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What Causes Sharp Shooting Pain Behind The Eye?
Question: I have had sharp shooting pains behind my eye for the last month. Ice pick type headaches. They come and go 10-20 times a day for about a month. I have severe anxiety over this as well as before hand. I went to the ER to get a CT scan done. They did minor blood work and said all was clear. The pain isn't going away and the ice pick sometimes I can't tell if they are worse then before.
It is causing non stop anxiety that it's all I think about all day long if the pain goes away the panic will be much less. I get pins and needle pains all over my head randomly as well. And in the past month about 10 of the days I have had burning at the top of my head type pain as well as the back by the base of my skull like an aching. My neck is aching and cracks all day long.
Everyone keeps promising that it is anxiety and stress. But I have had migraines my whole life and this is way different. I am 29 years old and it started a month ago. I also have been diagnosed w a anxiety disorder recently due to a loss in the family and I think that's what started the panic. If I look to fast up or down I get the pain behind the right eye above it. Sometimes I hear my nose clicking I don't know if it could be a sinus thing but I can't see ice pick pain from a sinus problem.
During all this month I have only had 2 typical migraines that made me lay down. These are just constant everyday. Even if I am somewhat happy they come out of nowhere. During this I have had about 6 of them and my left temple aches.
It is causing non stop anxiety that it's all I think about all day long if the pain goes away the panic will be much less. I get pins and needle pains all over my head randomly as well. And in the past month about 10 of the days I have had burning at the top of my head type pain as well as the back by the base of my skull like an aching. My neck is aching and cracks all day long.
Everyone keeps promising that it is anxiety and stress. But I have had migraines my whole life and this is way different. I am 29 years old and it started a month ago. I also have been diagnosed w a anxiety disorder recently due to a loss in the family and I think that's what started the panic. If I look to fast up or down I get the pain behind the right eye above it. Sometimes I hear my nose clicking I don't know if it could be a sinus thing but I can't see ice pick pain from a sinus problem.
During all this month I have only had 2 typical migraines that made me lay down. These are just constant everyday. Even if I am somewhat happy they come out of nowhere. During this I have had about 6 of them and my left temple aches.
Brief Answer:
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Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
From what I understand you have no symptoms like loss of vision, double vision, fever etc. Together with the CT scan I would say that makes it unlikely to have a neurological lesion of the brain or its blood vessels.
In addition while I see you've been considering sinus issues I would say that the sinuses are viewed pretty well on a CT scan and major sinus problems should have been found there. So together with the lack of nasal congestion and discharge, and the fact sinus headache is more persistent, not ice pick like, I would say sinus issues are unlikely).
Normal blood tests would rule out conditions like temporal arteritis as well (anyway unlikely at your age) or infections.
So at this point to be honest I would tend to side with those who are telling you it is due to anxiety. Migraine patients often have other coexistent types of primary headaches like tension headache or ice pick headache. The burning sensations on the top of your head are typical descriptions used by people suffering from tension type headache. The fact that you've been under more stress lately supports that as primary headaches are often triggered by anxiety.
I guess to have full certainty you could schedule a neurological consult and a MRI. However I am confident it will result normal. The neurologist could help in choosing preventive medication for these headaches though. Amitriptyline would be an excellent choice as it is used for prevention of all the primary headaches cited above as well as for anxiety.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
From what I understand you have no symptoms like loss of vision, double vision, fever etc. Together with the CT scan I would say that makes it unlikely to have a neurological lesion of the brain or its blood vessels.
In addition while I see you've been considering sinus issues I would say that the sinuses are viewed pretty well on a CT scan and major sinus problems should have been found there. So together with the lack of nasal congestion and discharge, and the fact sinus headache is more persistent, not ice pick like, I would say sinus issues are unlikely).
Normal blood tests would rule out conditions like temporal arteritis as well (anyway unlikely at your age) or infections.
So at this point to be honest I would tend to side with those who are telling you it is due to anxiety. Migraine patients often have other coexistent types of primary headaches like tension headache or ice pick headache. The burning sensations on the top of your head are typical descriptions used by people suffering from tension type headache. The fact that you've been under more stress lately supports that as primary headaches are often triggered by anxiety.
I guess to have full certainty you could schedule a neurological consult and a MRI. However I am confident it will result normal. The neurologist could help in choosing preventive medication for these headaches though. Amitriptyline would be an excellent choice as it is used for prevention of all the primary headaches cited above as well as for anxiety.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I was recently prescribed xanax for the anxiety as well as zoloft. The headaches actually get worde when i talk or move rapidly or breathe heavily. I do have some blurred vision upon looking fast in different direction. I am faint most of the day upon standing and i am not sure if my mood changes are due to anxiety.
