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Sensitive to touch nerve pain in head - sinus related?

Posted by beats32 @beats32, Feb 28 3:18pm

I've been experiencing the strangest nerve sensation in my head since July 2023. The lightest touch is uncomfortable, but when I apply more pressure, it starts to feel better. If I leave it alone for a few minutes and lightly stroke the area again, highly sensitive pain is triggered again. When it's not being touched, it's typically just a dull ache. It is uncomfortable to wash and brush my hair, sleep on that side, wear a hat, put on a shirt, etc. The spot is about the size of a quarter, above and slightly behind my right temple. I also experience intermittent right ear fullness and ringing, pressure (right side only), some discomfort around my cheekbone and at times, slight numbness around my cheek/under my eye. The pain seems to be exasperated with barometric pressure headaches or any type of sinus discomfort.

This certainly has become an annoyance, but it hasn't gotten any worse or better in 8 months. I've had a head CT scan and a brain MRI with and without contrast. I've seen a wonderful neurologist who spent a significant amount of time reviewing my scans, results, and completing thorough exams testing all of my neurological functioning. He's pretty much ruled out anything serious, says it doesn't present like typical trigeminal neuralgia, occipital neuralgia, or anything similar. Of note, my MRI results mentioned a deviated septum on the right side with several blood vessels of anatomical variation in the area of my maxillary nerve.

Could this be a sinus issue related to the deviated septum? I feel like my next stop should be an ENT. I would greatly appreciate any insight or advice. For reference, 37 year old female, healthy, no bad habits, no previous head injuries, etc.

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danny5 | @danny5 | Feb 29 1:34am

@beats32, the best thing to do is see a ENT. considering you have a deviated septum. i had one too. broken nose three times. bad headaches. nose bleeds, pain & swelling around the nose and eyes. my ENT fixed the septum. none of those problems. but i still have chronic sinusitis. plus i did have polyps in the whole nasal cavity. had surgery to get rid of them. now i'm on Dupixent 300mg/2L. every 2 weeks. it's a shot. it really helps keep the polyps from returning. good luck, d

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1 reply
beats32 | @beats32 | Feb 29 6:06am
In reply to @danny5 "@beats32, the best thing to do is see a ENT. considering you have a deviated septum...." + (show)
@danny5

@beats32, the best thing to do is see a ENT. considering you have a deviated septum. i had one too. broken nose three times. bad headaches. nose bleeds, pain & swelling around the nose and eyes. my ENT fixed the septum. none of those problems. but i still have chronic sinusitis. plus i did have polyps in the whole nasal cavity. had surgery to get rid of them. now i'm on Dupixent 300mg/2L. every 2 weeks. it's a shot. it really helps keep the polyps from returning. good luck, d

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Thank you! I’ve requested a referral from my PCP. I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

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kspowell | @kspowell | Mar 1 4:58am

did they check for GCA with CDUS?

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1 reply
beats32 | @beats32 | Mar 1 5:16am
In reply to @kspowell "did they check for GCA with CDUS?" + (show)
@kspowell

did they check for GCA with CDUS?

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No, what is that?

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kspowell | @kspowell | Mar 1 12:50pm

It is Giant Cell Arterisis - it's inflammation of the vessels in the head - shows up primarily in the temples via an ultrasound. Symptoms are involvements like tenderness, headaches, eye and ear tenderness, and jaw claudation

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1 reply
beats32 | @beats32 | Mar 1 1:56pm
In reply to @kspowell "It is Giant Cell Arterisis - it's inflammation of the vessels in the head - shows..." + (show)
@kspowell

It is Giant Cell Arterisis - it's inflammation of the vessels in the head - shows up primarily in the temples via an ultrasound. Symptoms are involvements like tenderness, headaches, eye and ear tenderness, and jaw claudation

Jump to this post

Thank you. I'll reach out to my neurologist's office and see if they can order the TDUS. GCA sounds scary/serious. Is it common in younger adults? I'm 37. Treatable? I try to stay off Google because everything is cancer or an aneurysm. It's the strangest sensation - initially very sensitive to touch, but the pain steadily subsides until it's gone. This happens every time until I leave that area alone then do it again, and the same thing happens - initial shock/sensitive reaction, and I can almost slowly rub out the pain if that makes any sense. It's been this way for 7 months without getting any better or any worse.

