Aching discomfort and pain

[Emu567]

hi,

I’m a 26 year old student from wales . I have had aching discomfort and pain in my scalp for the past 3 months . This has given me depression and lack of motivation . Whenever I do something that would previously give me satisfaction i feel this achy discomfort in my scalp instead . For that reason I have stopped doing anything at all as I just feel discomfort and an uncomfortable achy feeling instead . Please help this has destroyed my quality of life and made me drink to try and feel pleasure

[Emu567]

I tried washing up today and I felt this awful aching and burning sensation in my scalp and I couldn’t carry on it was so unpleasant and uncomfortable

[Bananas5 in reply to Emu567]

Have you seen your GP? It could be caused by anziety or worry

x

[Emu567 in reply to Bananas5]

Hi yes I saw my gp and they prescribed me amitryptilline as they thought it was nerve pain . However the amitryptilline does nothing for it. It’s a horrible aching burning sensation . Because of this I haven’t been able to feel pleasure from massage and no longer have sex as I can’t enjoy it - I can’t feel pleasure from sex. I also have no sex drive

[Judo1010 in reply to Emu567]

Could be barking up the wrong tree, but have you had a blood test checking you prolactin. Lack of sex drive is one of the effects of high prolactin, I suffer with a prolactinoma as it’s called, had it over 20 odd years. May not be but it’s worth a try, but my symptoms where not far from your own. But ask for a prolactin blood test as a normal blood test doesn’t show.

[Bananas5]

OK. Leaving out the sex for now....how long have you been taking amitriptyline? And what strength

x

[Emu567]

I’ve been taking 10 mg amitryptilline for about a month

[Bananas5]

10 mg of amitriptyline is the minimum dose, pain relief might take up to 75mg

VERY important to ONLY gradually increase in 10mg increments but this musd be discussed with your GP

You have posted this question before and my advice is go back to your GP. We can not make a diagnosis.

Good Luck and sure it will get sorted

x

[Batty1]

Have you had allergy testing to see if and allergic reaction to something your eating , using or some medication could be causing this? Doctors like to go right to antidepressants medication before they even try to find the cause … awful.

[rabbits65]

I feel very sorry for you , ask to be referred to a specialist , someone out there must have answers that your desperately looking for.

[Emu567]

Hi the discomfort has intensified this evening it’s so horrible and distressing - very frustrating for me too . I’m having an mri scan so hopefully that will get to the bottom of this unbearable pain

[Emu567]

I’m not too bothered about the lack of sexual pleasure or sex drive it’s just the daily discomfort

[Konagirl60]

I’d see a dermatologist ASAP.Is it the actual a scalp tissue or inside your brain.?

[Emu567]

I’m not sure if it’s in my scalp or brain - it just feels achy and horrible and when I try and massage my scalp it feels numb

[Emu567]

Sorry to keep complaining it’s such a horrible achy itchy pain and it stops me from sleeping and severely affects my quality of life

[Emu567]

My jaw has also been aching too , as well as my cheek. I am in constant discomfort

[Emu567]

It actually makes me drink alcohol - the stress of having this unbearable discomfort in my head and scalp makes me want to drink to drown out the pain - and make me care less

[Bananas5 in reply to Emu567]

Sounds an easy solution but be aware...alcohol and pain meds don't mis. Alcohol defeats any benefit you may get from meds.

Please accept this advice from someone who has seen the effects.

x

[strongmouse]

Hi, It can be difficult for doctors to pinpoint cause of pain. The type of pain, where and when it occurs - or gets worse - are important for you to note.

There are some great suggestions from above. If you are having an MRI then it sounds like your doctor is taking your concerns seriously.

Itching, aching, pain, scalp, moving arms to wash up, neck and jaw affected too. Could be to do with muscles or neck pain? Have you had a dental check up as they are good with pain in neck and jaw? Worth having a dental check up if only to rule out any causes from there.

Keep a note of when pain is worse ie. after doing certain activities and the type of pain.

Pain can end up being felt away from where the cause is.

[Emu567]

Thank you for all the advice I appreciate the help! It’s the psychological distress that the pain causes me - the feelings of anger, powerlessness and depression . I somehow feel this has been inflicted on me and I know this thought doesn’t help

[Emu567]

It affects my motivation too- I cant be bothered to get out of bed or do anything because nothing I do gives me any reward- just a dull achy feeling of discomfort all the time. It’s a horrible thing to have to live with

[Hidden in reply to Emu567]

No itching, just pain?

[Emu567]

Itching and pain - like a dull ache and terrible feeling like something is stuck in my scalp all the time

[Emu567]

It’s very depressing and I feel so demotivated - the things that used to motivate me make me numb

[Emu567]

I also feel completely numb and empty all the time - it’s a terrible feeling I wasn’t like this last year

[Emu567]

It’s all I can think about - it’s a constant low level burning pain that causes me dissatisfaction and depression . I cant do anything either - I’m so unhappy with the pain I need relief

[Emu567]

It started of on my left side and now it’s moved to the right side of my head - I now feel the burning and itchy pain on both sides of my scalp and head - it’s so uncomfortable and means I can never relax I’m constantly on edge. It’s been really bad for my mental health which was already bad

[FolkSing]

It sounds like it could be scalp dysesthesia, which is a type of neuropathic pain. The initial treatment would be an antidepressant but you do have to give it some time to work. If that’s what your GP is thinking, you should ask to be referred to a pain specialist or pain management clinic. (I suffer from a different type of dysesthesia /neuropathic pain, which is triggered by the touch of different types of clothing, now affecting my feet which is becoming very difficult.)

[Emu567]

Hi thanks for the advice - I find that whenever someone touches me or hugs me the ache and pain gets worse - this means it is impossible for me to be in a relationship as it causes me physical pain to be intimate . Because of this I haven’t had a boyfriend in over a year and have basically given up on sex. It is very uncomfortable and unpleasant . I will ring my gp tomorrow and see if I can get a referral to a pain clinic

[Emu567]

I had a conversation with my grandmother today and I felt the aching burning discomfort as I talked to her - it was incredibly uncomfortable and distressing . Talking to someone who I was so close to causing me pain . I feel so gloomy and sad that I can’t even feel pleasure from talking to family or friends