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What Causes Severe Headaches And Cold?
Question: Hi, for the last 2 weeks I have been experiencing headaches on my leftside along with a cold feeling like it's running through the leftside of my head and ear also, in one spot of my head feels like as if it is bruised when I touch it, I feel slightly light headed at times and get mild nausea on and off, also started experiencing a weird taste in my mouth and slight achiness behind my left eye from headache. I hit my head about 5 months ago on fridge door could that be the cause of all this as that is the spot where it feels like it's bruised or something could I have caused myself a brain injury? I also suffer from fibromyalgia
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
The headache does not have any relation to that hit on the fridge door, rest assured about that, neither the hit intensity nor the fact that symptoms have started now correspond to traumatic brain injury.
I do not think that it is a manifestation of anything serious either. Details such as feeling a bruised spot are actually reassuring as not characteristic for brain lesions and the lack of other neurological signs reinforces that (signs like weakness of facial muscles on that side, hearing changes, double vision etc).
Ear infection might be also a possible cause although after 2 weeks it should have shown other symptoms such as increasing pain, fever, hearing loss etc.
Judging from that description I would say that the most likely cause for that headache is tension type headache. It is the most common type of headache in the general population. It is often associated by abnormal scalp sensations. Stress and anxiety may often trigger or exacerbate it. The fact that you suffer from fibromyalgia makes you more prone to it as 50-70% of fibromyalgia patients manifest primary headaches like tension type headache (by primary I mean with no identifiable cause). It is usually alleviated by over the counter medication like Ibuprofen (Panadol is usually not enough). If chronic then prevention with amitriptyline may be considered (but first interactions with possible medication you might be taking for fibro must be considered).
If any new symptoms or appear or any other question I remain at your disposal.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
The headache does not have any relation to that hit on the fridge door, rest assured about that, neither the hit intensity nor the fact that symptoms have started now correspond to traumatic brain injury.
I do not think that it is a manifestation of anything serious either. Details such as feeling a bruised spot are actually reassuring as not characteristic for brain lesions and the lack of other neurological signs reinforces that (signs like weakness of facial muscles on that side, hearing changes, double vision etc).
Ear infection might be also a possible cause although after 2 weeks it should have shown other symptoms such as increasing pain, fever, hearing loss etc.
Judging from that description I would say that the most likely cause for that headache is tension type headache. It is the most common type of headache in the general population. It is often associated by abnormal scalp sensations. Stress and anxiety may often trigger or exacerbate it. The fact that you suffer from fibromyalgia makes you more prone to it as 50-70% of fibromyalgia patients manifest primary headaches like tension type headache (by primary I mean with no identifiable cause). It is usually alleviated by over the counter medication like Ibuprofen (Panadol is usually not enough). If chronic then prevention with amitriptyline may be considered (but first interactions with possible medication you might be taking for fibro must be considered).
If any new symptoms or appear or any other question I remain at your disposal.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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