Suggest Treatment For Persistent Headache And Tingling Sensation In The Hands

Posted on Mon, 14 Nov 2016

Question: Hello, I am investigating the symptoms of my 19 year old daughter. she suffers from headaches/migraines sometimes lasting several days. She has fainted 3 times in the last year. The first two times she didn't eat or drink that day so we assumed this was the reason. then last week she fainted while in class around 11;30 A.M. She ate a good breakfast that morning and drank a bottle of water, so it wasn't because of not eating or drinking. she feels tired a lot, has achy joints which she says feels like the growing pains she had frequently as a child and now says her hand and legs keep tingling and falling asleep. any direction you can give me would help. when she is about to faint she says her hands tingle, she gets hot and breaks out in sweat, her vision goes black, then she faints.

Answered by Dr. Ishu Bishnoi (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Cause of fainting attacks

Detailed Answer:
Hi xxxxxx, thanks for asking from HCM.

I can understand your concern. The repeated fainting attacks in your daughter look like

: Syncopal attacks - In syncopal attacks, patient usually sweat a lot during and after attack, blurred vision, generalised tingling.

The cause of syncopal attacks at 19 years age could be

: Severe Anaemia - If Hb is less than 8gm%, it can cause syncopal attacks with mild exertion
Kindly check her hemoglobin.

: Anxiety and stress - It is common to have so many mental stress in teen age. It can cause development of anxiety and due to it, syncopal attacks can occur. It can be suspected if everything is normal and she takes a lot of stress

: Vasovagal syncope - It can occur due to higher centre stimulation in brain. It can be activated by
food, smell, bad sight, stress, even cold water
It can be ruled out by taking proper history

: Low blood pressure and dehydration - Low BP, usually less than 70mm Hg can cause syncopal attacks. Kindly get her BP checked and rule out dehydration

: Low Blood sugar - It can be due to poor eating or sometimes diabetes can present with low sugar attacks. Kindly get her Blood sugar examination to know it. If there is family history, please check it.

: Brain mass or pathology - If every blood investigation come normal, get CT and MRI brain to rule out any brain pathology like tumor, decreased blood supply, any gliotic area. It can cause such attacks

: Absence or tonic seizures - Even fits can present like this. It can be ruled out by history, MRI brain and EEG.

Kindly consult neurologist. He will examine her for all this. Hope it will help yo. You can message me the reports. I will help you in further management.

Thanks. Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T