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Is Headache On The Left Side Of My Head And Face For Over A Week And Getting Worse A Serious Concern?
Question: I’ve been suffering for over a week now with a headache on the left side of my head and face. It seems to get worse as the day goes on and when I lay down. I thought it might be my blood pressure but my reading was 122/85. Is this something serious?
Brief Answer:
Headaches can be from a variety of causes
Detailed Answer:
Good evening. If there is a 1 week long headache/Facial pain that is unremitting then, one must consider the possibility that it is not actually emanating from the head as would a PRIMARY HEADACHE...especially if you're not the type of person to usually have headaches in the first place.
I would advise you to seek out either a neurologist or better yet a HEADACHE SPECIALIST since my next move to determine what could be going on would be to provide you with both the EDUCATION as well as the HEADACHE DIARY tool to begin documenting daily progression of these headaches including what makes them better and worse in terms of environmental conditions, foods, beverages. I'd be very interested in knowing EXACTLY HOW MANY ANALGESIC tablets and/or medications are being taken to treat these headaches since there may be a component of what's called MEDICATION OVERUSE HEADACHE if you've been taking too much in the way of OTC drugs.
I would instantly send you for a PANOREX of the teeth and gums looking for dental and/or gum disease (HIGHLY COMMON as a cause to sudden and unremitting headaches) and I strongly consider an MRI/MRA of the brain and the neck (MRA) if vegetative symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, photo or phonophobia were present. I might also take a look at the cervical spine looking for unusual circumstances of spinal column curvature, degenerative disease (though I doubt this would be very significant in someone as young as you), or anything else that could lend itself to hemifacial pain or hemicranial headache.
Blood pressure would only be expected to cause severe headaches if the pressure SUDDENLY and DRASTICALLY XXXXXXX to a point where usually, not only do severe headaches occur but other neurological symptoms such as blurred or even loss of vision could occur. The fact that it is only limited to one side and worsens when you are recumbent is slightly perplexing. Usually, it would be a bit reversed with headaches getting significantly better when lying down and terrible when sitting or standing (CSF hypotensive headache).
Also, is there any chance you could be pregnant over the past several weeks and not realized it? Is there any NEW MEDICATION that you've been taking for the past month for some condition which you've not been considering as a culprit especially something like fludricortisone or steroids such as prednisone?
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY being sure to include several fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 20 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
Headaches can be from a variety of causes
Detailed Answer:
Good evening. If there is a 1 week long headache/Facial pain that is unremitting then, one must consider the possibility that it is not actually emanating from the head as would a PRIMARY HEADACHE...especially if you're not the type of person to usually have headaches in the first place.
I would advise you to seek out either a neurologist or better yet a HEADACHE SPECIALIST since my next move to determine what could be going on would be to provide you with both the EDUCATION as well as the HEADACHE DIARY tool to begin documenting daily progression of these headaches including what makes them better and worse in terms of environmental conditions, foods, beverages. I'd be very interested in knowing EXACTLY HOW MANY ANALGESIC tablets and/or medications are being taken to treat these headaches since there may be a component of what's called MEDICATION OVERUSE HEADACHE if you've been taking too much in the way of OTC drugs.
I would instantly send you for a PANOREX of the teeth and gums looking for dental and/or gum disease (HIGHLY COMMON as a cause to sudden and unremitting headaches) and I strongly consider an MRI/MRA of the brain and the neck (MRA) if vegetative symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, photo or phonophobia were present. I might also take a look at the cervical spine looking for unusual circumstances of spinal column curvature, degenerative disease (though I doubt this would be very significant in someone as young as you), or anything else that could lend itself to hemifacial pain or hemicranial headache.
Blood pressure would only be expected to cause severe headaches if the pressure SUDDENLY and DRASTICALLY XXXXXXX to a point where usually, not only do severe headaches occur but other neurological symptoms such as blurred or even loss of vision could occur. The fact that it is only limited to one side and worsens when you are recumbent is slightly perplexing. Usually, it would be a bit reversed with headaches getting significantly better when lying down and terrible when sitting or standing (CSF hypotensive headache).
Also, is there any chance you could be pregnant over the past several weeks and not realized it? Is there any NEW MEDICATION that you've been taking for the past month for some condition which you've not been considering as a culprit especially something like fludricortisone or steroids such as prednisone?
