Health anxiety is driving me crazy and I don't know what to do

[callum623]

I seem to get periods of anxiety where I think I have an illness and before now I last had this at christmas. However i'm really scared I have a brain tumour as when I touch the bottom of my eye socket I get a pain in my eye socket which sometimes spreads to the side of my head. Sometimes the pain isn't there when I touch it but then it comes back. Is this is a symptom of a tumour? Or are brain tumour symptoms constant? It doesn't feel like pressure just a normal pain.

I've also been getting a few headaches but that might be a combination of tiredness and stress but it isn't helping as headaches are also a symptom. I really need help as i'm only 16 and keep feeling like i'm going to die. I honestly don't see a future for myself cause I feel like i'm going to die from an illness. I can't enjoy things when I feel like this. I've almost left school and i'm not happy about it. I don't want to go to the doctors again either as i've been loads of times. Does anyone know why I feel like this? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Gary A]

Brain tumour headaches are severe, constant and above all progressive. Generally, they're worse in the morning as laying down causes an increase in intracranial pressure. The pain you're getting around your eye may be eye strain, a minor sinus infection or nothing at all. It in no way sounds anything like the type of pain a brain tumour would produce.

We all get headaches and yes, stress and sleep deprivation will indeed make you more susceptible to them. If you've been to the doctors loads of times I'm assuming you've shared your concerns with them, and that you've had no referral to a neurologist would of course suggest they don't think there's any risk of a tumour either.

[callum623]

Brain tumour headaches are severe, constant and above all progressive. Generally, they're worse in the morning as laying down causes an increase in intracranial pressure. The pain you're getting around your eye may be eye strain, a minor sinus infection or nothing at all. It in no way sounds anything like the type of pain a brain tumour would produce.

We all get headaches and yes, stress and sleep deprivation will indeed make you more susceptible to them. If you've been to the doctors loads of times I'm assuming you've shared your concerns with them, and that you've had no referral to a neurologist would of course suggest they don't think there's any risk of a tumour either.

Hi, thank you for the reply. I've had on and off symptoms of a tumour for years so I would probably be dead if I did have one. The eye pain seems to get better at night though or after i've had a shower. I don't know if time of day affects it but the pain seems to get less later at night.

I haven't been to the doctors about this, but i've been a lot of times for other worries (which all turned out to be nothing). I do wear glasses though and am slightly overbooked for an eye test. Could it be related to that maybe?

[Gary A]

Possibly, so get your eyes tested. I don't think you need to worry about a tumour, there's just no reason to even think that.