Sick with worry

[LE]

Does anyone know if a head MRI scan would see tumour in the sinuses? It was done to look at my brain.

It came back normal so no brain tumour which is great. But I have this pressure over my left eye and ear. Sinus issues, post nasal drip most of the time. The eye issue is so bad that I have light sensitivity, headache and difficult to focus most of the time. Been to the opticians and no issues with the eye itself or the nerve at the back. I'm terrified a tumour is pressing on my facial nerve.

I asked gp to refer me to ent. I saw ent about 2.5 years ago and had the camera up nose. I've just started back fluoxetine and she said she wants me to settle for a bit on that first to see if things settle down. I've been off fluoxetine for 5 months as I was pregnant.

Anyone???

[Colicab85]

A brain MRI is actually a head MRI and it will find anything unusual in your head.

[LE]

This what I thought but when I asked the gp she said well it depends if they looked at that or just the brain!!! But surely when they take a picture of the full head they would see if I had a tumour in sinuses etc. Also I had said to the consultant I was worried about an acoustic neuranoma and she said she would make sure that this area was looked at too so surely it would have been seen if tumour nearby??

If this is the case though I'm still having a major problem with my eye. I have been referred to an opthamologist but the waiting list is 12 weeks!!! I can't stop worrying.

[Colicab85]

Almost certainly.

You're all good though.

[axolotl]

I imagine it would be impossible to MRI a brain without also imaging the sinuses, and that anything would be seen by those examining them.

I have very regular bad pressure-headaches in my sinuses, especially focused around a particular eye socket, which I've had on-and-off for so long now they can't be anything to worry about. First time I had it I was terrified because it made my eyesight go blurry too.

I read somewhere that many people who self-diagnose with regular "sinusitis" are actually experiencing migraines. Either way, headaches and pressure, even very bad headaches, are very common things and there's no need to jump to any nasty conclusions, and the MRI basically rules out anything bad in your head

[LE]

Thanks

I was told after the MRI that it is most likely migranes although injsut find it difficult to believe that. It seems more like nerve damage. I have another neurology app 22/12 so will see what happens then. The eye issue is more or less constant.

[axolotl]

I was told after the MRI that it is most likely migranes although injsut find it difficult to believe that. It seems more like nerve damage..

I'm not saying this to be mean, but to give perspective: What you'be just typed is:

"I just had an expensive and very good scan by trained professionals who are experts at this, who say it's probably migraines, but in my untrained layman's opinion I think they're wrong and it's likely nerve damage".

Learn to believe the experts