Head pressure, Brain fog, odd head sensation, feeling detached
Posted , 724 users are following.
Hi all,
I decided to become a member and make a post here after reading the forums for quite a while, great site by the way.
I am currently suffering with various symptoms and am in a bad way and just don't know where to turn any more so thought I would post here and see if anyone has any similar experiences or advice.
So first of I am male and 26 years old. I have been suffering with the symptoms in the title pretty consistently for about 2 and a half years now. I used to have some relief from the symptoms for a day or 2 here and there or maybe a bit of relief for a few hours in the day but recently the symptoms are pretty much constant and I cannot shake them.
I have an overall mild pressure feeling in the head, its not painful but is just very aggravating and feels really strange. I also have extreme brain fog with this and like a fuzzy head, there is a constant cloud over my brain and I never have any mental clarity or a clear head. My cognitive function is extremely poor now, my short term memory is non existent, its scarily bad. I often feel, detached from reality when the symptoms are bad and suffer from de-realisation, although I think this may be down to some anxiety and depression I experience when the symptoms run me down. I also get random sharp cramping pains in the head, they are quite painful but do not bother me so much as they only usually last a second or 2, it varies on how many I get of these each day but its usually less than 5. It often feels as though my brain is malfunctioning somehow and my cognitive function and senses are all out of whack, its hard to explain. There can sometimes be a build up of these symptoms throughout the day and by the night I can feel like I somehow how the flu without a fever? Like I have the head pressure, completely foggy headed, I feel super unwell, weak, sometimes even start feeling cold. Also have night sweats usually for about 4 or 5 days each month, there doesnt seem to be any sort of pattern to them that I can notice, so not sure if they are relevant. Another thing I have is ringing in ears which is mild but seems to have gotten worse recently if that sounds relevant at all. The main thing that gets me is the odd head pressure/sensation and the utterly life hindering brain fog, my brain feels like it is coated in a dark blanket constantly.
I do suffer from anxiety, I know many of these symptoms can be caused or made worse by these symptoms. I dont doubt that anxiety is a contributing factor and the way I think about they symptoms probably makes them worse but I have come a long long way with my anxiety, I have good control over it, I haven't had a panic attack in a couple of years, I manage to control most of my concious anxiety and stay in a positive mindset. No doubt I still have some subconscious anxiety underlying and I am working on that but I am not convinced this is the route cause of my symptoms. I am in therapy for my anxiety. I do not feel I will ever fully recover while I have these symptoms hanging over me though.
I have been to the doctor about these symptoms, although I do think I struggle to explain them or put them across very well in the doctors office. I have have blood tests which are all normal. I saw a neurologist couple of years back when this started, had a CT scan which was normal, they put the stabbing pains down to icepick headaches and thought the other symptoms were probably made worse by my anx/depression. Since then I went away and have been on anti depressants etc with no improvement of symptoms. I have also had a few ECGs and a 24hr ECG as I have slow heart rate and low bp so thought maybe the symptoms could be down to low bp and lack of blood to the brain, doctors do not think think this is the case and all my results came back normal. I have recently been back to the neurologist who is referring me for an MRI although he said he is sure there is nothing sinister and thinks the symptoms are probably tension type headaches and made worse by and previous drug use, he only put it down to the drug use when i told him about it though so it seemed like a convenient diagnosis. I forgot to mention I used to take drugs on the weekends socially, cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy on different occasions for a couple of years, I have had periods where I have felt ok since taking these drugs and do not really think they are the cause, I was not an addict this was just one or 2 nights a month at the weekends. So I have an MRI coming up but the neuro thinks it will be clear and obviously I hope it is and I am looking for other answers.
What could be causing these symptoms? Other than anxiety which i no can be a factor, but I have periods where my anxiety is pretty much non existent but these symptoms still build up out of nowhere and persist. I was thinking maybe some sort of allergy could be a possibility, I have tried cutting out gluten and lactose, this didn't seem to make much difference although I didn't stick to this for very long. I actually did a juice fast for 2 weeks with eating nothing other than fruit and veg juice put through a juicer to see if that would help but it didn't really give me any relief. Are there any other stomach issues that could cause this? I never have diarrhoea or constipation, my stools always float recently though, to the point of not being able to flush them, also whenever I have seen chance medicine doctors they check me out and say they think i have issues with digestion, i don't feel i have these issues but do wonder if there might be something in it.
