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.
0 likes, 25 replies
laura48798 katie93427
Posted
Katie,
I feel your pain as I suffer exactly the same as you, I could have written your concerns myself!!
I have had head pain on and off since October and doctors have said it's my sinuses but I'm not convinced, I like you am concerned it's a tumour.
I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow so hopefully something will get sorted out x
katie93427 laura48798
Posted
Hi Laura,
I am doing so so much better. I am actually suffering with diverticulitis at the moment which has nearly put me in hospital. I am positive this was caused by my anxiety and stress. I have actually harmed myself worrying I had something wrong with my head.
I've been so preoccupied with my terrible pain my head pains have disappeared.
I was creating the pains. Well the anxiety was. If you can, please try to just let it go, what will be will be and let go of the anxiety about it.
I had 2 doctors check me who said it was tension and they were right.
Take care and let me know if you want to chat. Xxx
laura48798 katie93427
Posted
Hi Katie,
Thank you for your reply.
Can I ask what kind of head pains you had?
I don't get them when bending over or straining etc, they are there all the time. It doesn't effect my sleep but as soon as I wake up I think about it and BAM the pains starts, from the back of my head, above my eyebrows, on my temples and behind my ears, it seems to linger all day.
I've started a new job recently so have been training for 2 weeks so I'm sure the stress of that hasn't helped, I too suffer with health anxiety so every pain I get is automatically something serious!!!!
I am trying to avoid pills as they can cause rebound headaches. I don't suffer with nausea very often, but I do sometimes get a lightheaded feeling occasionally???
katie93427 laura48798
Posted
I had intermittent split second pains over one side of my head. It could happen up to 20 times a day. Mild pains, top of head around eye and temple. Not near the back of my head.
My doctor would say yours are tension. He said mine was referred pain from my painful shoulders.
Can I recommend a book which helped me massively. It's called overcoming health anxiety. £5 on eBay and it was brilliant for me. All cbt based.
What stopped my worries was getting this horrible infection which I may have caused.
Never again will I worry about something that isn't fact.
Go with an open mind tomorrow, and not focus on the symptoms. Think of the bigger picture. If you've been having pains since October and it was a tumour, you'd be in a terrible way by now.
Take care xxxx
laura48798 katie93427
Posted
Mine I'm sure is stress/tension related. I saw a chiropractor a couple of weeks ago and she said I was very tight in my shoulders and neck which could also be a cause but I'm still convinced it's a tumour and the more I think about it the worse it feels. I listen to a headache hypnosis video every night and it helps me relax and drift off to sleep and for 6-8 hrs I'm pain free until I wake up and think about it again. I also have found that I clench my jaw without realising which could also be a problem. Fingers crossed it's just tension.
I'm also going to get acupuncture as I've heard it can really help x
katie93427 laura48798
Posted
It really does sound like tension Laura. If you're tense it takes awhile to go away once you stop worrying. Your muscles hold tension very well so the best thing to do is relax. Easier said than done I know! Your brain is a very powerful thing and if you tell yourself you must have a tumour, your brain creates the symptoms of one.
It's a horrible thing I suffered for so long. But at least if the dr clears you, you can try and move on.
laura48798 katie93427
Posted
That's all I want is peace of mind and if I can get that I'm sure I will be able to move on and sort myself out.
If I had a tumour I'm sure my symptoms would be getting worse and I'd have more of them x
laura48798 katie93427
Posted
Hi Katie
Doctor said it's 'tension headache'
After listening to my symptoms, she has advised me to take paracetamol and ibuprofen and plenty of rest and water. She said none of my symptoms lead her to believe it's a tumour, phew!!!
She also advised to have another massage to relief and tension in shoulders and neck
katie93427 laura48798
Posted
Hi Laura,
See! Get a massage, lots of water maybe try magnesium supplements and I'm sure it'll pass.
So happy for you
x
laura48798 katie93427
Posted
I hope so, today was particularly nasty so I'm glad I saw my GP as back to work tomorrow and I don't think I could cope with it at work
Trying to get a masssge for this week x