I attached a comment I read on a Neurology forum that was the best description I've found from anyone else, as well as a diagram with red areas that indicate where the sensitivity is. I never have migraines, intense, sharp pain or any vision issues.
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3 replies
beats32 | @beats32 | Mar 1 2:26pm
In reply to @beats32 "Thank you. I'll reach out to my neurologist's office and see if they can order the..." + (show)
@beats32

Thank you. I'll reach out to my neurologist's office and see if they can order the TDUS. GCA sounds scary/serious. Is it common in younger adults? I'm 37. Treatable? I try to stay off Google because everything is cancer or an aneurysm. It's the strangest sensation - initially very sensitive to touch, but the pain steadily subsides until it's gone. This happens every time until I leave that area alone then do it again, and the same thing happens - initial shock/sensitive reaction, and I can almost slowly rub out the pain if that makes any sense. It's been this way for 7 months without getting any better or any worse.

I attached a comment I read on a Neurology forum that was the best description I've found from anyone else, as well as a diagram with red areas that indicate where the sensitivity is. I never have migraines, intense, sharp pain or any vision issues.

Jump to this post

Not sure why the attachments aren't showing.
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kspowell | @kspowell | Mar 1 3:43pm
In reply to @beats32 "Thank you. I'll reach out to my neurologist's office and see if they can order the..." + (show)
@beats32

Thank you. I'll reach out to my neurologist's office and see if they can order the TDUS. GCA sounds scary/serious. Is it common in younger adults? I'm 37. Treatable? I try to stay off Google because everything is cancer or an aneurysm. It's the strangest sensation - initially very sensitive to touch, but the pain steadily subsides until it's gone. This happens every time until I leave that area alone then do it again, and the same thing happens - initial shock/sensitive reaction, and I can almost slowly rub out the pain if that makes any sense. It's been this way for 7 months without getting any better or any worse.

I attached a comment I read on a Neurology forum that was the best description I've found from anyone else, as well as a diagram with red areas that indicate where the sensitivity is. I never have migraines, intense, sharp pain or any vision issues.

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probably not u r young but should be eliminated as a diagnosis.

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danny5 | @danny5 | Mar 3 1:40am
In reply to @beats32 "Thank you. I'll reach out to my neurologist's office and see if they can order the..." + (show)
@beats32

Thank you. I'll reach out to my neurologist's office and see if they can order the TDUS. GCA sounds scary/serious. Is it common in younger adults? I'm 37. Treatable? I try to stay off Google because everything is cancer or an aneurysm. It's the strangest sensation - initially very sensitive to touch, but the pain steadily subsides until it's gone. This happens every time until I leave that area alone then do it again, and the same thing happens - initial shock/sensitive reaction, and I can almost slowly rub out the pain if that makes any sense. It's been this way for 7 months without getting any better or any worse.

I attached a comment I read on a Neurology forum that was the best description I've found from anyone else, as well as a diagram with red areas that indicate where the sensitivity is. I never have migraines, intense, sharp pain or any vision issues.

Jump to this post

i Googled it. please do. being afraid does more harm than actual knowledge. just use it as extra help to talk to your doctor. what Google supplies is not etched in stone. nor going to be. understand? d

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@seekinginfo | @nrd1 | Mar 3 7:50pm

@beats32 -

I had this same experience at your age. Stay away from ENT.

Occipital muscle tightness, tight neck flexors, forward head posture, masseter tightness. Your trapezius/SCM muscles are probably tight and you don’t know it. This radiates into your jaw/ear/face and can feel like sinus pain.

See a PT and work on stress management/muscular tightness.

*I am not a doctor. But this area crosses over into many specialist areas. ENTs are often seen due to pain referrals here. Be careful.

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