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Suggest Treatment For Severe Headache
Question: Hello, I am been having "headaches" for the past year now, or so my M.D. says. It is not really a headache though, it is mainly just my eyes and ears that hurt, My optometrist says that it is not my eyes, they are perfectly healthy (I also had a second opinion on my eyes with the same results.) When I go out side some days I HAVE to wear sunglasses or my eyes constantly water and I have to squint to see. I am not on any medications, I do not smoke, dip, or drink, I just want to get to feeling better, and it has been awhile. Thank you so much! I have also had nose bleeds from time to time if that helps.
Brief Answer:
Mixed messages
Detailed Answer:
Good evening. I have read your blurb with interest and as a Headache and Facial Pain specialist and adult neurologist I must point out several things which suggest inconsistencies in things you have been told and are saying.
You optometrist told you your eyes are "healthy" yet you say that they "constantly water and I have to squint to see" and this therefore, to avoid these symptoms you wear sunglasses. These are contradictory statements by your optometrist in the face of what clearly is an abnormal situation involving your eyes and which would be medically referred to as PHOTOPHOBIA until proven otherwise. Although I agree that if this were the ONLY real symptom in the head (aside from painful ears) that I would be hard pressed to say you had symptoms of HEADACHE...but by no means would I consider the eyes behaving properly as you describe them. Normal peoples' eyes do not excessively tear or squint in the presence of normal amounts of light either indoors or out.
If I were your physician working your symptoms up I would:
A. Send you to an OPHTHALMOLOGIST who is an MD Doctor of the eyes. Optometrists are certainly well versed and qualified to do many things but they are quite limited when it comes to making a full range of diagnoses which an OPHTHALMOLOGIST who has had many more years of schooling as well as operating room and other clinical experience treating eye disorders and conditions.
B. I would get you a HEADACHE DIARY to start keeping track of your symptoms (even if headaches don't appear to be part of the picture) and to simply track and measure the symptoms that are present, ear pain, eye pain, and the other symptoms. I would further connect you with a Headache Specialist since they are most likely to work you up fully and recognize symptoms that you may not recognize as being actually reflective of a headache syndrome. There are approximately 200 different of headaches and facial pains which can be difficult to get a fix on sometimes and that's why the services of a subspecialist are most useful.
I hope these suggestions and opinions satisfactorily address your question and give some additional information that you can discuss with the doctor for consideration. If so, may I ask your favor of a HIGH STAR RATING with some written feedback?
Also, if there are no other comments, may I ask you not forget to CLOSE THE QUERY on your end so the question can be transacted and archived for further reference by colleagues as necessary?
You are invited to direct more comments or inquiries to me in the future by going to my web address at:
bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi
I would be honored to answer you quickly and comprehensively.
Please keep me informed as to the outcome of your situation.
The query has required a total of 14 minutes of physician specific time to read, research, and compile a return envoy to the patient.
Mixed messages
Detailed Answer:
Good evening. I have read your blurb with interest and as a Headache and Facial Pain specialist and adult neurologist I must point out several things which suggest inconsistencies in things you have been told and are saying.
You optometrist told you your eyes are "healthy" yet you say that they "constantly water and I have to squint to see" and this therefore, to avoid these symptoms you wear sunglasses. These are contradictory statements by your optometrist in the face of what clearly is an abnormal situation involving your eyes and which would be medically referred to as PHOTOPHOBIA until proven otherwise. Although I agree that if this were the ONLY real symptom in the head (aside from painful ears) that I would be hard pressed to say you had symptoms of HEADACHE...but by no means would I consider the eyes behaving properly as you describe them. Normal peoples' eyes do not excessively tear or squint in the presence of normal amounts of light either indoors or out.
If I were your physician working your symptoms up I would:
A. Send you to an OPHTHALMOLOGIST who is an MD Doctor of the eyes. Optometrists are certainly well versed and qualified to do many things but they are quite limited when it comes to making a full range of diagnoses which an OPHTHALMOLOGIST who has had many more years of schooling as well as operating room and other clinical experience treating eye disorders and conditions.
