Head pains?: Previous I have suffered from kind of... - Ataxia UK

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Head pains?

ww-wibblywobbly profile image
9 Replies

Previous I have suffered from kind of oval plaques of pain on my head, which my neurologist said was caused by my neck and the physiotherapist then sorted for me.

For the last few weeks I've been suffering from pains on my cranium, oval areas sort of on the outside of my skull. The areas keep changing their places - just enough to make me think I'm going crazy - but I'm not they're really there!!

I'm wondering if anyone else has these sort of pains, and if so have you found a way to relieve them or even know what is causing them?

Thanks very much for any replies.

I'm really getting fed up of these pains now ;/

Love Alison xx

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ww-wibblywobbly profile image
ww-wibblywobbly
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9 Replies
Cubsfan profile image
Cubsfan

Hi wibblywobbly

I also have suffered from mild headaches recently. I have no history of headaches. I have suffered from ataxia for the past 5 years, I’m 59 years old. My headaches started a few months ago. They are dull not painful just annoying. They may last 1 - 5 hours. I can get them 1-5 times a week. I recently had a tele chat with my primary care physician and she said to try 500mgs of Tylenol at onset. I haven’t done that yet. She also said they may be due to dehydration, which in my case is a very real possibility. I am now going to try to drink more fluids. I will also take Tylenol if that isn’t effective. I hope one of these solutions works for me and I wish you success in your problem. Check with your physician and see what they say. There are many possible causes and remedies based on your individual circumstances.

All the Best!!!

ww-wibblywobbly profile image
ww-wibblywobbly in reply toCubsfan

Hi,

I hope you get your headaches sorted.

I really don't think mine are due to dehydration as I drink loads of water every day.

These aren't what I would call headaches as they are definitely on the outside of my head. From some research on the web I see that they can be caused by a nerve that is right where your neck joins your skull, or alternatively a type of migraine.

What does the medication Tylenol do? I can't take any antiinflammatories or anything with paracetamol as I have allergies to them both now, so I don't know if I could have Tylenol??

Thanks very much

Xxx

MaryRH profile image
MaryRH

Hi there, can you explain what you mean by ‘oval plaque’? How did you physio help? Thanks

ww-wibblywobbly profile image
ww-wibblywobbly in reply toMaryRH

Hi

When I had the oval plaque, the pain was very definitely in one place in the sensation of an oval shape on the outside of my skull. If you were to have this then you would understand as it is quite strange but very definite. The neurologist said, oh yes that's extremely painful!

The physio spent a long time massaging and manipulating my neck and then the pain went.

I try to always tell the physio of all my various pains etc now, as I hadn't told him about the oval shape until the neurologist told me to.

Do you think you have these oval plaques?

Take care and stay safe

Love Alison xx

MaryRH profile image
MaryRH in reply toww-wibblywobbly

How strange! No, I don’t think so in my case. I am prone to headaches though, and migraines if I’m not careful. I’ve always had tension headaches but I didn’t realise things had got worse until my mum pointed out I was getting recurrent migraines, not headaches (and she was right). I kept a headache diary for a bit so I’d have something tangible to go to my GP with and in doing so realised they were often localised, in the same place, and I’d get pain warnings of a migraine attack. I realised then I had more control than I thought but I have to be disciples about listening to the warnings. I stretch every day and throughout the day (neck, scapula, lower back and glutes, otherwise the muscle spasms just affect higher up) and I don’t exercise, only stretch gently if I have a headache (to avoid spasms). I’ve had help from a physio in knowing how to stretch (the most beneficial being when I was taught to specifically work on forward head posture). I also take ibuprofen early on, in my case it’s much more effective than paracetamol (I guess because it’s anti inflammatory). The usual diet triggers are also a factor in my case (too much sugar etc) and tiredness.

Sympathy, I think some don’t realise how debilitating headaches and migraine can be. I remember my mum being surprised I had to get my husband home to look after the kids one day because I couldn’t move (let alone climb stairs) without going faint from the thumping and wanting to vomit. And it’s so individual with so many factors. I hope you get to the bottom of it.

Hope you manage the new lockdown ok. UK to follow suit :)

X

penelope2 profile image
penelope2

Hi ww-wibblywobbly

I suffered with migraines for nearly 20 years, they were so painful and debilitating and I would have to go to bed, with vomiting and intense pain usually in the same place. Painkillers did not touch them and I had to take a trip tan, if it was not thrown up, but probably meds have improved now.

Triggers were many, low blood sugars, alcohol, tiredness, stress and various food triggers. But for me the turning point was taking high dose supplements.

Now I get migraines only a couple of times a year. Headaches are few too.

But most of my adult life I also suffered with IBS.

Having been diagnosed with ataxia now and looking at the bigger picture I am questioning whether gluten sensitivity has been with me all my life so now am gluten free and things are improving slowly with the ataxia symptoms too!

The point I am getting to is this - the professionals ie. doctors and neurologists, in my experience find it hard to look outside the box, to look beyond the norm, it is the way the nhs works and so slowly too.

I have gone on a bit here but we need to question sometimes what they tell us and try and take control of what we think might be happening to us.

I hope you do find out what is going on with your plaques of pain.

Best wishes and take care.

ww-wibblywobbly profile image
ww-wibblywobbly in reply topenelope2

Thanks for your reply.

Could you tell me which supplements you have been taking please.

I currently take vit B12, vit D, mushroom immune enhancer, caltrate (calcium + vit D3), and now apple cider vinegar with black treacle.

I do get actual migraines too. Usually bought on from doing too much, which makes my neck contract and if I don't stop then goes to a migraine. Which I'm then bedridden with and sometimes vomit too.

If the physio works on my neck at the end of every session, this seems to keep them under control.

I totally agree that neurologists and often other drs are too stuck in their box. Though my GP is usually pretty good.

Thanks very much and I look forward to hearing which supplements you take

Take care

Love

Alison

penelope2 profile image
penelope2 in reply toww-wibblywobbly

Hi ww-wibblywobbly

Sorry it has taken so long to reply.

I now take quite a high dose multivitamins and minerals (all of the B vits)

Omega 3

Probiotics

Vitamin D3

And Co Q10

All good quality and well researched.

But I take a break from these sometimes.

So not a lot differece from what I took for migraines apart from the Co Q10. Cannot say from what company as rules.

To my knowledge there is only about 3 suppliers, all online, that supply quality products. You might want to consider talking to a nutritional therapist or naturopath who would advise you.

I also only ate for a month "clean" foods, no sugar in anything no matter how small the amount while balancing my blood sugars.

Which is hard to do so look up how to do this.

And no stimulants, tea and coffee are and also other foods. Basically all home prepared food!! Which was quite hard!! But for me well worth it.

Hope this helps and hope the headaches reduce soon. Good luck and take care. 🙂

ww-wibblywobbly profile image
ww-wibblywobbly in reply topenelope2

Thanks for that.

I see quite a few people take co Q10 on here, so I shall look into that.

All our food is home prepared, and I try to buy the best quality I can afford. Sugar is definitely bad for me. I love sweets but really don't buy them anymore, that way I don't eat them ;)

Take care

Xx.

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