Suggest Treatment For Severe Pain In The Head

Posted on Thu, 20 Oct 2016

Question: My husband is having severe pain on his head, not like a headache inside but on the exterior. It hurts to touch and he has put ice on it but it hasn't helped much. He has lung cancer, is currently going through chemo, finished a series of 30 radiation sessions, and has a cough that is very deep and makes his stomach very sore. He takes Allegra, Vitrussion cough syrup, Previcid, Zofran, and Prednisone. He is very uncomfortable and is having trouble sleeping due to the pain. Do we know what this might be and should we go to the ER or wait and go to the Dr. tomorrow?

Answered by Dr. Albana Sejdini (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Give him painkillers,if pain subsided,wait til tomorrow;otherwise go to ER

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I have gone through the medical history of your husband and am sorry for the health situation he is going through.

Your husband has finished a series of 30 radiation sessions and currently going through chemo. All these are making his body debilitating, and makes him more prone to viral infections. Furthermore, headache is a common side effect of both chemo and radiations.

Give him pain-killers like ibuprofen or nimesulide orally to subside the pain. If he will still have the pain and can't tolerate, send him to ER as he might need more potent analgesics by injection.

Otherwise, if he will be better with pain-killers, then, can wait until tomorrow to see his doctor.

Wish fast recovery!
Dr.Albana

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar