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What Causes Severe Headaches, Nausea, Dizziness, Metallic Taste And Numbness In Arms?

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Posted on Thu, 4 Dec 2014
Question: I am having severe headaches,nausea mild dizzy spells metallic taste in mouth ,my whole head feels heavy and my right side ,head Armand chest I feel unusual numbness or pressure I am quite not sure
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Sadly long list of possible conditions

Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.

Thank you for writing to us.

I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. I understand how you must be feeling as all your symptoms are quite confusing and do not really add up, but in my opinion they can be added up which can help bring up a list of conditions that could be the most likely cause for your presentation.

Please understand that based on your symptoms, it is not going to easy to pin point the cause to one condition which is why I shall first urge you to report to a physician for an elaborate evaluation to find the cause and accordingly treat it. But for now, I would like to share a list of possible conditions that could be causing a presentation similar to yours. They are:

-Hormonal changes: Blood investigation to check your hormone levels
-Thyroid abnormalities: A blood test to check your thyroid profile
-Side effect of medications: If you are not using any medication then we can rule this cause out
-Sinus related abnormalities or other oral health-related conditions: A one-time ENT consultation should suffice to rule this out
-Metal overload: A common occurrence especially in the western world, please discuss this with your doctor
-Seafood poisoning: If you have a positive history of consuming a lot of marine food, then please report this to your doctor
-Nutrient deficiencies: Vitamin B12, zinc, etc; will have to be ruled out by checking your nutrient levels
-Systemic conditions like Sjogren's disease, amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, etc.
-Diabetes: A blood glucose profile will help rule this out
-Kidney related abnormalities: Blood investigation to check renal function will be required
-Nervous system disorders
-Cardiac abnormalities: I would recommend a 2D echo

As mentioned by you, your doctors did find a magnesium deficiency and so I would recommend correction of your magnesium level and then checking to see if your symptoms still persist. If at all your symptoms are still present, then discuss the above possible conditions with your doctor.

I understand how your symptoms may be causing you some frustration, but please be patient ma'am. We should work through the above listed conditions and rule them out one by one, to find the cause for your presentation. Please do not hesitate to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.

Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (12 minutes later)
I first suspected dehydration because i tend not to hydrate enough but drank water all morning long and ate something light not to have an empty stomache symptoms persisted and where getting worse so i had a cup of starbucks hot coffee latte and a whole banana and symptoms seem to be subsiding and i am schedueled to have my monthly period cycle this week - i was wondering if this information narrows the possible diagnoses?i also remember having a high quantity of shrimp yesterday but vowels are normal.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (5 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Dehydration can very well be the cause

Detailed Answer:
Hello once again ma'am.

Oh yes, dehydration is quite possible; which is why I have also mentioned kidney related conditions. Please continue to keep yourself well hydrated, and also avoid long gaps between meals.

An average of 2-3 litres of water per day with small meals every 4 hours, if your symptoms do not disappear then please go ahead with an elaborate evaluation. For now, I would request you to go about a well hydrated regimen and a well balanced diet for the next 2-3 days, and then write back to me informing me about your symptoms ma'am.

We shall then either rule out or confirm the cause to be poor hydration and a poorly managed diet.

Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Shoaib Khan

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 9409 Questions

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What Causes Severe Headaches, Nausea, Dizziness, Metallic Taste And Numbness In Arms?

Brief Answer: Sadly long list of possible conditions Detailed Answer: Hello ma'am and welcome. Thank you for writing to us. I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. I understand how you must be feeling as all your symptoms are quite confusing and do not really add up, but in my opinion they can be added up which can help bring up a list of conditions that could be the most likely cause for your presentation. Please understand that based on your symptoms, it is not going to easy to pin point the cause to one condition which is why I shall first urge you to report to a physician for an elaborate evaluation to find the cause and accordingly treat it. But for now, I would like to share a list of possible conditions that could be causing a presentation similar to yours. They are: -Hormonal changes: Blood investigation to check your hormone levels -Thyroid abnormalities: A blood test to check your thyroid profile -Side effect of medications: If you are not using any medication then we can rule this cause out -Sinus related abnormalities or other oral health-related conditions: A one-time ENT consultation should suffice to rule this out -Metal overload: A common occurrence especially in the western world, please discuss this with your doctor -Seafood poisoning: If you have a positive history of consuming a lot of marine food, then please report this to your doctor -Nutrient deficiencies: Vitamin B12, zinc, etc; will have to be ruled out by checking your nutrient levels -Systemic conditions like Sjogren's disease, amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, etc. -Diabetes: A blood glucose profile will help rule this out -Kidney related abnormalities: Blood investigation to check renal function will be required -Nervous system disorders -Cardiac abnormalities: I would recommend a 2D echo As mentioned by you, your doctors did find a magnesium deficiency and so I would recommend correction of your magnesium level and then checking to see if your symptoms still persist. If at all your symptoms are still present, then discuss the above possible conditions with your doctor. I understand how your symptoms may be causing you some frustration, but please be patient ma'am. We should work through the above listed conditions and rule them out one by one, to find the cause for your presentation. Please do not hesitate to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help. Best wishes.