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What Causes Numb Feeling In The Right Side Of The Head?
Question: I have been having a feeling on the right side of my head just by my ear and back to the middle and up not quite to the top. It feels like when your leg or arm is asleep. I am in good health for 86 years old but I worry about this should I be and should I see my doctor about this. I an concerned because my mother died of a aneurism in the back of her neck that burst
Brief Answer:
No reason for worry.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Regarding the worry about a aneurysm I do not think that is the case. An aneurysm doesn't cause any headache if unruptured, generally doesn't cause any symptom at all. Only rarely when it is big and compresses adjacent structures may cause neurological symptoms, but not that type of localized sensation.
As for the case of when it ruptures then it manifests with a very abrupt, very intense headache, commonly called thunderclap headache, certainly not your case.
As for the possibility of other brain lesions like a tumor or stroke I still do not think them to be likely. Usually there are symptoms such as weakness or numbness of the limbs on one side, balance or coordination issues, behavior changes or confusion, seizures, progressively increasing headache, nausea or vomiting etc. They may at times manifest with such abnormal sensations such as that, but not localized in such a limited area of the head, it normally includes a whole half of face and body.
So I do not see any reason for worry unless other symptoms appear. You can still schedule an appointment with your doctor just to make sure there aren't any other additional signs you might have missed, but no need to schedule it on an emergency basis and no need to feel alarmed till then, would be just to make sure.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
No reason for worry.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Regarding the worry about a aneurysm I do not think that is the case. An aneurysm doesn't cause any headache if unruptured, generally doesn't cause any symptom at all. Only rarely when it is big and compresses adjacent structures may cause neurological symptoms, but not that type of localized sensation.
As for the case of when it ruptures then it manifests with a very abrupt, very intense headache, commonly called thunderclap headache, certainly not your case.
As for the possibility of other brain lesions like a tumor or stroke I still do not think them to be likely. Usually there are symptoms such as weakness or numbness of the limbs on one side, balance or coordination issues, behavior changes or confusion, seizures, progressively increasing headache, nausea or vomiting etc. They may at times manifest with such abnormal sensations such as that, but not localized in such a limited area of the head, it normally includes a whole half of face and body.
So I do not see any reason for worry unless other symptoms appear. You can still schedule an appointment with your doctor just to make sure there aren't any other additional signs you might have missed, but no need to schedule it on an emergency basis and no need to feel alarmed till then, would be just to make sure.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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