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What Causes Swollen Areas On The Forehead?

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Posted on Tue, 12 Jul 2016
Question: Have suffered from migraines since 1982. Currently disabled due to almost daily migraines. Only take 800 mg Ibuprofen 3X per day for prevention and pain. Allergic to Vicodin....hives. Worked in personal injury litigation for over 35 years in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Recently noticed a few months back that my forehead was swelling and had actual divots in it. can now feel at least three swollen areas above eyebrows and top of forehead. They are growing. I made an appointment 2 months ago regarding these lumps but my first appointment is still 0ver a month away, I HAVE MANY symptoms that could be cancer. Where do I go? ER? or just wait for appointment? My head hurts and it is a different hurt than what I have experienced for years!
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Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Read below.

Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.

There are several possibilities for those swellings. Luckily they are benign, that type of growth is not generally related to a malignant tumor.
It might be an osteoma an abnormal bone growth which is relatively common. In this case the growth is hard an non XXXXXXX on palpation.
Benign growth may involve the fatty tissue under your skin, or also the sweating glands causing sebaceous cysts.
Most of the times the above mentioned benign tumors grow grow outside of the skull, do not involve the brain and are not dangerous. May cause pain if they become infected and in that case have to be remove by a minor surgical procedure. Otherwise they are harmless and can be removed only for cosmetic purposes.
Another possibility might also be bone changes from chronic sinusitis but you would have other sinusitis symptoms usually.

So regarding whether to wait or to go to the ER, I would recommend to wait, there is not much that the ER will do for those lumps I believe. In the meanwhile you should try to stay calm as anxiety seems to contribute at least partially to your symptoms as well. It is always preferable to be seen in a planned visit where the doctor can fully dedicate himself to you and analyse also other symptoms you have such as the weight loss, rather than in the ER where patients at times are seen in a rush, excluding only the more immediately threatening issues.

I would also discuss at that appointment the necessity of taking Ibuprofen for migraine prevention, Ibuprofen is not used regularly for prevention, only to treat acute attacks. Actually taking it regularly can lead to what is called medication overuse headache, a chronic headache due to taking painkillers for a long time. There are other medications which are used for prevention, amitriptyline which you mention is one of them, but there are other options if that is not effective.

I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Olsi Taka

Neurologist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 3673 Questions

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What Causes Swollen Areas On The Forehead?

Brief Answer: Read below. Detailed Answer: I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. There are several possibilities for those swellings. Luckily they are benign, that type of growth is not generally related to a malignant tumor. It might be an osteoma an abnormal bone growth which is relatively common. In this case the growth is hard an non XXXXXXX on palpation. Benign growth may involve the fatty tissue under your skin, or also the sweating glands causing sebaceous cysts. Most of the times the above mentioned benign tumors grow grow outside of the skull, do not involve the brain and are not dangerous. May cause pain if they become infected and in that case have to be remove by a minor surgical procedure. Otherwise they are harmless and can be removed only for cosmetic purposes. Another possibility might also be bone changes from chronic sinusitis but you would have other sinusitis symptoms usually. So regarding whether to wait or to go to the ER, I would recommend to wait, there is not much that the ER will do for those lumps I believe. In the meanwhile you should try to stay calm as anxiety seems to contribute at least partially to your symptoms as well. It is always preferable to be seen in a planned visit where the doctor can fully dedicate himself to you and analyse also other symptoms you have such as the weight loss, rather than in the ER where patients at times are seen in a rush, excluding only the more immediately threatening issues. I would also discuss at that appointment the necessity of taking Ibuprofen for migraine prevention, Ibuprofen is not used regularly for prevention, only to treat acute attacks. Actually taking it regularly can lead to what is called medication overuse headache, a chronic headache due to taking painkillers for a long time. There are other medications which are used for prevention, amitriptyline which you mention is one of them, but there are other options if that is not effective. I hope to have been of help.