B. I would get you a HEADACHE DIARY to start keeping track of your symptoms (even if headaches don't appear to be part of the picture) and to simply track and measure the symptoms that are present, ear pain, eye pain, and the other symptoms. I would further connect you with a Headache Specialist since they are most likely to work you up fully and recognize symptoms that you may not recognize as being actually reflective of a headache syndrome. There are approximately 200 different of headaches and facial pains which can be difficult to get a fix on sometimes and that's why the services of a subspecialist are most useful.
I hope these suggestions and opinions satisfactorily address your question and give some additional information that you can discuss with the doctor for consideration. If so, may I ask your favor of a HIGH STAR RATING with some written feedback?
Also, if there are no other comments, may I ask you not forget to CLOSE THE QUERY on your end so the question can be transacted and archived for further reference by colleagues as necessary?
You are invited to direct more comments or inquiries to me in the future by going to my web address at:
bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi
I would be honored to answer you quickly and comprehensively.
Please keep me informed as to the outcome of your situation.
The query has required a total of 14 minutes of physician specific time to read, research, and compile a return envoy to the patient.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I also get kind of zoned out, I can't really focus on things. how long should they last? I have symptims for a few days and then they go away, and come back. I am going to see an Ophthalmologist to see what I can get done with my eyes. thank you for the information on that!
Brief Answer:
Thyroid Function studies
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your updated information. I also read something about you having trouble swallowing especially at night.
The zoning out effect could mean some imbalance in electrolytes or hormones having to do with effective alertness and and ability to concentrate. Based on this set of symptoms I would obtain some basic blood work such as a CBC with differential, Liver and Renal Function testing, Full electrolyte testing including IONIZED CALCIUM, and Thyroid Function Testing to include FREE T4 and THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE (TSH). You could also test for levels of B12, folate, and Vit. D levels as a way of trying to improve your mental status if related to metabolic underpinnings.
Are you getting plenty of sleep and sleeping well since this can affect one's state of alertness and concentration.
bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi
I would be honored to answer you quickly and comprehensively.
Please keep me informed as to the outcome of your situation.
The query has required a total of 60 minutes of physician specific time to read, research, and compile a return envoy to the patient.
Thyroid Function studies
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your updated information. I also read something about you having trouble swallowing especially at night.
The zoning out effect could mean some imbalance in electrolytes or hormones having to do with effective alertness and and ability to concentrate. Based on this set of symptoms I would obtain some basic blood work such as a CBC with differential, Liver and Renal Function testing, Full electrolyte testing including IONIZED CALCIUM, and Thyroid Function Testing to include FREE T4 and THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE (TSH). You could also test for levels of B12, folate, and Vit. D levels as a way of trying to improve your mental status if related to metabolic underpinnings.
Are you getting plenty of sleep and sleeping well since this can affect one's state of alertness and concentration.
bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi
I would be honored to answer you quickly and comprehensively.
Please keep me informed as to the outcome of your situation.
The query has required a total of 60 minutes of physician specific time to read, research, and compile a return envoy to the patient.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Yes, the swallowing has only started hear recently, it doesn't matter what I eat or drink it just fells like my throat is swelling. will send the labs from my most recent check up tomorrow or Wednesday, it depends on how long it takes my doctor to get them. It was back in XXXXXXX but I have felt this way for awhile now, almost a year, about the same time I started having the headaches. I sleep about like I always have. 7-8 hours per night. sometime less due to my schedule but I try to atleast get 7 regaurdless of how busy I am.
I want to thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns, if only the doctor's where I live where the same way!
I want to thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns, if only the doctor's where I live where the same way!
