Head pressure is ruining my life

@robin76
I am so sorry you can’t get relief. Doctors like to blame many things on anxiety. I have the same symptoms as you along with balance problems. I do have a meningioma near my cerebellum but doctors also say my symptoms are from anxiety. Hope you can get some answers.

I can relate to all as I have Trigeminal Nerve Pain which then caused Hypnic Headaches…Hypnic Headaches only occur when you are sleeping. I am doing the Botox thing and have had three rounds. It’s not totally effective. However, thru my own research I have found a good nerve pain treatment called the Scrambler Technique thru the Mayo Clinic.. Additionally I have found a small clinic in Clifton, N.J. that does the nerve pain treatment. Non -invasive and doesn’t hurt…and is 90% effective. Unfortunately, my head pain is doing me in. Just took 40mg of Prednisone and it’s barely working. And now read about the Central Sensitization. I will do more research about the concept and the doctor. I used to be a gym rat and worked out all the time. I’ve stopped working out because of the headaches and think there may be a direct link to not working out!! For nerve pain, the clinic in New Jersey is http://www.calmaretherapynj.com

Hi @ellesea01, what did you find most interesting?

Any advice please would be greatly appreciated. 49 year old male with severe head pressure / burning sensation in head. Tinnitus, dizziness, left side of face goes numb, insomnia. Ref to neurologist but told told my GP I have to take Propanolol 3 x a day. That is not a solution for severe head pressure. I’ve been to hospital many times and they say take painkillers blah blah. GP says it’s anxiety bla blah. It’s ruined my life. Can’t do anything.

@robin76 We found a solution to our 17 yo daughter's excruciating pulsing head pressure and loud tinnitus. Sharing in case it may help.

Background: She has Ehler Danlos and everything started when she caught Long COVID last yr. Weak connective tissue on her neck from eds, aggravated by viral inflammation and a 2 mo steroid prescription led her to feel like her head was too heavy for her neck. Diagnosed with atlantoaxial instability and mild craniocervical instability, and something called a craniocervical pannus. It's a callus that forms when the disks at the top of your spine are bumping into your brain stem because your neck ligaments are weak. If you have any base if skull pain, you may look into CCI and aai. This callus narrows the spinal canal at the base of the skull and can cause serious vascular problems ...

Symptoms / problem: please look into rcvs. Reversible cerebral vadoconstricting syndrome, and relatedly a condition called PRES. I'm the last decade they're discovering that the veins (particularly in brain, but also peripherally) can fall into a pattern of repetitive constrictions. Vasospasms. Can lead to cranialvascular hypertension (with the pressure she could literally feel the pulsing on her temple ... Would vibrate your hand to touch her temple). This can lead to thunderclap headaches and in worst cases to neurological damage. People most susceptible to rcvs have dysautonomia and vascular / endothelial problems.

Our solution: I'm not a medical doctor, but have a PhD, so when my daughter was in the worst pain I've ever seen anyone in and at times we feared for her life (and ERs did nothing, just sent a psychologist ...), I read every medical paper. Her neurologist also wondered if it could be rcvs, but had no experience and couldn't help. We got rid of the pressure, pulsing and tinnitus by removing all triggers that can cause rcvs or vasoconstrictions, and introducing supplements that are vasodialating or gently reducing inflammation. Daughter also does take 10 mg propranolol in the evening, which helps calm and heal her veins overnight. Get rid of nsaids, SSRIs, triptans, opioids, stimulants like coffee / green tea. Some acne meds are vasoconstricting. CBD products and creams are vasoconstricting and can cause pulsing cranial pressure. Look for a full list of Rcvs triggers. We even had to remove mint tea from her diet. Nsaids are a key trigger. That Ibpuorofen they'll give u in the hospt when they think you have a migraine is big trigger for vasoconstrictions.

Introduce beet root pills (they boost nitric oxide, good for veins), use feverfew or Tylenol if u must take something for head pain... But better to not take them. Because all pain pills have a kickback that can induce headaches. Instead take magnesium (citrate or oxide). Bathe in an Epsom salt bath for body ache relief. But in lukewarm water (daughter uses space heater to keep the room warm), because submerging in warm or hot water is also an rcvs trigger. Take vasodialating teas like lemon balm, chamomile. Anti inflammatory supplements that aren't vadoconstricting are also good - boswellia, Curcumin, pine bark (get high quality brand, they're clinically shown to reduce inflammation and nerve pain).

Main point is that this throbbing cranial pressure and tinnitus is somehow being caused by a vascular issue. It's the veins, you have to calm them down. You should get an MRA / Mrv to make sure u don't have any blockage.

We were at the end of our ropes. But within a few weeks of doing this protocol her head pressure, pain and the tinnitus was gone.

@robin76 We found a solution to our 17 yo daughter's excruciating pulsing head pressure and loud tinnitus. Sharing in case it may help.

Background: She has Ehler Danlos and everything started when she caught Long COVID last yr. Weak connective tissue on her neck from eds, aggravated by viral inflammation and a 2 mo steroid prescription led her to feel like her head was too heavy for her neck. Diagnosed with atlantoaxial instability and mild craniocervical instability, and something called a craniocervical pannus. It's a callus that forms when the disks at the top of your spine are bumping into your brain stem because your neck ligaments are weak. If you have any base if skull pain, you may look into CCI and aai. This callus narrows the spinal canal at the base of the skull and can cause serious vascular problems ...

Symptoms / problem: please look into rcvs. Reversible cerebral vadoconstricting syndrome, and relatedly a condition called PRES. I'm the last decade they're discovering that the veins (particularly in brain, but also peripherally) can fall into a pattern of repetitive constrictions. Vasospasms. Can lead to cranialvascular hypertension (with the pressure she could literally feel the pulsing on her temple ... Would vibrate your hand to touch her temple). This can lead to thunderclap headaches and in worst cases to neurological damage. People most susceptible to rcvs have dysautonomia and vascular / endothelial problems.

Our solution: I'm not a medical doctor, but have a PhD, so when my daughter was in the worst pain I've ever seen anyone in and at times we feared for her life (and ERs did nothing, just sent a psychologist ...), I read every medical paper. Her neurologist also wondered if it could be rcvs, but had no experience and couldn't help. We got rid of the pressure, pulsing and tinnitus by removing all triggers that can cause rcvs or vasoconstrictions, and introducing supplements that are vasodialating or gently reducing inflammation. Daughter also does take 10 mg propranolol in the evening, which helps calm and heal her veins overnight. Get rid of nsaids, SSRIs, triptans, opioids, stimulants like coffee / green tea. Some acne meds are vasoconstricting. CBD products and creams are vasoconstricting and can cause pulsing cranial pressure. Look for a full list of Rcvs triggers. We even had to remove mint tea from her diet. Nsaids are a key trigger. That Ibpuorofen they'll give u in the hospt when they think you have a migraine is big trigger for vasoconstrictions.

Introduce beet root pills (they boost nitric oxide, good for veins), use feverfew or Tylenol if u must take something for head pain... But better to not take them. Because all pain pills have a kickback that can induce headaches. Instead take magnesium (citrate or oxide). Bathe in an Epsom salt bath for body ache relief. But in lukewarm water (daughter uses space heater to keep the room warm), because submerging in warm or hot water is also an rcvs trigger. Take vasodialating teas like lemon balm, chamomile. Anti inflammatory supplements that aren't vadoconstricting are also good - boswellia, Curcumin, pine bark (get high quality brand, they're clinically shown to reduce inflammation and nerve pain).

Main point is that this throbbing cranial pressure and tinnitus is somehow being caused by a vascular issue. It's the veins, you have to calm them down. You should get an MRA / Mrv to make sure u don't have any blockage.

We were at the end of our ropes. But within a few weeks of doing this protocol her head pressure, pain and the tinnitus was gone.

@robin76 We found a solution to our 17 yo daughter's excruciating pulsing head pressure and loud tinnitus. Sharing in case it may help.

Background: She has Ehler Danlos and everything started when she caught Long COVID last yr. Weak connective tissue on her neck from eds, aggravated by viral inflammation and a 2 mo steroid prescription led her to feel like her head was too heavy for her neck. Diagnosed with atlantoaxial instability and mild craniocervical instability, and something called a craniocervical pannus. It's a callus that forms when the disks at the top of your spine are bumping into your brain stem because your neck ligaments are weak. If you have any base if skull pain, you may look into CCI and aai. This callus narrows the spinal canal at the base of the skull and can cause serious vascular problems ...

Symptoms / problem: please look into rcvs. Reversible cerebral vadoconstricting syndrome, and relatedly a condition called PRES. I'm the last decade they're discovering that the veins (particularly in brain, but also peripherally) can fall into a pattern of repetitive constrictions. Vasospasms. Can lead to cranialvascular hypertension (with the pressure she could literally feel the pulsing on her temple ... Would vibrate your hand to touch her temple). This can lead to thunderclap headaches and in worst cases to neurological damage. People most susceptible to rcvs have dysautonomia and vascular / endothelial problems.

Our solution: I'm not a medical doctor, but have a PhD, so when my daughter was in the worst pain I've ever seen anyone in and at times we feared for her life (and ERs did nothing, just sent a psychologist ...), I read every medical paper. Her neurologist also wondered if it could be rcvs, but had no experience and couldn't help. We got rid of the pressure, pulsing and tinnitus by removing all triggers that can cause rcvs or vasoconstrictions, and introducing supplements that are vasodialating or gently reducing inflammation. Daughter also does take 10 mg propranolol in the evening, which helps calm and heal her veins overnight. Get rid of nsaids, SSRIs, triptans, opioids, stimulants like coffee / green tea. Some acne meds are vasoconstricting. CBD products and creams are vasoconstricting and can cause pulsing cranial pressure. Look for a full list of Rcvs triggers. We even had to remove mint tea from her diet. Nsaids are a key trigger. That Ibpuorofen they'll give u in the hospt when they think you have a migraine is big trigger for vasoconstrictions.

Introduce beet root pills (they boost nitric oxide, good for veins), use feverfew or Tylenol if u must take something for head pain... But better to not take them. Because all pain pills have a kickback that can induce headaches. Instead take magnesium (citrate or oxide). Bathe in an Epsom salt bath for body ache relief. But in lukewarm water (daughter uses space heater to keep the room warm), because submerging in warm or hot water is also an rcvs trigger. Take vasodialating teas like lemon balm, chamomile. Anti inflammatory supplements that aren't vadoconstricting are also good - boswellia, Curcumin, pine bark (get high quality brand, they're clinically shown to reduce inflammation and nerve pain).

Main point is that this throbbing cranial pressure and tinnitus is somehow being caused by a vascular issue. It's the veins, you have to calm them down. You should get an MRA / Mrv to make sure u don't have any blockage.

We were at the end of our ropes. But within a few weeks of doing this protocol her head pressure, pain and the tinnitus was gone.