Constant Headaches

[Nighthawk9]

Hi everyone,
For 8 weeks now I have been suffering from very strong headaches on the left side of my head.
they radiate over my left eye and go behind my left ear and I also have pain in my neck.My left cheek and ear get very hot and I get an attack at least once a day,I have been to my G.P and local A and E dept with the end result me being given a C.T. head scan which came back clear.I have been prescribed Propanalol tablets for migrane but am begining to think that something has been missed in my C.T. scan as would I still be getting these pains every day with the underlying pain constantly there all the time?. The problem is that these symptoms are common for more than one thing and I am getting no support from my G.P at all with this, this is begining to take over my life and I would welcome any advice or help. Thanks LEE.:shrug:

[Stefan P]

Hi Lee,

Do you get these headaches at the same time every day? If so, then they are more than likely the same as I have - Cluster Headaches. They come in batches and last around two weeks, getting a crushing headache at the same time every day. Its called a trigeminal neuralgia, and is caused by pressure in the back of the head/neck area spreading through the trigeminal nerve (which is a nerve that starts back there and spreads through your entire face, hence the pain can appear behind the eyes).

I know how excruciating they can be! Do you get a feeling that one is coming on? Like a tightening of the forehead or the ache behind your eyes (which I know is always there :( ) getting gradually worse? If so, as soon as you feel this grab the strongest painkiller you can find (I use Paramol, but Neurofen is ok if thats all I have). The headache will still come, but it will be manageable.

Try not to worry about it being anything worse than this - these headaches are truly awful, I know, but they are harmless and not an indication of anything worse. Doctors don't fully understand why they occur, or why they suddenly go away as quickly as they come, but people live with them for years and years (I started mine when I was 16 - I'm now 35 and still suffer).

So keep your chin up - don't let them rule your life, and remember to grab a painkiller as soon as you feel your head "tightening" around your forehead/eyes.

[Nighthawk9]

Hi thanks for the reply, my Doctor tells me that they are not Cluster Headaches but yes they are normally there at night between 8pm-12am,but the underlying feeling is always there.I have read about Cluster Headaches and would say they are what I could have they started about 8 weeks ago and have not let up so far.My G.P just looks at me as though "what can i do" but this is begining to affect my family life,I have an up coming major operation to prep for and I am in too minds weather to go ahead or not as I do not think I can cope with both.Thanks again LEE.:shrug: