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Having Headache, Fatigue And Breathlessness. Noticed Masses On Temples Beneath Skin. Remedy?

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Posted on Fri, 5 Jul 2013
Question: So about 10 days ago I got a slight fever an excruciating head ache isolated to only in my temples and sides on my head Around 3 inches or so that waxes and wanes in intensity through out the day . It's a very small area but on both sides temple to behind the ear. Left side hurts most. the pain never goes away but the intensity fluctuates from uncomfortable to I CAN'T BREATHE IT HURTS , I would have to say if I put a number on it a constant 8.7 on the "pain scale" and when it eases off (only 2x the last 10 days) it's around a 5 ..before that I couldn't tell you bc I just shrugged it off... But now. I cant even brush my hair on the sides. I kept shrugging it off to just not resting etc. but for a good amout of time i have been getting all my calories, drinking extra gatorade, cranberry juice, sleeping, light walkkng etc.

My husband and I looked into it online and wrote it off as a tension headache. Although i have never gotten a tension headaches before... Ive been lucky to live without much more than a brain freeze and occasional headache every now and again which i could cure with rest fluids and advil etc. today I'm on day 10?11? of all this intense pain ...and I'm getting concerned mostly because:
Over the last few (2.5-ish) weeks I have noticed small 3/5inch hard lumps/masses in my temples beneath the skin. (no skin discoloration that i can see but i have hair so .. im not entirely sure)

I generally avoid doctors (hence why I am writing you guys while i wait for insurance to call me..)But, these lumps are getting bigger and more sore. The fever is not going away. (Not getting worse that i can tell eother though) I can physically see and feel my veins /arteries around my temples (especially the left side ) raised up and hardened.

Also whatever vein or artery which runs down the left side of my neck to my collar bone, pulses frequently and I find myself walking around with my hand on my neck, because it seems to lessen the pressure & makes it feel like it won't pop out if my neck or something.

Overall I am extreemly fatigued but in good spirits about life in general but i can't sleep well which is unusual for me. I have been waking up at like 3:45-5:00 am after going to bed at 11:30 or midnight and then can't go back to sleep .

have random other new muscle weakness, in my hands and arms especially- they go numb at the slightest task : holding an item for under a min without resting arm on anything. Blood flow to my hands and feet is definitely concerning and they are cold and sweaty. My legs go numb when I sit down to pee. I've had a few little bouts of like double vision/blurry vision while walking but idn if that has to do with anything....

My heart palpitates several times a day (worse when lying down.) also it has been over 100bpm for a few weeks now, but my BP is low, ..
It's hard to catch my breath walking room to room . Dizziness mostly when I stand up but also even when I am sitting down.

Ive had some sensitivity to noise or light but not that bothersome noise is what effects me if anything.

. I have a history of osteochondritis desecans(sp) as a child , anorexia nervosa, osteopenia, pneumonia etc. Also when I was in littke, I had bilateral surgery on my shins to remove a benign mass from each tibia.
Also about 3 weeks ago I had a medical procedure which could've gotten infected? Or something?

From what I've read online :
1: tension headache
2: temporal arteritis
3: giant cell something or other
4: migraine but the symptoms don't really match but I'm not a doc...
5: some kind of meningitis (rare not concerned)
6: septicemia of some sort( rare not concerned)

Any advice or your opinion on things would be super. I'm sure it's not deadly but it's pretty f@c/%ng painful and disruptive to my day

Also I have had the spells of hiccups at least once a day for around 1.5 years (obviously not continuous but they're uncomfortable)

Sorry forgot to say within the last year I stopped drinking dark soda bc it made my lower back hurt/ kidneys which I've never seen a doc for bc I didn't think it was a big deal...
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sree Gouri SR (2 hours later)
Hi,
Thanks for the query.

The exact cause of the problem can only be made out after through examination and investigations.
According to your description the possible causes are temporal arteritis, tension head ache etc. as you told.
Among them the more possible cause is temporal arteritis.
But as you are mentioning palpitations, tachycardia etc., cardiovascular related factors should also to be ruled out.
So better to consult physician once, go for general examination along with investigations like complete blood picture, coagulation profile, ECG, ECHO, MRI head and neck.
With this workup the possible cause for your problem can be made out and treatment can be given.
Better to consult doctor as early as you can.
Hope I have answered your query. I will be available to answer your follow up queries. If you are satisfied with all my answer, please rate the answer after closing the discussion.
Take care.
Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Sree Gouri SR

OBGYN

Practicing since :2006

Answered : 5839 Questions

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Having Headache, Fatigue And Breathlessness. Noticed Masses On Temples Beneath Skin. Remedy?

Hi,
Thanks for the query.

The exact cause of the problem can only be made out after through examination and investigations.
According to your description the possible causes are temporal arteritis, tension head ache etc. as you told.
Among them the more possible cause is temporal arteritis.
But as you are mentioning palpitations, tachycardia etc., cardiovascular related factors should also to be ruled out.
So better to consult physician once, go for general examination along with investigations like complete blood picture, coagulation profile, ECG, ECHO, MRI head and neck.
With this workup the possible cause for your problem can be made out and treatment can be given.
Better to consult doctor as early as you can.
Hope I have answered your query. I will be available to answer your follow up queries. If you are satisfied with all my answer, please rate the answer after closing the discussion.
Take care.