What Causes Sudden Onset Of Severe Headache?

Posted on Fri, 24 Jul 2015

Question: Hello Doctor,
I am suffering from headache from past 2 months. Heaache is mainly in the back and neck attached portion. Got MrI done it says random small many white spots are seen and no enlargement of spots with IV. Usually when it pains more i feel like back of head is burning and a kind of injury pain. No other observatiom apart from white spots in mri. This al started after talking levofloxin 500mg. Doc gave levo for urinary infection. Headachr started from second and i stopped medixine and headache reduced but startes again after 3 days and now from 2 months its non stop. Doc doeant agree for levo effect he says just coincidence. But i got knee pain and nerve pain and heache after levo. So now please let me know how can i proceeded. My treating doc said its tension heache and treted me with anti depressant for month but no improvement. What couuld be problem ? Any solution ?

Answered by Dr. Neeraj Kumar (49 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please provide me with some more details

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
I have gone through your question and understand your concerns.
Recent onset continous headache comes under umbrella term of new onset daily headache.
If no other associated features are present like fever, vomiting, seizure, visual loss, hearing abnormalities, diplopia, speech abnormalities, gait abnormalities then it's most likely a primary headache.
Your Mri finding seems to be non specific. You need to upload it's images to give you proper advice on the report.
In your age group tension type and migraine are the two most common primary headache. You need to provide some details regarding your headache.
1) Severity
2) character - Bursting, throbbing pricking
3) onset and peaking
4) Duration of headache
5) associated features like nausea and vomiting
6) photophobia or photophobia
7) aggravating factors like missing meal, decreased sleep, sunlight
8) releiving factors like sleep, dark room, pain killers.
9) redness of eye, nasal stuffiness.
10) sleep quality
11) any stress factors
12) family history
please provide above details for better diagnosis
Continue medication as advised.
Do get back soon.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Regards
Dr Neeraj Kumar
Neurologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Neeraj Kumar (5 hours later)

1. Severity is high sometimes but never goes away fully.
2. kind of tingling and numbness towards left side back head
3. some 2-3 days peak in week
4. 3 months
5.I dont see any diffenrence in food and other health and also no vomitting
6. photophobia means if it is sensitivness to light yes my eyes irriate for high ligh
7.missing breakfast was routine for few days before this problem but now all normal
8. Nothing is releaving like sleep or pain killer or dark room but rough surface below head gives some releif and i get sleep. i am asking a small accupressure needle mat . i will keep it below the head and i get sleep soon.
9. No redness of eye . i have sinus problem from years so nose stuffness and ear pain are sometime seen
10. i wont get sleep due to pain or numbness but with accupressure mat below head i get sleep and sleep quality is good but headache starts from the point i start day.
11. i was in germamy from year so may be few stress factor but now i am back in XXXXXXX
12. No family history and also for me this headache is new.
So now Is it fine to use accupressure mat for sleep as pillow ? and sometimes i feel my eyes pain due to continuous pain and i feel difficulty to see things from faaar distance but sometimes..Apart from numbness and pain behind head i dnt see any major changes in othrer parts like hearing is fine nd overall health is also fine.
Currently i am not talking any medicine.nd please let me which specilist in XXXXXXX can help me to solve my issue.

Answered by Dr. Neeraj Kumar (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
seems to be migraine type headache

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
According to your history, you have migraine headache with unilateral and photophobia with decreased sleep.
It's good you don't have any danger signs of secondary headache.
You can consult a neurologist in XXXXXXX for proper evaluation and treatment.
For prevention you can avoid chocolate, sunlight, skipping meals or stress.
For treatment you can take pain killers for short duration along with amitryptiline and Flunarizine.
Other options are also available if not benefitted.
You should visit a neurologist for proper advice.
Hope you recover early.
Do get back to me for further queries.
Regards
Dr Neeraj Kumar
Neurologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Neeraj Kumar (45 minutes later)

Hello Doctor, Thabk you for your reaponse. So it means you also feel its not due to levofloxin ? and pain almost same from 2 months not increased and also not decreased. I also feel like massaging head with hand and i feel little relaxed. I will consult neurologist. and any suggestions for improvement of pain with some physitheripie or neck excersise. ? My treating doc said migrane wont stay more than 3 days and he says it dis appears completly after 3 days. But for me Non stop headache. Did u see any patients with similar complaints ?

Answered by Dr. Neeraj Kumar (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Consult a neurologist

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Levofloxacin has not got action beyond few days.
Sometimes a infection leads to precipitation of primary headache like migraine.
Usually episodic migraine last for less than 72 hours per attack but in many patients it becomes continous and comes under category of chronic migraine. Sometimes tension headache and migraine may Co exist.
You can continue massage and pillows.
You need to consult a neurologist as soon as possible so as to examine you completely.
Regards
Dr Neeraj Kumar
Neurologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj