Head Pains

[Pusph]

Hi, today am experiencing intermittent dull head pain on right hand side at top of head and down towards behind of ear. Not excruciating by any means and (touch wood) no jaw pain etc but it's new and obviously worried re GCA! Any ideas/advice/similar experiences please. I've just (last Weds) reduced from 9mg to 8mg Prednisolone.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Could be the reduction, and we always think the worst, but do monitor things, and obviously if pains intensify or spread then you need to rethink.

Have you tried ordinary painkillers to see if they help - if it is steroid withdrawal rather than anything else more significant?

[Pusph in reply to DorsetLady]

No I haven't tried painkillers yet as quite honestly it's not bad really, just new and out of the blue and I'm a worrier! I'll try some paracetamol and see. It's in one place and comes every few minutes. If paracetamol works does that mean it's likely withdrawal symptoms? Thanks.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Pusph]

If paracetamol helps then it’s unlikely to be GCA - which is what you are obviously worried about…. and it can help with some withdrawal symptoms - but it helps with other things as well, so not quite cut and dried as that. One step at a time though….

[Pusph in reply to DorsetLady]

Took paracetamol at 2.30. So far it's not done anything.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Pusph]

Okay -maybe see how it is tomorrow-and if no better back up to 9mg…. Or if really concerned an extra 1mg later today…

If you are getting stressed about it - best to do something.

[Pusph in reply to DorsetLady]

OK, thanks, will see how it goes. Also had bit of a nosebleed too, but nothing much.

[Ridge]

A long time ago I had those symptoms. Shooting pains behind my right ear, on the boney bit. They became quite sharp and more persistent. It was in the days when one could see a GP straight away. He said an inner ear infection and put me on antibiotics straight away. This stopped the pains. When it happened again four years ago exactly the same I thought it was another infection. The GP gave me antibiotics but this time they had no effect. The shooting pain got worse over a few days and spread to behind my eye. This was later diagnosed as GCA. It was three months before I got the proper diagnosis. I know now I was lucky it didn’t affect my eye sight but at the time I had never heard of PMRGCA.

I think, if possible you should see your GP straight away. BTW when the GP looked down my ear he said it was red and inflamed. But the antibiotics made no difference and the pains increased quickly.

[AliDeJ]

Hello. Do be on your guard. My GCA pain is focused at the back of my head , behind my ear and at my crown on one side. When it first started, 7 years ago, it was neglected and undiagnosed and spread all over my head. My scalp felt burnt and super sensitive. I was a modern languages teacher, and I noticed that my tongue was stiff and talking made my jaw tired.

[Pusph in reply to AliDeJ]

The pain was more on my crown and one side filtering outwards like that, but (touch wood) has now gone so hoping it was nothing to do with PMR/GCA - maybe neuralgia or something!? However, I'm going to get an eye exam appointment as soon as I can with the dilation like I had last year. I've also got a telephone appointment with GP on Wed and will run it past him although won't hold out much hope there (his tapering regime before when I had to increase to 10mg was 10mg/7.5mg/5mg)! Thank you for all the advice everyone.

[jls93]

Beyond what has been stated and of a less "serious" causation, insidious onset .....

have you have reviewed pain patterns associated with cervical / neck musculature ie. SCM ( sternocleidomastoid) or splenius capitus? etc

possible causes:

?postural, computer use, sleep positioning (bed, sofa, chair), reading position, progressive lenses, vision/ prescription changes.

best and blessings to you. pursue your health..

please keep us posted

sincerely

Jeff