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Head Pressure all the time?

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Migraine Headache
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Posted 8/10/2008 11:16 AM (GMT 0)
I'm new to this board.

I'm 27, male, with no diagnosable diseases.  Recently I had a battery of blood work done (the usual, cholesterol, enzyme/vitamin levels, thyroid) and nothing abnormal was found.  I have no history of neurological diseases in either side of my family.  I do not have high blood pressure.  I am very myopic however and I do have mild astigmatism.

about 3 years ago, after a prolonged episode of drug addiction, I experienced a feeling of "head pressure" that got steadily worse.  That part may be important... it started off as tolerable, and over time, got worse and worse.  It is now at an unbearable stage, and shows few signs of slowing down.  It is almost a constant sensation--it can occur anywhere in or around my head, no preference for any side or area.  It also extends into my neck (usually around the left side of my neck--I am concerned if the carotid artery could be involved.)

Much more alarmingly, along with the head pressure getting worse, other symptoms have slowly appeared.. few, if any, going away.  Whatever new symptom crops up, seems to stay.  These symptoms include:

- Lots of floaters in the eye, which may appear out of nowhere and change on the fly--tolerable, but very annoying

- Numbness/slight lack of sensation on different areas of the body

- Visual problems, most noticeably (right now) is double vision, slight difficulty moving my eye muscles (seems to be tied in with head pressure)

- The double vision started 6-7 months ago, it just seems as if the "calibration" of my eyes is slightly off...  hard to describe though.

- Muscle spasms/stiffness/postural problems, makes for awkward walking, but no actual problems with mobility.  Could be partially due to sitting in front of a computer too long, lack of proper exercise, etc.

-Very stiff neck

-Snapping jaw, like it's out of alignment

-My constipation (always a problem) is out of control

The head pressure was the first symptom.

So, there are several aspects to this "thing" I have.  I do have an anxiety disorder but low incidence of actual panic attacks.  However, panic feelings can occasionally come from caffeine.  Caffeine ingestion seems to cause occasional blurred vision and floaters, but not always.  It has been often suggested that high anxiety could cause the symptoms I have, but I have doubts that anxiety could cause all of them, especially the "permanent" things I have now like double-vision and trouble with eye muscle movement.

I would be willing to provide further details, but this post is getting too long.

So, is anyone familiar with the head pressure at least, and found a way to relieve it?

Is anyone familiar with an "accompanying list of symptoms" similar to mine?

Needing help,

Batman

Posted 8/10/2008 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
Have they ever done a MRI on you?? or a CT scan, sounds like they need to be running some more in depth testing not just blood work. I am sorry you are suffering so much and dealing with not knowing why I know it is hard. Hopefully you can get some answers soon
Posted 8/11/2008 7:40 AM (GMT 0)

Nichole28 said...
Have they ever done a MRI on you?? or a CT scan, sounds like they need to be running some more in depth testing not just blood work. I am sorry you are suffering so much and dealing with not knowing why I know it is hard. Hopefully you can get some answers soon

No, I haven't had either test done because of inadequate insurance.

Does anyone frequent this forum...?  Seems to be pretty vacant...

Posted 8/11/2008 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
I think it is pretty busy, but like other forums unless someone feels like responding they don't. I have put up a few posts myself and maybe get a response or two but that is about it.
Posted 8/12/2008 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
Batman I also have the head pressure, see floaters when on computer too long which is funny since I work on a computer all day, or see floaters when I am out in bright sunlight...I have sinus pressure all thru out my head w/ a burning feeling...My ENT (ear, nose & throat) doctor today just said i have whats called vestibular neuritis...basically when i see coming towards me sends my sense into over drive and make me dizzy as all get out...extreme veritgo to where i just want to stay in the bed all day long...I am considering possible leave from work to just sit home and relax b/c I get so dizzy when I drive...hopefully new drug Dr gave will get in under control.

I dont know where mine came from b/c I have never done drugs and I dont drink alcohol but once or twice every couple of months...My main issue is caffeine...I love my Pepsi and Dr. Pepper...so not sure if that has anything to do with my issues but......I wish you luck and sorry to hear that with the lack of insurance you cant get an MRI or CT Scan done...do you have insurance at all? Doctors can always get around tests...I mean my Primary Doctor said she couldnt order the MRI for me b/c my insur wouldnt approve it coming from her so she sent me to a Neurologist and they did the tests and my insur covered it completely, other than my co-pay...
Posted 8/12/2008 7:56 AM (GMT 0)
It's that I'm kinda surprised because the other thread on head pressure received a LOT of responses.

Out of curiousity, has anyone heard anything about magnesium and especially magnesium sulfate (found in Epsom Salts) being useful for migraines and even atypical migraines?

Posted 8/15/2008 4:34 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Batman

Fairly new to this site as well and recently started looking into Magnesium and its links to migraines, have started taking a daily supplement as its one of those things that isnt going to do you any harm to give it a try!

