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What Causes A Crushing Headache And Pain The Eyes, Temples And Head?
Question: my son is experiencing a crushing headache his eyes also hurt, the head pain is mostly in the temple area. What can be done to help him? He has eaten a bowl of cereal and 2 gatorades since 3;30 this am.
i forgot to mention he removed a tick from his arm at least a week ago, the head did not come off, he was seen by the nurse practitioner at our DR office.
i forgot to mention he removed a tick from his arm at least a week ago, the head did not come off, he was seen by the nurse practitioner at our DR office.
Brief Answer:
Get CT of the head
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
If this is the first time something like this is happening then, I would be very concerned that he may be having some type of structural problem in the brain and would wish to rule out an aneurysm or arteriorvenous malformation. If there are any symptoms such as nausea/vomiting/sensitivity to light or sound, vertigo, dizziness, garbled speech, poor balance then, he needs an emergent CT of the brain if not an emergent MRI and MRA of the head and neck.
Also, with the data of tick bite having occurred my concern is that he needs to get blood cultures performed for a possible viral or encephalitic infection as well as be tested for other tickborne diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted, West Nile, or Japanese Encephalitis, and this could be the explanation to his headache. Obviously, Lyme disease is something to think but this is also not the most common presentation of that kind of tick borne disease. But viral encephalitis could very well look like this.
If none of these are the cause of his headache then, I would like more seriously as this being a first time migraine headache and treat accordingly. Avoid the use of NSAID's such as Excedrin, ibuprofen, or other similar OTC medications until you are sure there is no intracranial bleed. Use TYLENOL ES and follow the directions on the label and get him to an Urgent Care Center or ER. They will likely get a CT of the head.
Regards
Get CT of the head
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
If this is the first time something like this is happening then, I would be very concerned that he may be having some type of structural problem in the brain and would wish to rule out an aneurysm or arteriorvenous malformation. If there are any symptoms such as nausea/vomiting/sensitivity to light or sound, vertigo, dizziness, garbled speech, poor balance then, he needs an emergent CT of the brain if not an emergent MRI and MRA of the head and neck.
Also, with the data of tick bite having occurred my concern is that he needs to get blood cultures performed for a possible viral or encephalitic infection as well as be tested for other tickborne diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted, West Nile, or Japanese Encephalitis, and this could be the explanation to his headache. Obviously, Lyme disease is something to think but this is also not the most common presentation of that kind of tick borne disease. But viral encephalitis could very well look like this.
If none of these are the cause of his headache then, I would like more seriously as this being a first time migraine headache and treat accordingly. Avoid the use of NSAID's such as Excedrin, ibuprofen, or other similar OTC medications until you are sure there is no intracranial bleed. Use TYLENOL ES and follow the directions on the label and get him to an Urgent Care Center or ER. They will likely get a CT of the head.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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