Could there be something going on with the blood vessels in my head? Could it be a spine/posture issue? Some sort of epilepsy or electrical activity in my brain? I just have no idea now and am desperate for some relief. If anyone has any ideas or advice I would really appreciate it.
Oh just to add I am reasonably fit, I try go to the gym a few times a week and I do some weight lifting. I am a normal weight. I have been losing some weight recently which is a concern but I am still in a normal weight range for height and age.
Thanks for reading
56 likes, 1496 replies
susan66081 Recoverandheal
Posted
Hi, I was just reading one of the replies from "betternow" and for me, considering the fact that I recently found out that I have Degenerative Disc Disease in my entire neck ( have had DDD in L spine since 2002) and I can't move my head without my neck popping or cracking, I would be willing to bet that I too have a pinched nerve in my neck!! I'm currently waiting for a Neurosurgeon at Duke Medical Center to call & schedule an appt to have my spinal cord stimulator taken out. My pain mgmt dr thinks the leads may have "migrated" & are pressing on a nerve somewhere. If taking the stimulator out makes it go away, that would be great! If not, then next stop will be chiropractor for pinched nerve in my neck!! I have discovered that I constantly keep my shoulders "up" -- lot of tension on the neck & very stressful situation since 2014 (long long story) but I have to make myself keep my shoulders down, and I massage my neck and when I bend my head down & massage my neck the crappy, horrible feeling in the top of my head is lessened! If only I could keep my head down! Might not hurt to look into this! I've been tested for everything else! I haven't been able to have an MRI because of the spinal cord stimulator but I had a head CT & it wasn't completely normal, but have to wait until I see Neurosugeon to find out exactly what the results mean & if it would cause this nerve issue in my head & the numbness in my face and sides of my head! So, think about the pinched nerve idea....I really think this is the answer I've been looking for!
Hope and pray you find yours because it is a horrible feeling & mine has been going on for almost a year & I'm ready to feel normal again, especially since my son is getting married in a month-- I want to feel good!
My thoughts & prayers are with you and all of you that are dealing with this--I know that if I were told there is no cure, I'd just want to die so keep looking....whether this is the answer for everyone or only some of you...there IS an answer for everyone...don't quit until you find it!!!
Missysf1 susan66081
Posted
Have you looked into thoracic outlet syndrome of the nerves? It often is missed by professionals who have little experience with it. It is rare also, see someone who specializes in nTOS. I've often thought I had this and it makes me think about you because of the neck and shoulder pain. I too hold one shoulder down. There is a lot of great advice online and support groups also.
Hope you feel better soon.
susan66081 Missysf1
Posted
HI, I will definitely look into Thoracic Outlet Syndrome! Thanks to this forum, I've researched many many things it "could" be because my pain mgmt Dr has no idea! I have messaged him via my patient portal about the pinched nerve in my neck--possibly could skip visit to Duke! I have to say, it has helped me so much knowing that I"m not the only one going through this because it's horrible--my family (I live with my daughter & her family) and I get so tired of "pretending" I feel ok then cry when I'm alone for lack of support! No one can truly understand how HORRIBLE this is unless you're going thru it....you can't explain to anyone, even your Dr. how truly devastating it is to your life...if you can even call it "life" because my quality of life has been zero for almost a year now & I used to be very active, socially and physically & all I want to is sit still. I would kill for a week of 7-8 hrs/night of sleep & that just adds to the frustration! I used to be the most patient person in the world, now I have NONE! It doesn't take much to irritate me! So I am truly hoping that pinched nerve in my neck is the answer or the spinal cord stimulator pressing on a nerve! My head CT results (I'm adding this in case anyone else has had a CT with these or similar results!) say "dilated lateral ventricles; enlarged disproportionate to Sulci (?) and 3rd &4th ventricles concern for hydrocephalus . Consider MRI w/without contrast for further evaluation" end So if anyone can interpret these results for me lol feel free! I would love to know what it actually means! Hydrocephalus is water on the brain that is the only part I understand! And, I will also look into TOS ! Thank you for your response!
Have you found the answer to yours Missy? If so, I'm glad for your! If not, I will continue to pray for you & everyone on this forum suffering from whatever "this" is !
Thank you again for your response & suggestion! I will let you know what I think after I look it up!!!
ana85762 Recoverandheal
Posted
hello any updates from the author?? did anyone find anything that helps ??
dvdm08 Recoverandheal
Posted
I have the same symptoms and was wondering if people already have an answer. I have an early menopause, hormonal problems due to the use of hormones. I keep telling my dr. that I have neurological problems and I think hormones are the blame, that they are not well balanced. It is getting worser and worser. Tingling sensations neck, brain pressure, no memory at all, migraines, light/sound sensitive, tinnitus attacks, nervousness, derealisation, feeling unreal, blurry vision with flashing lights and the list goes on..... I find it so frustrating that the whole internet consist of stories like ours and that dr. won't listen and keep saying it is anxiety. I get more anxiety because my life is ruined because all of this.
ana85762 dvdm08
Posted
dvdm08 ....how I relate to your symptoms. it is really bad for me. since when do you have it ??
julia5400 dvdm08
Posted
Wow......I see an awful lot of people on here with that variety of symptoms you would think they would have some neurology answers for all of us. For me, I am just using the coping strategies that I have come across from others and my doctors. The more times that my brain has to take something in the more likely it is that it will "record" it to a point that I will remember it. So, I will watch a teaching video, watch it again and take notes, then type those notes into my computer and then the night before I have to teach it I will watch the video again and be reading my notes OUT LOUD so that my auditory senses are assisting in my brain recording it.
Then the only other problem I run into is the day of teaching I occasionally cannot formulate the words that I see on the paper....I can hear them in my head but as I tell my students......"hamster is not making full circle" and someone will step in for that minute or two and handle the discussion.
It is frustrating but I am now trying to stay focused on the lesson not the suffering. The migraines are minimal at this point within 1 hour of taking medication....but it makes me sleepy. So, I have to fight that off.
I am sorry for your frustrations and if anyone has other coping strategies I would love to hear them.
Better.now Recoverandheal
Edited
I was diagnosed with Vestibular Migraines yesterday it be something to look into I am only three days into treatment and am feeling so much better!
sthompson32 Better.now
Posted
What is the treatment? What kind of doctor did you see that diagnosed you? Thanks in advance!
Better.now sthompson32
Posted
nortriptylene or amatriptylene wither or at a low dosage to manage the headaches it was my primary doctor that found the connection and my neurologist that gave me the final diagnosis there is also physical therapy and occupational therapy that helps
BeanKing Recoverandheal
Posted
Great news! NO MORE FOG! I am clear, focused, & for the most part can concentrate well. There’s still issues with concentration and focus, but only during times of high stress and when there are many time sensitive business duties on my plate. The pressure and loss of focus impacts the speed at which I complete things and my thought processes slow until I can’t find th4 proper word or I lose mytrain of thought in the middle of what I’m trying to relay. I return to treatment, though, and that goes away for days. The length of time it goes away lengthens each treatment. I’m good for 2 weeks mosty.
I found the type of medical field and after 2.5 years, the fog has lifted and my life has changed nearly back to normal. After 44 visits to regular chiro who “specializes” in chronic pain from rear-end MVA’s, no reduction, no changes in my symptoms, remained. Maybe for half a day, but NUCCA is permanent.
NUCCA, National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association type of chiro work has given me my life back. This type of chiropractor is a rare find. A friend who saw my 1 post I used all my strength to write, was replied to by a close friend. He lead me to read www.nucca.org and after 2 sentences, I knew I needed to find a top level NUCCA Dr. in this field as fast as I could.
There are chiros who are not NUCCA certified and some who are, but they are lower level practitioners. I’ve been to 5 drs and the level makes a big difference. I only go to Dr. Lila.
I was very fortunate to have found help from a great Dr. in San Francisco. Dr. Lila Reedy Baker of Connection Chiropractic. http://www.connectionchiropractic.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/connection-chiropractic-san-francisco
I hope this post helps everyone here. If we have the same or similar symptoms that our language has words to describe, give NUCCA a chance. The injury you sustained that mahy not have been a MVA, but may have been the incident that revealed issues NUCCA resolves.
There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about those of you in this forum.
All the best, hugs to you all! XOXO
Guest BeanKing
Posted
Hey! You dont understand how happy i am, even for a stranger, that you feel better... I know how debiltating brain fog is as i still strongly suffer every day but to hear you are better really not only gives me personal hope, but makes me happy. No one should have to suffer like this.
I found it a little hard to digest your post, however, and so i was wondering if you could help me with what fixed it, and how maybe i could go about doing so?
I saw the mention of injury i believe, i had quite an accident when i was younger, i will paste it here; When I was 10(ish) I went down my road on my bike at a fast speed with a big log resting in my hands as they were on the handle bars, when the left side of the log hit into the bush and caused me to fall over the bike and on my face. I still have a bruise on my forehead to this day.
Do you think this could be a cause to consider, perhaps?
Thank you in advance, i prey you continue to stay in good health 😃
sharon33624 BeanKing
Posted
I had heard of NUCCA. I have O/N Occiminal NeuralgiaI heard about it from researching someone who can help me with O/N & wanted to find someone who does it. I still haven't so i'll check out the links above. i had fallen down steps, hit my head and back bad. Being 62 didn't help. I went for MRI I went for x rays, i went in the er 2 times with bad excruciating headaches where i was holding my head by my ear and neck. The pain would shoot up to the top of my head. Zaps of electrical shocks in my head, loud ringing in my ears, black floaters in my right eye & almost like liquid in the other eye. I see waves. I have weird feeling like floating when i lay down.. Dizzy, lightheaded. Shoulders, arms & hand hurt My whole back is so bad that the nerves freak out, so bad i could scream and i have from the pain. Nerve pain is horrible. I'd rather have a broken bone or have my kids naturally again. that was a walk in the park compared to this I feel like i can't walk When i start to get up the spasms start & my legs buckleThe worse is getting out of bed. so scared i won't be able to walk.I have pain from the fall then after all the doctors hit me up. I had gone to a chiro who deals with O/N but he did a couple cracks that too me out of the ball park. Symptoms from this do not show up on any tests. It did show i have a broken blood vessel in my brain but nothing else even tho i knew something more was going on. I get pain on the top of my head, can feel hot, i get zaps of light & my vision has gone done hill My hearing has changed, certain things are soooo loud & hurt, When people talk i have to tell them to talk lower. My neck cracks & i hear crunchy sounds it feels like it's going to fall off, i can hear my heartbeat so loud pounding when i am having a flare which i am having more & more of. I pray sometimes to die. They call it the suicide diseaseNot many have heard of this. I never did even at t my age I check out the people with headaches now because i would always look up migraines. I want to see if they have other symptoms like mine. If the do i tell them about this O/N thing. I haven't been social in over 2 years. My eyes are always red from not sleeping, my teeth & jaw hurt. I feel like my sinuses are clogged, Hard to eat and my throat feels like it's closing at times, it usually goes away in the later part of the day but sometimes it's all day, I feel like my head is connected to a rubber band & it feels like it's stretched as far as it can before it snaps. Weird brain thoughts. . I really thought i was out of my mind and didn't want to live till i found out what it is. When you go for test after test and. they find nothing, you go to the hospital ( I only went to a hospital when i was 6 when i got hit by a baseball bat to the head...figures. so when people say they feel like they got hit by a bat i know the true feeling of that and in my 30's to have kids.) I thought the hospital so you go to the er. and they send you home saying stress, then you have procedures like shots & radio frequency & they make you worse ya don't know what to do. Then i found out about O/N on my own but researching and bam i wasn't so all alone. There is even a site on facebook with people like me. You can read their stories, anyone with headaches should. I hope you find the problem but more i hope u find a cure. But anyone on here with any of these problems check out O/N Most don't or never heard of it. There is also T/N where you get a lot of pain in your face, your hair, your teeth. Oh and even moving my eyebrows is hard because you never realize how many nerves in your neck do things on your faceLook it up it might help some of you with headaches.
Guest Recoverandheal
Posted
I know this is a long-shot... But i'm really hoping someone is able to help me. I like making things as simple as i can for people that are willing to help, and so i am going to attempt to do that now. If you want any additional information of any kind, you can ask for it, or i will edit this original reply to include the information if i feel that it has universal importance.
So.. I am <25, Am English and have been suffering with a head problem followed by physical symptoms for a very long time.. So long infact that i dont remember when it started, and it feels like.. normal now, but i am self aware enough to realise its not, and everyone that has brain fog can relate to me and what i am trying to portray.
My problem is a little more spiders-web in terms of range of symptoms, i would first like to list some to see if someone can relate it to their problem, or find a diagnosis i have missed;
1)Tinnitius (Ringing in the ears, it seems almost constant these days)
2)Feeling of weakness, it feels like there are weights on each body-part and it feels like a real chore to move, i think this could be related to demotivation.
3)Mental confusion, a lot of it... I can look at something, understand it, but not really understand it.. If that makes sense.
Randomhead tightness that comes on for no apparant reason
A feeling of numbness and blockage in my head, my way of describing it is that i feel like i have to do an obstackle course every time i want to access my brain for information or otherwise.
I get sensitive to smells, it seems like my brain shuts off when i smell something, even if i expect it from walking out or in the room previously?
Numbness and derealisation
I get pain in my belly as if im starving after eating? And i **cant tell when im hungry or thirsty **neither.
I actually get many, many symptoms but they are rather not as frequent as the ones listed above, and are the ones that bother me in most. I also seem irritated and itchy for no reason sometimes. The full list of symptoms are here:
•Inability to understand normally when I am hungry.
•Inability to understand normally when I am thirsty.
•Mental confusion.
•Pressure on my head.
•Headaches.
•Nausea.
•A feeling of sickness.
•A sense of numbness.
•A sense of over-used adrenaline?
•Excess Energy.
•Demotivated for the most part.
•Lack of comprehension.
•Eye fuzzes.
•Ringing in the ear.
•A feeling of a blocked brain (foggy).
•Hurts to get up and move around.
•A feeling of weakness.
•Forgetfulness
•Belly aches (pain in belly)
•A sense of starvation in the belly after eating.
•A sense of warped reality
•Paranoia
•“Brain Pain” on right side of head.
•Random spots in eyes during confusion.
•Loss of visual focus
•Jaw problems
•Temples seem to go numb after eating (I don’t believe this is due to chewing, as it happens even with light foods)
•Blocked ears (Mainly right, and for a longer duration)
NOTE: Not all of these symptoms are continuous. For example, my ears don’t always ring, but it is regular enough to include. The same applies for the other symptoms listed here.
I have tried somethings, but i dont want to rule them out, or mention that i have, to see peoples full recommendations, i am slowly becoming more helpless.. I have so many dreams and things i want to do everyday and normally my head is too bad or i feel too physical ill to do them.. it really depresses me..
Thank you for any help anyone is able to give, please make your reply as digestable as possible.. I appreciate your help but i cant comprehend unformatted or unstructured work very well, if you still want to contribute but cant or dont know how to do that, you still can, though, its just preferred...
Thank you all so much!
Guest
Posted
I just experienced and am experiencing something very interesting right now, i think this could suggest i have a deficiency in something, first, a bit of introductory background; I have eaten shortbread, and am now eating cod and chips, before this, i also had a packet of ready salted crisps and a yogurt. I have had plenty of water today.
I wrote this down to describe my current experience;
*Im getting so irritated.. Like I was when I didn’t eat before
I am experiencing a feeling of shivering right inside of my bones.. I am irritated.. I want to cry but im not upset… Im getting sensitive to everything, my heart is not beating normal… I have a feeling like I want to compress, I’m shaking in a more internal way*
What does anyone think of this?
b659540 Guest
Posted
Hi Dmoore, your symptoms are exactly like mine used to be. About two years ago I found out I was b6 toxic after 15 plus years of suffering with no answers from doctors. Most of my life was lost to this illness. I had so many test done, but nothing was found. I thought I might be deficient in some vitamin or mineral, so I went and got a vitamin panel test done. I was shocked when the results came back. I wasn't deficient, I was toxic with b6. My level was pushing 300 on a normal scale of 2 - 22 Every symptom you are describing is b6 toxicity. I am still healing after two years of rehydrating and following a rda to low b6 diet. I feel so much better now, but I'm still recovering from all the damage the b6 caused. I Truly hope I can help someone with this information because I know how bad the pain and suffering is from this. The facebook group that helped me in my recovery is call, Healing b6 toxicity w/Western research. Wish everyone the best!
Guest b659540
Posted
Hey b659...,
Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention, if you could, i'd love to talk to you further about this. I am honestly very happy to hear you are recovering from this!
If you are willing, please PM me so we can speak more in depth, start the PM with this message so that it isn't lost. Thank you so much! I look forward to hearing from you.