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Hi I have got the horrible face and head pressure back again. Its squeezing nad tightening in my forehead and my face. It is so uncomfortable. Even my teeth feel weird with it.
My big phobia is of having my blood pressure taken. I am absolutey scared stiff. I went to the nurse today to sit with it on my arm to practice having it taken and then I agreed to have it done. Well it was high. She said I was brave to have it done but thinks it could be anxiety doing it. I have to go back next week but I know I will never get a low reading as I am a nervous wreck. I dont know what to do. She agreed I couldnt wear a 24 hour monitor at home as I would be beside myself and would rip it off. I also live alone so cant get a home one. That would be terrible. So I dont know what to do. I am very health concious and the nurse actually said there is no point giving me life style advice because I do it all. I am a very healthy eater, I dont drink or smoke and exercise every day if I can on my airwalker. I did have my blood taken just before having my bp taken so dont know if that affected me as well. I was ok with that. The nurse said she has never seen anyone so nervous about Blood pressure. I am scared of havng to take medication and the side effects. That is the fear.
I was on diazepam for 36 years and came off three years ago and get very agitated now and have nothing to take to help me.
Any ideas what I can do.
What actually causes the face and head pressure. What is it.
Thanks Angiex
nomorepanic
19-08-09, 19:54
Are you sure it isn't sinus pain?
Hi I honestly dont know. It could be. It comes and goes during the day. It gets worse when I think about it. Angiex
I get pressure in my forehead and head when Im anxious, that sometimes i think might be sinus pressure but I have been told it's tension.
Your bp will be high if you are anxious too.
Does anyone know exactly what the head pressure is. Is it the muscles going into spasms. Angiex
I get head pressure alot myself and everytime I go to get it checked they tell me it is allergies...ughh! But I have come to the conclusion it is more than likely anxiety....tension that causes the pressure because it comes and goes so easily it seems. I too am scared of takin meds due to side effects and constantly suffer from anxiety and panic and it is drivin me crazy!
It sounds like your classic tension headache
Thumbelina
20-08-09, 07:31
It sounds like your classic tension headache
i think i had it yesterday
and felt like i had a huge hat on all day long - heavy and foggy as well
hope it will be better today
The head pressure I sometimes have is mostly just a tense head. Not necessarily even a headache, it's just the face and head muscles are tensed up for so long it causes this feeling. Though a headache will usually turn up as a result too.
As for the blood pressure. It's highly likely it will be high in the surgery as you are so worked up about it.
This is something you need to get over and maybe need to see a therapist if you really have a phobia about it. However I can assure you there is no harm in having your blood pressure checked and even if it is high you can have something done about it.
I had a 24 hour monitor and it was no hassle. In fact the regularity of it pumping up made it easier to cope with as you start to forget about it.
Alternatively, I'd suggest getting or borrowing if you can a home monitor that you can use when you like, when you feel you're up to it.
I would bet the readings at home will be a lot lower, and most doctors know this too (see White Coat Syndrome). If the reading at the surgery was only a little high, then probably it's normal at home.
I got my home monitor as I was concerned about high blood pressure due to all my tension, but turns out it's actually perfectly normal. Anxiety isn't causing high blood pressure.
Thumbelina
20-08-09, 08:28
for me the moment i was checking BP since i got monitor it was getting high.
I was addicted to checking it all the time, and it made me more anxious every time.
I gave it away after 1 year
dont regret it
It could well be sinus problems, coupled with anxiety, which my mum has so I know the signs well.
If you are that worried about the docs, just pop to the pharmacy and get some sinutabs or sudafed, just try it for a day or so, just to see if it helps with this, if it doesn't then you can pretty much rule it out yourself, without the need to put yourself through going to the docs :)
Thank you for your replies. Nice to talk to people who understand. When I tell people I am terrified of having my blood pressure taken theycant understand it and make stupid comments.
I had to go to the dentist today and had two teeth out. It took half an hour of digging and yanking to get one of them out as it had broken in the gum. I wasnt in the least bit stressed and it was a piece of cake compared to having my blood pressure done.
I have been googling about blood pressure meds and the side effects look horrendous. Does everyone get them. I once took beta blockers for migraine and they made me feel dreadful.
Angie.x
Beta blockers should be fine. Loads of people take them, even for things like exam stress, coping with presentations, meetings, etc. One of the most commonly prescribed drugs I think.
They're pretty harmless and side effects are very rare I think. About the only thing you might find is you get a bit sleepy, but depends how much you take. All they do is suppress the adrenalin feed to the body which is what your body overdoes when you go into anxiety mode. It's the Fight&Flight response. The body is reacting to a threat that doesn't exist so BBs can help tell the body to stop it.
They're highly recommended now for reducing risks of heart problems.
Surprised you felt bad with them though. Maybe it's the variety. I've got Propranolol on a repeat prescription which I just take whenever I feel I need to and they're fine for me.
The worst thing however is to look up side effects of drugs. They really can be scary! But the risk factor is very often extremely low, it's just they have to list them. Many of the side effects reported are not conclusively proven or may be related to other illnesses the patient has.
But BBs are nothing to worry about. Now SSRIs (anti-depressants) on the other hand worry me, which is why I keep refusing them!
Tension can affect the muscles around the forehead, giving a feeling of pressure, but the culprite of my head and face pressure was sinusitus which i was worried sick about, thinking it was a brain tumour or something as i had pressure above both my eyes, in my temples and round the sides and back of my head. My anxiety started here and spiralled out of control leading to a vicous circle of me giving myself new symptoms to worry about as your mind affects your body. After two solid weeks of heart pounding and racing 24-7 and i got chest pains and i was worried about blood pressure etc but the chest pains were from anxiety and the pulsing in my head and temples wasn't high blood pressure, just effects of palpatations from anxiety.
You also have sinuses at the top of your nose on either side and lower down near your cheeks on either side which, when blocked (which is common after allergy or bad cold), they give sinus headaches and feelings of pressure around the cheeks, nose, eyes and forehead. The infection from sinusitus can cause glands to come up giving extra twinges, aches and pains.
Hope this helps.
Good point about the blood pressure. I've had all kinds of tension symptoms including a head pressure feeling, tight and burning arms, and I kept thinking my blood pressure must be high. I mean it feels like it.
But, check my BP at home. Perfectly normal.
It's just muscle tension in my experience.
One thing I've found though is just trying to relax your body won't shift it immediately if you've been tense for a long time. You need a long term fix. Maybe a change in routine to something more relaxing. Better sleep. Take time off work (but don't get into the trap of avoiding work, just take a break, go on holiday). Go for walks, etc.
I'm not out of the woods yet, but the head pressure has gone. I've still got very tense arms that causes aches that I now know are muscle aches (and not something more serious), and I'm working towards relieving all this tension that's probably built up over the past few years!
I am sure the problem is definately a lot of muscle tension going on. For me coming off benzos after 36 years has definately left me with lots of residual problems including muscle tension. Its also meant thta I have no coping strategies for dealing with stress as I have always used tablets. I am now scared to take anything.
Have got a doctors appt today. Angiex
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