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY being sure to include several fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 20 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
could this be a stroke or anyersum? ive had an MRI about 2 years ago and everything was normal but could something develop in that time frame between then and now? what about structural issues of my blood vessels? this increases my anxiety bc i automatically jump to life threatening reasons and freak myself out. please help
Brief Answer:
This is not a stroke nor can aneurysms present with these symptoms
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your return question and I'm sorry you're "freaking" out. There is really no need for such worry. A stroke by definition results in a sudden and fixed neurological DEFICIT which typically presents FOCALLY (means on a specific side of the body, or involving a specific function of the body) which does not change with position of the head, state of mind, or really anything else. In this case you are not reporting any focal deficits of a neurological nature. You are reporting a headache which fluctuates in its intensity depending on where the head is in space. This is not a neurological deficit as we can see from the above definition. Therefore, your symptoms are not consistent or likely to represent brain damage as would occur in a stroke. An aneurysm in similar fashion does not change its manifestation of pain (mostly headaches) simply based on where the head is and how the patient may be positioned. Also, aneurysms of any significance are often accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and if severe loss of consciousness owing to the blood that is leaking into the brain. You don't have this type of presentation either.
An MRI from 2 years ago which was normal further minimizes the chance that an aneurysm could have developed causing symptoms described above.
I do agree that you seem to have a considerable amount of anxiety when it comes to health symptoms and it seems true as well that your tendency is to think of the worst case scenarios but the way that medical problems in a 25 year old young lady are mostly benign and self limited as opposed to being "worst case scenarios."
My best advice is that you seek a good counselor or psychologist knowledgeable with the condition referred to as HEALTHCARE ANXIETY. Please take a look at the following link that is a short but informative summary on this diagnosis and I hope you will do your best to address this issue as it can be rather debilitating.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fighting-fear/201305/the-treatment-health-anxiety
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 55 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
This is not a stroke nor can aneurysms present with these symptoms
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your return question and I'm sorry you're "freaking" out. There is really no need for such worry. A stroke by definition results in a sudden and fixed neurological DEFICIT which typically presents FOCALLY (means on a specific side of the body, or involving a specific function of the body) which does not change with position of the head, state of mind, or really anything else. In this case you are not reporting any focal deficits of a neurological nature. You are reporting a headache which fluctuates in its intensity depending on where the head is in space. This is not a neurological deficit as we can see from the above definition. Therefore, your symptoms are not consistent or likely to represent brain damage as would occur in a stroke. An aneurysm in similar fashion does not change its manifestation of pain (mostly headaches) simply based on where the head is and how the patient may be positioned. Also, aneurysms of any significance are often accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and if severe loss of consciousness owing to the blood that is leaking into the brain. You don't have this type of presentation either.
An MRI from 2 years ago which was normal further minimizes the chance that an aneurysm could have developed causing symptoms described above.
I do agree that you seem to have a considerable amount of anxiety when it comes to health symptoms and it seems true as well that your tendency is to think of the worst case scenarios but the way that medical problems in a 25 year old young lady are mostly benign and self limited as opposed to being "worst case scenarios."
My best advice is that you seek a good counselor or psychologist knowledgeable with the condition referred to as HEALTHCARE ANXIETY. Please take a look at the following link that is a short but informative summary on this diagnosis and I hope you will do your best to address this issue as it can be rather debilitating.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fighting-fear/201305/the-treatment-health-anxiety
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 55 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
okay thank you. youve given me peace of mind. i wonder if its my sinuses too. its only on the left side of my head and develops throughout the day. i live in a high pollen area and when i wake up in the morning and blow my nose its green stuff. and so dry.
Brief Answer:
Sinus congestion could possibly explain the picture
Detailed Answer:
If you are having green nasal discharge and the headache/facial pain on one side of the head when laying on the left side then, it is conceivable that the frontal or maxillary sinuses on the left side are distending with the positional change. In that case, a sinus X-ray or CT of the sinuses would clearly show what are called "air/fluid levels" and a doctor could also do a procedure known as TRANSILLUMINATION and demonstrate that your left side is congested. That would be the most definitive way of making the diagnosis in order to determine what the best treatment may be depending on whether or not you have an infection vs. allergy.
You should generously hydrate yourself with water and other noncaffeinated fluids to the tune of 10-12 tall glasses daily which will help keep your circulation volume high and help loosen up the sinus/nasal secretions as well.
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 65 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
Sinus congestion could possibly explain the picture
Detailed Answer:
If you are having green nasal discharge and the headache/facial pain on one side of the head when laying on the left side then, it is conceivable that the frontal or maxillary sinuses on the left side are distending with the positional change. In that case, a sinus X-ray or CT of the sinuses would clearly show what are called "air/fluid levels" and a doctor could also do a procedure known as TRANSILLUMINATION and demonstrate that your left side is congested. That would be the most definitive way of making the diagnosis in order to determine what the best treatment may be depending on whether or not you have an infection vs. allergy.
You should generously hydrate yourself with water and other noncaffeinated fluids to the tune of 10-12 tall glasses daily which will help keep your circulation volume high and help loosen up the sinus/nasal secretions as well.
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 65 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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