Need Help/Advice On If What I Am Dealing With Are Migraines
I have had constant pressure in my head and face since July of this year. It is everyday from when I wake up to when I go to bed making life very difficult. I first went to a neurologist, then it was thought that I had a bad sinus infection. While on Augmentin and prednisone, the pain improved but then leveled off with no continuing improvement. After seeing an ENT, he determined, based on my two MRIs and sinus CT, that there wasn't anything he could do and therefore referred me back to neurology which I don't see until November 28th.
I have no family history of migraines, am a male in my 50s, no nausea or sensitivity to light, and no previous history of headaches or migraines which, I believe are some of the main indicators of a migraine.
I started having the headaches after taking a peptide therapy nasal spray to help with osteoarthritis (self prescribed and not FDA approved). I had pain in my right nostril after taking the spray for approximately a month and immediately stopped the spray. I was treated for a sinus infection, but the pain then moved to the right side of my forehead. Prednisone seems to be the only thing that will make me feel somewhat normal.
I am not convinced that this is a never ending migraine but a problem, I unfortunately created myself due to the nasal spray, with my sinuses.
I would appreciate any help/advice anyone can give to steer me in the right direction to get the appropriate treatment so I can get back to a somewhat normal life.
- Hi there- thank you so much for sharing some of your journey with this head pain you are experiencing. First, so sorry you are dealing with this! Head pain is distracting and draining. Second, sorry also for the run-around you've had from neurology to ent and now back again to neurology. I understand you have a standing appointment at the end of the month. I might encourage you to seek an evaluation with a headache specialist. There are many types of headaches (some daily) that are not migraine. A headache specialist might be better equipped to evaluate and treat something related to head pain than a general neurologist. It's interesting that prednisone works for you as that is often related to bringing swelling down. The nasal spray issue is worth bringing up and exploring during your evaluation.
Here is a resource on various types of headache disorders: https://migraine.com/headache-types. You will see in that piece mention that headaches that set in after the age of 50 are important to get evaluated. Glad you are doing so. There's also something known as hangover headache: https://migraine.com/headache-types/hangover-headaches, medication overuse headache: https://migraine.com/headache-types/medication-overuse-rebound, exercise-induced headache: https://migraine.com/headache-types/exertion-headaches. And finally, hypertension headache: https://migraine.com/headache-types/hypertension-headaches. Here are our resources that are designed to help you find a headache specialist, in case that's of interest to you: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/find-a-doctor/. And: https://headaches.org/resources/healthcare-provider-finder/. I hope these resources might prove useful to you as you continue to seek relief and answers. Please know we are here for you. Reach out anytime for information or support. Warmly- Holly -migraine.com teamThis has happened to me too out of the blue 2 months after Covid infection and was told this is the way long covid migraine presents itself. Not that this info helps any but it is an answer at least. Many steps need to be taken with headache specialist to get Botox approved, other preventative meds, Celebrex is good for pressure, try medical marijuana. Ice pack, triptans. It’s just a terrible thing.
I'm sorry to hear that you experienced this as well, especially on the heals of covid. It is interesting how that virus is impacting people in so many ways. And yes, with answers comes validation to our experiences and symptoms, but it's true the answers don't always offer solutions. Thanks for the reminder of things to discuss with a headache specialist. There are several options out there, it's a matter of finding which works best for you.
Thanks again for being part of this conversation.
Best
Alene, moderator
