My gp is referring me to neurology :(

[lesleya]

My anxiety is through the roof today because im worried.
My gp is referring me to the Neurology department at the local hospital.
For the last few days the left side of the back of my head has felt strange..well numbish...but not numb if you know what i mean and the same with around the back of my ear and the side of my face. I thought it was the way id been lying during the night because a couple of times over the years ive woken up and the back of my heads been numb ..but as soon as ive moved around the life came back into it. So im worrying myself about what it could be...and of course im thinking all sorts..my imagination is working overtime.
Does anyone know what sort of tests they might do...just so that i know what to expect?

[nickieb]

Hi les

I guess they will do a CT or MRI firstly hun... It must be awful mate for you. I wake up & on my left hand my little finger & the one next to it are always numb & this horrifies me.
Did your GP say what he thinks it could be???

Nic xxx

[lesleya]

Hi Nickie
No hun he never gave me any idea of what it might be, he said that i should see someone that knew more than he did about these things as there as so many different nerves there...which doesnt help. He did look a the back of my eyes and said he couldnt see anything....but that was it.
I thought he would just say that id trapped a nerve..or it was because of my cold or something..no such luck.

[NervousNellie]

My little sister just went through the same thing. She's 25 years old and luckily she doesn't suffer from any type of anxiety, however she had been dealing with horrible headaches to the point where she lost feeling in 2 of her fingers and they were completely numb. Her vision was also lost in one eye. She was very nauseous and was breaking out in a cold sweat. We took her to the hospital and they took her blood pressure and did a cat scan. They also did a neurological exam by pointing a little light in her eyes and asked how many fingers they were holding up, checked her range of vision, etc. There was nothing neurological (which was suprising because she once had a seizure several years ago), so they assumed that it was either a nerve in her neck causing this or migraines. In the end, she realized that she was going through a stressful time at work and with a close friend. Eventually once things resolved themselves at work and with her friend, her symptoms went away.

Hopefully this will help to ease your mind a bit. Stress can cause some strange symtpoms, even in those who don't suffer from HA!

[NervousNellie]

Oh...one more thing! They also suggested that my sister get an eye exam because it is possible that her prescription for contact lenses may be too old and she may simply need a stronger prescription! They told her that an eye exam may be a simple solution!

[lesleya]

Thanks nellie i appreciate you telling me that.
I was sort of thinking that the other day as ive been really stressed out at work for a few months with problems of bullying/harrassment and its making me feel literally sick at the idea of going to work now. Ive been off sick for a week with flu and just dont want to go back ...ever. Im seriously thinking i will resign after xmas.
Im glad your sister is ok now though, and i hope mine is just stress related too, at least if you know theres nothing else wrong you can cope with the symptoms better.
xxxx

[Trixie]

Do you think there could be a problem with the nerves in your neck. I have arthritis in my neck and it causes me problems.

[Cathy V]

Hi Les, I was referred to a neurologist last august here in germany. Id only moved over here in the june, and around the middle of august i had a really bad headache that went on for days. Strangely enough, if it had been on the left side of my head i wouldnt have bothered the doc with it coz im really familiar with headaches on this side since the menopause 7 years ago, but this was on the right side and new to me.

The neurologist gave me a range of tests including an EEG and i also had a sort of headphone test where they measure brain activity through your hearing (i think it was) and she gave me an ultrasound scan on my neck of all places, to check the blood flow to my head via the carotid artery. She did recomend i go for a MRI scan but as im extremely claustraphobic i asked her if this was absolutely necessary and she said probably not but she just wanted to have a more detailed look inside my head (by the way there is now a new machine in the UK thats not so enclosed, a bit like a half-sized sunbed apparently)

Anyway, the outcome was that she thought it was migraine so thats when i was first given betablockers, as migraine is vascular and these relax the blood vessels. However, i remain unconvinced about the migraine theory, and think its more of a nerve thing to be honest, as the pain can come and go within 20 mins, and i get it if my head is in a funny position for any length of time such as looking up or twisting to see something at the side, and also if ive been sleeping funny.

But i do also get the pain if its really cold outside and i come into the warm, so this could be vascular. But the pain isnt classic migraine as its lower down, sort of behind my ear, and its a pain i can touch...if i press my fingers around this area when i have it, i can make it feel worse. So this makes me think its more of a nerve pain.

Sorry for the ramble, but just wanted to reassure you that the neurologist isnt as bad as you think and even if your doc thinks its nothing sinister, just a nerve thing, its common to get a second opinion from a neurologist.

Cath xxx

[lesleya]

Thanks trixie and cathy
Omg the mri scanner...is that the big machine they put your whole body into..eww :(
My husband thinks its a trapped nerve too. I tend to sleep with 3 or 4 pillows as im not keen on lying flat in bed so i often wake up with my head and neck in a creek.
Ive got a doosy of a headache now...but thats probably because im worried about going to the hospital. I hope they dont make me wait long for an appointment because id like to get it over and one with as soon as possible to see whats going on.
Thanks xxx

[i hate panicking]

Hi lesleya,

I have got an appointment with neurology in jan,which i am dreading but to be honest i just want to get to the bottom of it.

I have been suffering with severe head pain for about 2-3 months now, which resulted on one occasion being rushed to hospital by ambulance as i was screaming in pain i'm on naproxen at the moment which does take the edge off the pain.
I also suffer from panic attacks which i thought was under control but due to all this happening it's come back.

i have had alot of stress lately so it could be due to that.
Hope you get better soon.