Are these head pains a brain tumour? Or my health anxiety? Please help :(

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hello all,

I would love some advice or reassurance if possible. My husband doesn't understand.

My problems started 8 weeks ago, I noticed when bending over, coughing, laughing, straining I was having a split second pressure type pain in the left top of my head. My left eye also twitched like mad all day. Google it the next day and read on here about a woman who had same symptoms but more severe and she had a brain tumour!!

Never had anything like this before. It then got less and disappeared after 5 days or so. Then few days after that I started getting pain around my left eye socket, cheek and upper teeth. Diagnosed with sinus infection, started antibiotics and pain in face went overnight.

Couple weeks after that I started very slight pain in the right side of my head in one particular spot. It's a very brief pain, like a split second. I'd say directly above temple and back an inch. I found if I was busy it didn't hurt. When I'm on my own or thinking, it'll hurt for a split second now and then. Pretty much every day.

I had an eye test 10 days after this originally started and it was better than perfect. Perfect pressures, retinal photo was spot on. Went to the docs yesterday who looked in my eyes and felt my neck and back and said it's tension. Eyes are fine. I don't wake in pain or have any sickness nausea. No blurred vision.

For some reason my mind won't accept that this is anxiety. I've never really had headaches before tho? but maybe googling it and reading about that lady triggered something? My anxiety has never been like this before. But maybe as it was a head pain im doing?!!

I am so sorry this is so long, thank you so much for reading. I feel totally consumed by this and want my life back.

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  • Posted

    Not even symptoms of a brain tumor at all not a brain tumor. Very very mild issues you are noting.

    headaches can be from anything and everything. Even though a sinus isnt infected it can still have fluid there and takes a while to clear as well. Temperature changes and dehydration can cause headaches as well. You can always ask you gp about the headaches too. The eyes would reveal issues so you know. Worrying and overthinking causes tension headaches as well, putting your hair up all the time can cause headaches. Not a good idea to pop a pain pill everytime you get a headache either that can cause rebound headaches. But nothing wting with talking to your go about this,

     

    • Posted

      Thank you very much for replying Lisa. Gp said it's tension and doesn't think there's anything growing in there. I'm so annoyed at myself for feeling like this. Having written it all down it doesn't make me see how I was just totally focussed on the symptoms and not the bigger picture.

      Thank you again. Xx

  • Posted

    Hi Katie can I ask what age you are.there is something illness you can get. I never heard about it until I got it. It's mostly in olier people. PMR and then GCA which affects the head. Its inflammation in the arteries. You can look it up on line. Take care

    • Posted

      Hello Elizabeth thank you for your reply. I'm 31. Will take a look smile thanks again xx

  • Posted

    Hi Katie can I ask what age you are.there is something illness you can get. I never heard about it until I got it. It's mostly in olier people. PMR and then GCA which affects the head. Its inflammation in the arteries. You can look it up on line. Take care

    • Posted

      I've read about GCA before. I don't think I have that. I certainly hope I don't! Bit too young hopefully! smile thanks for replying tho xx

    • Posted

      Ye Katie your much too young, could be anxiety, I have suffered with, and there different kinds of anxiety, have you ever suffered with anxiety before,

      there is a health anxiety, anxiety and depression are caused by negative, bad thoughts in your head, 'it's about changing those thoughts to rational, positive thoughts. take care

    • Posted

      Hi Elizabeth,

      Thank you for your reply. Had a wonderful back and scalp massage yesterday and the therapist said I had a lot of tension in my right shoulder. (Right side of head is where I get problems) so hopefully it's just that. As the doctor said.

      However once or twice I'm sure the right side of my head has hurt when I've laughed. Am I doing this myself?! I hope I am. Then I know I'll be ok sad

  • Posted

    Hello all me again.

    I ended up in a and e last Monday as I started getting nausea. I wanted an MRI.

    I've had nausea every other day mildly since.

    I seen a wonderful a and e doctor who was extremely thorough and did a big neurological test which I passed with flying colours. Told him of my worries and he said "you do not have any red flag symptoms" it is all tension and stress in your shoulder (which has been bad) and told me to have ibuprofen for two weeks and have massage and yoga etc which I have been doing.

    Pains in head are almost non existent now. HURRAH.

    However, still getting occasional nausea and have been since 4pm today. Was feeling fine before hand playing with my family and then bleurgh...

    Ate my tea and pudding all lovely.

    Is this nausea just a bit of lingering anxiety?

    I stupidly googled eye twitching (which doctor said is the muscle tension, I think more sinus) and read it can be a form of a seizure which hey ho could be a bloomin brain tumour!!

    Cue me feeling more sick. I've even googled private MRI screening!!.

    I've read a wonderful book this week on how to get over health anxiety which has helped loads, but this has me thinking oh god is this a brain tumour?!

    I hate me. sad

    Can anyone talk to me about this? My hubby is really not very good.

    Thank you to anyone in advance smile xxx

    • Posted

      Symptoms would not come and go with a tumor. They would continue all the time and get worse. 

      nausea is a very normal side effect of anxiety. 

      Even if you aren't feeling anxious or having panic attacks the worry still takes a HUGE toll on your body. 

      Trust your doctors. Find a doctor that can work with you about this worry. 

      I dealt with a HUGE list of symptoms (yours included) for months. I finally was fed up and went to the ER. I basically had to make them give me a CT scan. They did a CT scan with and without contrast, blood tests, neurology tests, ALL came back normal including my CT scan. The doctor reassured me about the worry of a brain tumor, after ALL THAT I still worry of having a tumor or some other serious condition that the Scan or doctor missed.... That's what Anxiety does. It isn't rational and it takes over your thoughts. 

      Feel free to Private Message me if you wanna talk more. 

    • Posted

      Hello Anon,

      Thank you for your reply.

      I truly didn't realise that even when feeling good I can still get a wham of nausea! Or other anxiety symptom. I feel like it this morning too, but that's probably because I'm worried about it.

      If I try and distract myself it doesn't feel so bad. This must be me.

      I'm just focussing so much on the symptoms of a brain tumour and I must be sub consciously trying to make it fit?

      I am so annoyed with myself for feeling like this. As I read through my posts I am see how silly I am! I'm much better than I was, head pain wise, I've just got to get rid of this nausea now.

      I just want to live!

      Thank you so very much for listening. I'm very greatful. Xxx

    • Posted

      Yeah absolutely. 

      I find a lot of sufferers especially with health anxiety feel their symptoms at random times, somtimes after an attack, sometimes before, or sometimes randomly. 

      Health anxiety litterally makes symptoms up, once you feel it, worry about it, and focus on it, it can get worse as your brain knows that's what triggers you. This is why everyone says stay awa from google, your brain will pick up on a worrying symptom and try to create it and manifest on that symptom. 

      Stress can do INSANE things to the body. 

      You did everything right tho, going to the doctors and getting a professional opinion is always neccesary.

      Work on getting the root of your issues which would be anxiety/stress dealt with, stay away from google,  and try not to worry. 

    • Posted

      Good morning Anon,

      Thank you for your reply.

      It is unbelievable to think that our minds can do this to us isn't it!

      It's like my mind is cheating me into making me feel that they're is something wrong with me. This must be real, there must be a problem. Alas it is my mind.

      Nausea stopped yesterday when I did some yoga and went to look around a few shops.

      I've felt it coming on this morning but kept it at bay by telling myself it's the anxiety doing this not me. Then I strained and felt a very brief pain in my head and oh god here we are again. I'm fine I'm fine.

      How are you doing? smile xxx

  • Posted

    Having a rough time tonight.

    Nausea has now disappeared and I've started getting mild head pains again.

    Is this my mind constantly telling me I'm ill?!!

    I spent the afternoon with family and had no pains no nothing really.

    Then I'm back home cooking and it all hits me again.

    I want to live why is my brain telling me otherwise?! I hope this is my mind and I don't have anything wrong.

    When will I wake up from this nightmare.

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