What Casues Persistent Headache?

Posted on Thu, 30 Oct 2014

Question: I have been having a persistent headache for about five weeks. It started as a dull ache in my forehead and after 10 days or so centered on the right side of my head. I have throbbing in my right temple. I wake up with this headache every morning, the pain varies throughout the day, but when it gets worse, I have these spacey/shaky spells that feel like someone pressed the "pause" button on what I'm seeing. Everything stops for a few seconds, then goes into a shaky slow motion. When I close my eyes, the spacey/shaky spell goes away (I discovered this by accident while washing my hair), but it does not go away when I stand in the dark with my eyes open. When I stand in the dark with my eyes open it is very disorienting and I see red, blue and green floaters. I have nearly a month until my next neurology appointment and it's time for my annual eye exam anyway, so I'm planning to make an opthalmology appointment, but I was wondering, with your decades of experience, if you have any thoughts as to why the spells go away when I close my eyes? My headache is not sensitive to light or sound. I've gotten some interesting feedback and theories on my headaches from two neurologists on this website as well, but at this point I have no clear diagnosis. Lupus, Parkinson's, MS, TIAs, Tension Headaches are possibilities that have been mentioned. Thanks so much.

Answered by Dr. Ashok Kumar Dash (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
persistent headachae in day time.

Detailed Answer:
To me it appears to be ophthalmic migraine. It is related to your vision. You can consult your oph ophthalmologist as per appointment. In the-mean time you can go for refraction and test of ocular muscle balancing. IOT may be measured. When you visit your ophthalmologist he can see the reports.

Secondly you can have migranil tablet can start with one tablet and increase up to 6 tablet till you get relief from symptoms. You can get this medication with primary doctor prescription or you can check at your local pharmacy. It is not related to light sensitiveness. With this treatment I am sure you will get relief. It will confirm the diagnosis. You can have confirmation whether its mono or binocular.
Ocular migraine may lead to momentary vision loss and regaining immediately. Diagnosis is purely clinical.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju

Follow up: Dr. Ashok Kumar Dash (12 hours later)

Dr. Dash,

Thank you very much. I will definitely get in to see an opthalmalogist prior to my Nov. 7 neurology appointment and will investigate how and where to get the refraction and test of ocular muscle balanacing. Migraines related to vision would be a much simpler answer than some of the conditions that have been considered up to this point. It sure seems worth trying the medication to see if the headache and disorientation go away.

The only lingering question is if and how this could be related to the hand and foot tremors? Maybe that's something unrelated that will be easier to diagnose once the headaches are gone.

Thanks again,
XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Ashok Kumar Dash (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
persistant head achce and tremor hand and foot.

Detailed Answer:
you may try the treatment. refraction and ocular muscle balancing can be done by any ophthalmologist. hand and foot tremor are neurological problem. you are consulting neurologist who can diagnose and advise the proper treatment. some more investigation like exclusion of diabetes has to be done. injection neurobion forte may be taken on alternate day for 20 days. they are not related. second opinion may be taken. the case is still undiagnosed.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj