Specific headache after ablation

[NewOne2023]

How common is a headache during recovery from the ablation?I had a cryoablation 10 days ago and for the last few days I have a strange occasional short headaches mostly in the left temple. It's like a short second or two pain and then it goes away. I did read that headaches are known to happen during the recovery (due to needed transeptal puncture) but I'm curious about this kind of localized short pains.

It's like a short stab but not too much painful. On a scale 1-10 its a 4 maybe. It comes and goes. Sometimes few hours passes before next one. And sometimes it sticks for few minutes but then much less painful, but it's always localized in left temple.

I'm a bit worried but I also think it could have some connection to my bad neck health for a few years now. And all this laying in the couch and in the bed for the last 10 days probably are not doing any good to my neck. Any expirience somebody?

[CDreamer]

Hi - more usual after ablation are migraine like auras which often take people by surprise.

Posture could be the cause - do you stretch? I find lying around too much wrecks my neck and I end up with very tense muscles across my head which cause pain if I suddenly move in the wrong way.

If you are worried then please get it checked out.

[NewOne2023 in reply to CDreamer]

Yes I do try to stretch throughout the day but I don't think it does much difference when the rest of time I'm either sitting in the couch or laying. I already have some wear in my neck disks from years ago. But this strange headache got me thinking about the real cause. I just woke up now and this morning it's not an occasional stab but rather constant light pain in my left temple.

Maybe it is really caused by my stiff neck during sleeping or something. I hope it resolves soon and I hope it's nothing serious (the google hole is full of temporal arteritis articles).

If not I will need to see my GP and I know the way it will go. I will need to wait a long time to see neurologist or even have an MR. My GP is basically a middleman for referals. Nothing else and that really bothers me sometimes. If it involves anything beyond a cough, she bounces the ball further down the line.

[MalcolmCClark]

HiI had a cryoablation in Dec 2022 and was sensitive to everything that I was feeling. I'm not going to say that your cryoablation is or is not the cause but I also have neck issues and I do suffer with similar headaches. I thought it was something to do with the borehole surgery drilled in my head above my left temple to reduce pressure from a bleed on the brain. To check this out I've had an mri scan and nothing sinister found. However I do now think my issues are neck related and waiting on nerve block treatment. In the short term I do see a brilliant osteopath who has worked wonders on my neck with manipulation and traction.

What I am alluding to is that you can take positive steps yourself and maybe seeing an osteopath or physiotherapist to see if they can help with your neck issues which may in turn help with your headaches.

The thing is you won't know unless you try different things. I also have been prescribed the stronger co-codomol and a combination of these treatments does give me relief.

Note of warning about co-codomol as it can also cause headaches.

Waiting to see a neurologist can take many months which means you are suffering for quite a long time.

Seeing an osteopath in most cases will have to be done privately and I know that not everyone has the means but for me does help.

No matter what happens or what direction you take, I wish you well and hope you find relief.

[Madscientist16]

I experiences migraine with aura every other day for three weeks after my ablation. No headache pain but the aura was quite a unique experience and from my understanding quite common. Perhaps your headaches are a related experience.