Brief Answer:
Thank you for your kind comments and updates
Detailed Answer:
I think that based upon your symptoms and their evolution in the past year since this all began I would be most interested in knowing the results of the bloodwork before making any more suggestions or forwarding any more theories. It certainly seems logical to think that the headaches should be related to the other items you've been experiencing. But I'm not sure in which way that relationship should go. That is why the headache diary is so important as it would allow you to bring into focus other symptoms that may be related so that once your doctor can discover what is at the root of the problem it may become more clear exactly how to treat the headaches.
Sounds like your sleep time is adequate. I do have a few other questions that I COULD ask but again, I think we would prefer to wait on lab results before making further recommendations or statements.
I might add just a few more tests to perform to the list I previously provided to you and that are the following:
1. H. Pylori antibody test in serum
2. Urea breath test for detection of H. Pylori
3. H. Pylori antigen test in stool.
The reason for doing 3 tests looking for the same entity is because not all are positive all the time. But certainly, by doing them all- your odds of picking up a positive result on one of them is increased. If all of them are negative then, I would put the possibility of H. Pylori stomach infection to bed so to speak and look at other things.
Thank you as well for your kind comments on our conversation to this point about your symptoms. I hope you've been able to relay all the important information and that I've responded adequately for the level of information that I've been able to have as well as the big disadvantage of not being able to physically examine you myself. Nevertheless, I think you're on the right track if you get some labs done AND BEGIN FILLING OUT THE DIARY and very possibly FIND A HEADACHE specialist to be available in case the labs don't result in anything definitive to help us out with a diagnosis.
May I ask you not forget to CLOSE THE QUERY on your end so this set of questions can be transacted and archived for further reference by colleagues as necessary? Your HIGH STAR RATING and positive written feedback would be most helpful and appreciated.
When more information becomes available I invite you to contact me DIRECTLY by going to my web address at:
bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi
I would be honored to answer you quickly and comprehensively.
Please keep me informed as to the outcome of your situation.
The query has required a total of 78 minutes of physician specific time to read, research, and compile a return envoy to the patient.
Thank you for your kind comments and updates
Detailed Answer:
I think that based upon your symptoms and their evolution in the past year since this all began I would be most interested in knowing the results of the bloodwork before making any more suggestions or forwarding any more theories. It certainly seems logical to think that the headaches should be related to the other items you've been experiencing. But I'm not sure in which way that relationship should go. That is why the headache diary is so important as it would allow you to bring into focus other symptoms that may be related so that once your doctor can discover what is at the root of the problem it may become more clear exactly how to treat the headaches.
Sounds like your sleep time is adequate. I do have a few other questions that I COULD ask but again, I think we would prefer to wait on lab results before making further recommendations or statements.
I might add just a few more tests to perform to the list I previously provided to you and that are the following:
1. H. Pylori antibody test in serum
2. Urea breath test for detection of H. Pylori
3. H. Pylori antigen test in stool.
The reason for doing 3 tests looking for the same entity is because not all are positive all the time. But certainly, by doing them all- your odds of picking up a positive result on one of them is increased. If all of them are negative then, I would put the possibility of H. Pylori stomach infection to bed so to speak and look at other things.
Thank you as well for your kind comments on our conversation to this point about your symptoms. I hope you've been able to relay all the important information and that I've responded adequately for the level of information that I've been able to have as well as the big disadvantage of not being able to physically examine you myself. Nevertheless, I think you're on the right track if you get some labs done AND BEGIN FILLING OUT THE DIARY and very possibly FIND A HEADACHE specialist to be available in case the labs don't result in anything definitive to help us out with a diagnosis.
May I ask you not forget to CLOSE THE QUERY on your end so this set of questions can be transacted and archived for further reference by colleagues as necessary? Your HIGH STAR RATING and positive written feedback would be most helpful and appreciated.
When more information becomes available I invite you to contact me DIRECTLY by going to my web address at:
bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi
I would be honored to answer you quickly and comprehensively.
Please keep me informed as to the outcome of your situation.
The query has required a total of 78 minutes of physician specific time to read, research, and compile a return envoy to the patient.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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