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Constant Head Pressure

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Posted 6/1/2009 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All,

Background - Went though a period of anxiety for a good 6 months due to an incident which occured about a year ago where I was young and dumb and took some extacy, i remember cracking my neck and i had a sudden head rush where my muscles in my body and face and neck went all stiff - My anxiety was due to the fact i thought i was going crazy relating back to the drugs etc. During this period had the head pressure, spaced out feeling, eye strain (when moving head form side to side felt as though eyes were working on a rubber band and could feel the pulling ten fold)

Now that i have rid myself of the anxiety, It seems as though the pressure is coming from my neck at base of skull especially when i am sitting still it tends to build up. Also experienced some balance issues which i have under control - recently visited a podiatrist, i see to be pronating most likely cause by the neck problem sending mixed up signals to my feet so i am getting orthodics to correct this which has helped my balance when i walk.

Tests:
Blood work done - to rule out thyroid or infections
CT Neck - Which showed retrolisthesis of c4 on c5 and c5 on c6 (currently exploring this ave with an osteo, chiro, GP)
MRI brain - Showed normal
CT Brain - Showed normal

Hopefully the cause of all this is the retrolisthesis found at C4/5/6. I'll keep you all posted as to my next visit with Neuro and MRI of neck. You all may want to get your neck checked out and see if we share similarities.

Posted 6/1/2009 4:25 AM (GMT 0)
Dear Fuzzy,

I have the same symptoms (constant head pressure, visual issues, walking issues) and a similar origin (I had a drug addiction years ago.)

You say your symptoms might be caused by retrolisthesis in your neck, but I'm not sure what that means.. could you explain?

Posted 6/1/2009 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Batman,

I have ruled out drugs as the cause as I share similar problems to people who have never touched drugs. However it could have something to do with it (but most probably not). Retrolisthesis is the opposite to  spondylolisthesis which means that my vertabres are not exactly on top of each other they have shifted backwards which could be damaging nerve endings etc. this is a common cause of whiplash. what infomation have you got about your symptoms so far?

 

Posted 6/2/2009 4:54 AM (GMT 0)
Dear fuzzy,

I have no information on what may be causing my symptoms, all I know is that they started during a drug addiction, and subsequent use of the same specific kind of drug majorly intensified the symptoms.  As a matter of fact I was no longer able to use those drugs anymore as a direct result of the head pressure and related symptoms, because of horrific reactions (including an incredible worsening of the head pressure.)

It should be stated, though, that I was sitting for very long periods of time in the same position at the time of the addiction, and neck stiffness was at its worst at that time too, so its hard to tell what may have truly been going on there.

I was wanting to ask if there are any treatments for retrolisthesis, other than painkiller-type drugs...?  The thing is... the one symptom I don't usually have is pain, it's just mostly head pressure and neck/shoulder stiffness, and I notice Tylenol does nothing for my symptoms (I have an aspirin/advil allergy so I can't use those.)   So I don't expect that painkillers would do much for me...

Posted 6/2/2009 8:11 AM (GMT 0)
My head pressure was definately stress / anxiety I don't get this anymore all I get is the pressure feeling in neck which would trigger the "head pressure" feeling, I trained my body to not react to the head pressure feeling (in my case the head feelng was psychosematic - or a feeling that was not really there but felt real) however your symtoms may vary from mine. There are tretment options for retrolisthesis like physio, chiro there is last option of surgery if there is proof of nerve or vertebre damage.. I am waititng to have MRI of neck done that should reveal more. (for more info on retrolisthesis google or wikipedia Is good)

How long have u had your symtoms for? What triggered it off? Have u had panic attacks/ anxiety?
Posted 6/2/2009 1:00 PM (GMT 0)

Tension said...
 

Hi Tulip and others!

Yesterday i think i've had a breakthrough!  I went to see a Chiropractor and was diagnosed with something to do with my cervical facets there is 3 of them which isn't working right there restricted, there on the right side of my neck my left side is fine theres also nerve restriction, so maybe this is it after long last i'm not going back to the chiropractor till december because i am going on holiday.

Goto the Chiropractor and get yourself examined it don't cost much only £40, going to the doctors is no good they don't check your skeletal system.

Good Luck Rob 

Hello Tension(Rob),

Do you still check this forum? If so, can you please respond?

Moderators or Rob's friends, do any of you have any contact information of Rob? I really need to contact him, I have something going on very similar to his medical condition. I really appreciate if we can get connected.

 

 

Posted 8/20/2009 12:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

          For the last few days I've been suffering from strange pressure all around my head. I'm 22 and recently graduated college with a degree in Journalism, but I can't seem to find any work in my field, which has led me to begin to lose interest. I am looking to go back to college to study in the field of computers, but I am having no luck, as I'm having a hard time with financial aid and I am unemployed, so it's hard to afford.

         Having too much time on my hands, I've been really stressed lately. A wide array of thoughts rush through my head on a daily basis. Along with those thoughts are constant pressure-like sensations, feeling like my head is about to explode at any second. Trying to fall asleep at night has proven difficult, as it seems to significantly increase the second I rest my head.

          My guess would be that it's all stress and anxiety related. It's scary. Often, it feels like I'm having a stroke or something. I don't know what to do. It's hard to escape this, but it's reassuring to know I'm not alone in what I'm going through.

         I hope things get better soon. I think all I need to do is keep my mind busy and not think and worry so much about everything.

         Best wishes to all of you and let's all pray we feel better soon. Stay confident and keep the faith. Live each day the best you can and try not to let anything get to you.