Also a herbal remedy called Feverfew is meant to have beneficial results if taken over a long period of time (have started on these aswell) had headache on top of classic migraines for weeks now so gonna persevere! Goode luck shakehead

Posted 8/16/2008 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
PEOPLE HERE PLEASE READ MY POST'S ON FORUMS. WE ALL HAVE EXTREMELY SIMILAR IF NOT MOST LIKELY FORMS OF THE SAME CONDITIONS.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WE ALL FIND EACH OTHER & WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT & HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY HELP ONE ANOTHER RID OURSELVES OF CONSTANT CHRONIC DEBILITATING HEADACHE CONDITIONS...

ITS NO WAY TO HAVE TO LIVE.

BEST REGARDS,

Richard
Posted 8/17/2008 8:40 AM (GMT 0)

SPEEDSNEED said...
PEOPLE HERE PLEASE READ MY POST'S ON FORUMS. WE ALL HAVE EXTREMELY SIMILAR IF NOT MOST LIKELY FORMS OF THE SAME CONDITIONS.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WE ALL FIND EACH OTHER & WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT & HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY HELP ONE ANOTHER RID OURSELVES OF CONSTANT CHRONIC DEBILITATING HEADACHE CONDITIONS...

ITS NO WAY TO HAVE TO LIVE.

BEST REGARDS,

Richard

I have checked your posts in other threads and it seems I have a few symptoms in common with you.  However I don't often have any kind of "pain" or typical headache, and if I do, it is only occasional or for only 15-20 minutes in any given day.

Unlike you, even though my condition has been so annoying that my functioning level is decreased, I would not call my condition half as debilitating as yours.  I feel so sorry for what you're going through.  The other thing is I've not experimented much with treatment for my condition--I really don't have the insurance to experiment much.

If anyone else here has found a specific strategy/supplement/medication to reduce "head pressure" (which I consider the worst aspect of my condition) please post it here.

Posted 8/17/2008 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
If you got bloodwork, you saw a doctor or Physician's assistant. Did you discuss this and what did he/she say?
There are way too many possibilities for you to assume problems with carotids.

Make sure that you are not teeth grinding(bruxism during sleep) or jaw clenching (done unconsciously day or night). Read up on it and see if you have soreness in the right places. Sounds like you are saying that you don't think you have migraines. Have you studied them in the web and are fairly confident?

What did the doctor say about the double vision? There are free clinics and sliding scale clinics. You really need a quicky exam just to explain the double vision.

Maybe a few different things are going on. After you get checked out, get rid of the constipation. Google Yakima Valley anti-constipation fruit paste. You can get the fruit cheapest at places like WalMart for some of them and Trader Joes. You would be surprised at the problems that you can get from constipation.
You should work up a sweat for minimum of 20 each day - even if you just skip rope or hop on one foot until you have to use the other - whatever makes you get the aerobics going. Once you have got the constipation and the circulation normalized, it will be a lot easier to pinpoint symptoms.

Make sure you are not teeth grinding or clenching, AFTER you take care of the constipation and the circulation.
The cheapest way I know of is to tape your nose shut with a couple of pieces of bandage tape for sensitive skin so you aren't smelling yukky glue. Acouple of pieces across the nostrils to simulate having a cold without the yuk. Since you can't breathe and clench at the same times, see how your neck muscles feel after a few nites.

Can't say more until you give more specific information.
Posted 8/18/2008 10:16 AM (GMT 0)

gizmogirl said...
Make sure you are not teeth grinding or clenching, AFTER you take care of the constipation and the circulation.
The cheapest way I know of is to tape your nose shut with a couple of pieces of bandage tape for sensitive skin so you aren't smelling yukky glue. Acouple of pieces across the nostrils to simulate having a cold without the yuk. Since you can't breathe and clench at the same times, see how your neck muscles feel after a few nites.

Can't say more until you give more specific information.

Well I can tell you I also have a bulge on the upper left side of my neck, and there's a feeling of "blockage" there as if blood flow is impeded.  I don't know if any blood flow is impeded, but that's the only way I can describe the sensation.  Past research suggests this could be a knot of muscle or swollen lymph nodes.  I don't know what it is exactly, but it does seem to contribute or even cause the pressure in my head.

You're right, I should be talking to doctors more.  The reason I do not, however, is I can't see specialists due to insurance/monetary constraints and your average doctor does not know what to tell me about this "condition" because it is so broad and tough to pin down.

I do have a snapping jaw like it is out of place, now, or something.  I do tend to clench my teeth without being aware of it, a lot.  But how would this cause pressure in my head?

The strangest thing of all is every time I have a bowel movement, my symptoms (everything in the condition, including vision problems) get worse for a few days.  This is why treating the constipation is not as simple as it should be.

The other bizarre thing is because of a feeling of stiffness in my lower back, I have a lot of trouble with intensive exercise like running, now.  It's like I can run alright, but after a while, I start to feel stabbing/pushing/pulling sensations in my lower back (I also feel these a lot during the day, especially after eating.)  And it seems that by aggravating these lower back sensations, the pressure in my head gets worse.

How to describe it simply... it's almost as if every symptom is interconnected.  Aggravate one symptom, and another gets worse, which in turn makes another worse.

It really is bizarre.

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