I am more concerned wirh something more imminent. Like an aneury but would that last a month? I have a bit of clicking in my randomly i have noticed. Wirh some random ear pain as well. I have discarge usually white phlegm sometimes yellow but i do smoke.
Advil does not help the headaches and i have actually thrown some fits from tome to time and tend to be very wmotional lately. Could be anxiety and fear that has consumed me .
Would any of that be unreasonable?
Sorry I sent that prematurely. Just wanted to know if the brain aneurysm thing is something I should be concerned about. If so what else should I be looking for?
Every day the pain changes in severity and location. Today is mainly about my right eye right around the top of the socket. Happens consistently with heavy movement if I stomp my foot or breathe heavily sometimes or if I look up really fast.
I am more concerned wirh something more imminent. Like an aneury but would that last a month? I have a bit of clicking in my randomly i have noticed. Wirh some random ear pain as well. I have discarge usually white phlegm sometimes yellow but i do smoke.
Advil does not help the headaches and i have actually thrown some fits from tome to time and tend to be very wmotional lately. Could be anxiety and fear that has consumed me .
Would any of that be unreasonable?
Sorry I sent that prematurely. Just wanted to know if the brain aneurysm thing is something I should be concerned about. If so what else should I be looking for?
Every day the pain changes in severity and location. Today is mainly about my right eye right around the top of the socket. Happens consistently with heavy movement if I stomp my foot or breathe heavily sometimes or if I look up really fast.
Brief Answer:
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Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the additional information.
I am sure that an aneurysm is not the cause of those symptoms. Even if you had an aneurysm it wouldn't manifest that way. Most aneurysms are asymptomatic unless they rupture and bleed (which does not cause pain which comes and goes).
In some cases some big aneurysms may cause symptoms due to compression of surrounding structures, but apart from the fact that such big aneurysms are usually detected by CT, symptoms are not of the type of intermittent ice pick or burning pain. Do not usually manifest with pain at all unless they bleed.
The other details of pain increasing when moving head rapidly, talking or breathing, changing locations it all goes against something serious as well. Threatening brain lesions are not influenced by such actions.
You should check your ear for infection if you have ear pain. I still do not think there is a sinus issue which causes nasal discharge not the phlegm associated with smoking.
So in conclusion I would still put a combination of primary headaches as more probable. A SSRI antidepressant like Zoloft is a good medication for anxiety but when headache is also in the mix I would prefer Amitriptyline as I said, perhaps you should discuss a switch with the doctor who prescribed Zoloft.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the additional information.
I am sure that an aneurysm is not the cause of those symptoms. Even if you had an aneurysm it wouldn't manifest that way. Most aneurysms are asymptomatic unless they rupture and bleed (which does not cause pain which comes and goes).
In some cases some big aneurysms may cause symptoms due to compression of surrounding structures, but apart from the fact that such big aneurysms are usually detected by CT, symptoms are not of the type of intermittent ice pick or burning pain. Do not usually manifest with pain at all unless they bleed.
The other details of pain increasing when moving head rapidly, talking or breathing, changing locations it all goes against something serious as well. Threatening brain lesions are not influenced by such actions.
You should check your ear for infection if you have ear pain. I still do not think there is a sinus issue which causes nasal discharge not the phlegm associated with smoking.
So in conclusion I would still put a combination of primary headaches as more probable. A SSRI antidepressant like Zoloft is a good medication for anxiety but when headache is also in the mix I would prefer Amitriptyline as I said, perhaps you should discuss a switch with the doctor who prescribed Zoloft.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Thank you for your time. I apprrciate the answers. I also notice though the pain gets significantly less when laying down and i put a pillow over my eyes with some pressure.
Once i get uo and walk around it increases and i am also very prone to being faint and nauseous. Very fatigued as well which i guess are stmptoms of anxiety correct .
Once i get uo and walk around it increases and i am also very prone to being faint and nauseous. Very fatigued as well which i guess are stmptoms of anxiety correct .
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
It could be due to anxiety. However since you mention that fainting and nausea only on getting up, I would have some blood pressure measurements, in particular compare blood pressure values when supine and after sitting and standing. An extensive drop of blood pressure when standing (over 20 mmHg), which is called orthostatic hypotension, may cause those symptoms.
I hope to have been of help.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
It could be due to anxiety. However since you mention that fainting and nausea only on getting up, I would have some blood pressure measurements, in particular compare blood pressure values when supine and after sitting and standing. An extensive drop of blood pressure when standing (over 20 mmHg), which is called orthostatic hypotension, may cause those symptoms.
I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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