Head pain
Posted , 8 users are following.
I am a PMR patient, but have an associated query for the forum buffs.
Three weeks ago I knocked my head on a metal bar on my carport. About a week ago I realised the area of the knock was really painful - and getting more so by the day. It has been accompanied by a constant, severe headache on the side of the knock. Yesterday I saw a GP and she said it was likely to be concussion, shone a torch in my eyes, said no swelling there and the pain would wear off. No painkiller will alleviate the pain, which is so intense it wakes me at night.
I am wondering if the pain is actually a manifestation of the PMR, since no medication will help it, and whether (woe, woe) increasing my Pred dose would help. Headaches have always been an issue for me and when the PMR flares, it's my neck and head that bears the brunt of pain. For four years I have been struggling with my Pred reduction and am on 7 1/2mgs and loathe the thought of upping the dose. But do esteemed forum members think I should?
0 likes, 6 replies
BettyE heather39822
Posted
An electrician friend had a similar experience and put his ongoing headache down to occupational hazzard, climbing about in lofts and crashing his head on a beam.
After all sorts of tests, including a liver biopsy for some reason, he was finally diagnosed with GCA and successfully treated. He did not have PMR. Don't know whether the physical damage might have caused a clot which in turn affected the artery. Might be worth an ask, perhaps.
EileenH heather39822
Posted
WHERE is the site of the knock?
Personally, I think your GP is being dismissive and at the very least you should have been sent for a head x-ray. Looking up concussion it says clearly in the Mayo Clinic article that if symptoms get worse after a head trauma (weeks later as well) you should seek emergency care.
So - if the pain is increasing and the headache getting worse in any way, I would seek the advice of A&E/ED since obviously your GP isn't bothered.
It MUST be borne in mind that as a PMR patient you are at a higher risk for GCA and, as Betty says, it could be possibility. Coincidences do happen.
heather39822 EileenH
Posted
Thanks Betty and Eileen. I agree with you Eileen; I'm quite shocked the GP was so dismissive. Surely the fact that I had a "sit and wait" emergency appointment showed the level of pain and anxiety I am under. But she is not my regular doctor. I am in England visiting my children as I do in the summer. She was obviously miffed that I had sought medical advice here (even though I am registered with the NHS and her surgery) and stressed she could only offer me "emergency" medical attention and anything else would have to be sorted on my return to Zimbabwe next month. I felt so awkward at taking up her time, I didn't think to mention the PMR or the diabetes or the high blood pressure...
As to where the "damage" is located, I have a side parting in my hair and I knocked my head along that parting. It was painful at the time, but nothing like it is now and although I was still at home, it didn't occur to me to go to my doctor.
Not sure what to do now, but thanks as always to the forum that I can share this problem.
EileenH heather39822
Posted
Doesn't sound like GCA that far up - but I still feel the same: if it continues to get worse, A&E. What an unpleasant person...
The trouble is the NHS needs to get its act together. Here you could have gone to any GP and if you didn't have an EHIC card to show (as you don't) they would simply have printed a proforma invoice and said "50 euros please". Or you could have gone to A&E where they would have asked for 15 euros. You have a receipt, you can claim it off your medical insurance. But the NHS thinks it is complicated.
heather39822 EileenH
Posted
Thanks so much to you all. What a lifeline of fellow sufferers you are. Your support and advice is invaluable. Big 😱 From 🤕 ! Will follow your advice.
karenjaninaz heather39822
Posted
Heather, any severe head pain warrants immediate investigation. I see you are trying to guess the cause- . Some ideas : if you are taking any medication- blood thinners- aspirin or supplement- like ginger and others- these can thin the blood and cause an intracranial bleed. A stroke can result. This can happen very slowly. On the other hand the stress of the injury could have ? Possibly? Triggered gca.
i suggest A&E.