Posted 8/21/2009 4:52 AM (GMT 0)
Dear Agent Orange,

Let us know if it subsides at any point and for any specific reason.  Do you notice that it gets a little better through the process of eating, and exercise makes it harder to detect for a while?  As well, about an hour after you're done each of the aforementioned activities, do you notice that it gets a LOT worse sometimes?  That's what I've noticed, and several others in this thread and elsewhere too.  Mine often gets a little worse when lying down, although I've seen some who's pressure disappears when they're prone.

I've had mine for 6 years straight now, and I have it 24/7.  It interferes with my life tremendously, I can no longer concentrate half as well as I used to, and I have about 20 other symptoms that come and go with it, too.

Let us know if you get any neurological tests and your results.  I don't have the insurance yet to get them done.

Posted 10/22/2009 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone. I am so happy to have found this forum. I, too thought I was alone with these symptoms. I have been dealing with constant head pressure since the end of April. I have had migraines since the age of three, they're genetic. However, this pressure feeling is NOTHING like a headache. Just a sensation that my head is in a vice or it's too full, like my brain is too large for my skull, so much like everyone else has described. It moves around my head, too. Sometimes it's in the front, sometimes in the back, on one side, or the other.

I went to a slew of drs, the ER, had blood work, CT scans, MRIs with and without contrast, everything was normal. I was out of work for 12 weeks and seriously thought my life was over as I knew it. I am 25 years old. I even had my wisdom teeth pulled, they thought that may have been the cause of the pressure, but it never went away.

The last dr I went to thought I was anxious and gave me Xanax. That didn't help the pressure, it just made me CARE LESS about it. I was also experiencing dizziness, feeling "out of it" etc. One neurologist put me on Topomax and this made things 100% worse.

I was only able to return to work after seeing a headache specialist at the Headache Institute. I am now on Nortriptyline and Verapimil. She has been trying me on various muscle relaxers for the pressure but they don't really do much for me. I've tried robaxin, flexiril, zaniflex. The pressure is lessening (ie. I am no longer bed ridden) but I am very sensitive to the nortriptyline and every time I change doses I get "knocked down the mountain" a bit and it takes me a few weeks to re-adjust. Right now I am on 30 mg of nortriptyline and 120 mg verapimil. She diagnosed me with chronic tension type headache, chronic migraine, and chronic vestibular migraine.

My regular oainful migraines seem to come more so around my period. I love my doctor, but I was very much relieved to see that other people are suffering from anxiety with this condition. I was feeling better last week, but this week for some reason the pressure is worse. When I am commuting or in a stressful situation, (I live in NYC) the pressure increases and I worry that I am dying or am going to have a seizure. I worry that they've "missed something" or that this pressure is not actually a headache condition, since it feels nothing like headache. My mother has fibromyalgia and she is the only person who understands what it's like to deal with something chronic. I am supposed to go to Boston to visit friends this weekend, but I probably will not go because the pressure has been bothering me lately and my anxiety is much worse. I worry that this will never go 100% away. I can't live with this for the rest of my life. It just came out of the blue one day, out of nowhere. Thanks for listening, M
Posted 10/22/2009 12:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi M,

Welcome to Healing Well. So sory to hear what you are going through. I really feel for you, as sadly these headache conditions can start out of the blue and continue lifelong. The secret is to magane it instead of it managing you - very difficult to maintain.

I too have a chronic headache conditions - 2 in fact, one called Hemicrania Continua and also Chronic Migraine, both are lifelong conditions. I have had migraine since my teens approx 30+ years, and have had HC coming up to 21 years!

So pleased you have got a good Doc to support you, hang in there you are not alone.

take care

Ann
Posted Today 2:30 AM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone. I have a multitude of symptoms ranging from neurological-cardiovascular-gastrointestinal-endocrinologist-visual,etc. This includes the every second of every day constant pressure head pain I feel. Not headaches, as I consider them in a different category. I'm not reducing the level of pain or discomfort or severity of symptoms for anyone who has migraines/headaches. I have friends who suffer regularly from them.

I was reading at length the numerous posts and suggestions. Since my symptoms are worse in the upright position, I thought I might have had chiari malformation; the 2nd neurologist said no. My lyme test came back negative....should I be retested? My body doesn't produce epinephrine, but I don't have a pheochromocytoma (a tumor)- at least in my abdomen. I only take tylenol or ultracet when necessary; vitamins and calcium-vitamin D supplements. I've refused all medications as they may hide the symptoms but not fix the cause. I've been to many doctors, done hundreds of hours of research and still am undiagnosed. I have a huge amount of mucus in my throat (says the ear,nose, throat dr.) I have irritation to my esophagus (says the gastrointerologist). I could go on and on because my symptoms were progressive and I've not yet found an answer. Bottom line, it's over 2 years and I have lost faith in doctors. On one of the posts, a member mentions Dr. Oz. My sister, who wants me to see him, sent "My Story" to him a couple days ago. We'll see if he is willing to look "outside the box" of diagnosis. Most doctors want to specify something common, as most problems are common. Obviously, this is not.

This information is not only for those who once smoked, or are now smoking. And, I don't know if it would apply or what test to take to confirm a problem. But, I found that EVERYONE has nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) throughout their bodies. If they are off wack, so will your body which can cause a host of symptoms. The best info I can find is to see a neurologist that specializes in chemistry. I have seen 3 neurologists, but not one that specializes in chemistry. I will.... right now I'm frustrated w/them. I need a break and some time. Anyways, search the net and if this information gives any of you a direction, any hope and guidance, then God bless.
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