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What Causes Pressure Sensation In The Head?
Question: Hi - I've been having pressure in my head for a couple of weeks now. Not painful, just pressure. But in the last week or so I've also started noticing that I have pain - to the touch only - in different areas on my head and face. The weird thing is, is that it's different every day. For example, a week ago, my cheek bone on the left side of my face towards my jaw was painful (only to touch). Then the next day, that pain was gone, but in it's place I had pain (to the touch) in my right jaw where the bones come together. Then two days ago, pain in jaw and check gone, but pain (to the touch) on both sides of my forehead, and finally today (pain and pressure in my left temporal bone. It feels bruised like I hit my head on something. Still pressure in cheeks, but not painful. I thought it was maybe a sinus infection, but 5 days of azithromycin did nothing to alleviate pressure or pain. And now, my doctor has prescribed Levaquin - I'm on my 3rd day of that with still no relief. Do you think this is a sinus infection? Could it be something else? Please note, I'm currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer (finished chemotherapy 4 weeks ago).
Brief Answer:
sinus is about the ONLY possibility.
Detailed Answer:
WIth pain, there is the context (person, age, gender, previous history) and the type of pain (pressure) and the location. Nerves go to one side or the other. The nerves to the face are quite complex and follow very particular patterns. The nerves would be one side and very localized if it were the nerves. The brain itself does not feel pain. High blood pressure is constant as is the headache from it. Sinuses however, are connected one side to the other. The pressure in them changes minute to minute.
The best measure of if there is an infection is not biopsy, MRI, or blood work but merely looking at the back of the throat to see if there is drainage. This would strongly imply benefit (and need) for antibiotics. Otherwise, anti-histamine with decongestant over the counter is the best choice of medication for sinus pain. If someone wants to be quite compulsive checking bloodpresssure beforehand in the pharmacy is something that could be done prior to taking decongestants.
sinus is about the ONLY possibility.
Detailed Answer:
WIth pain, there is the context (person, age, gender, previous history) and the type of pain (pressure) and the location. Nerves go to one side or the other. The nerves to the face are quite complex and follow very particular patterns. The nerves would be one side and very localized if it were the nerves. The brain itself does not feel pain. High blood pressure is constant as is the headache from it. Sinuses however, are connected one side to the other. The pressure in them changes minute to minute.
The best measure of if there is an infection is not biopsy, MRI, or blood work but merely looking at the back of the throat to see if there is drainage. This would strongly imply benefit (and need) for antibiotics. Otherwise, anti-histamine with decongestant over the counter is the best choice of medication for sinus pain. If someone wants to be quite compulsive checking bloodpresssure beforehand in the pharmacy is something that could be done prior to taking decongestants.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your reply - there is definite drainage as I have been having pretty severe allergy response the last couple of weeks. However, the drainage is clear. Everything I've been told has identified that green or yellow drainage is a sign of infection, but if it's clear there is no infection. Can it still be a sinus infection with clear drainage?
Brief Answer:
depends where the drainage is!
Detailed Answer:
typical of infection is clear drainage out the nose and grey to green in the back of the throat. Sometimes with drainage to the lung and a particular type of moist cough.
Of course one can check by treating as if it were simple allergy with anti-histamine decongestant. This works really fast and completely if there isn't an infection. Frankly it will work some of the time if there IS an infection too.
depends where the drainage is!
Detailed Answer:
typical of infection is clear drainage out the nose and grey to green in the back of the throat. Sometimes with drainage to the lung and a particular type of moist cough.
Of course one can check by treating as if it were simple allergy with anti-histamine decongestant. This works really fast and completely if there isn't an infection. Frankly it will work some of the time if there IS an infection too.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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