms are getting in your way - a mind of hypochondriac always finds some kind of a trigger which inflates stress in the mind.

[Daisy Sue]

Hiya.. just wanted to add another possibility to your headache cause - are your hormones ok? Only saying this because I suffered horrendous one-sided headaches virtually every day for over a year, and eventually it was found to be a hormone imbalance. I still get headaches sometimes but nowhere near as bad as those - they made me feel really ill as well as giving me incredible pain.