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What Do Severe Headaches Along With Neck And Shoulders Soreness After A Severe Episode Of Anxiety Indicate?
Question: Hi. I’ve inquired about this before but wanted to clarify... for a few years now I’ve been suffering from very painful headaches around my temples, above my eyes, around my ears... it sometimes is my right side, other times my left side...
There’s sort of general pressure or crushing or gnawing feelings most of the day and sometimes there’s also sharp, stabbing pains around my eyes.
My neck and shoulders are extremely tense when I wake up and often sore but that feels like it subsides as the day goes on while the face pain gets worse and sometimes my temples and eyebrow Area is sensitive to the touch.
It all started after I had a severe episode of anxiety/depression/nervous breakdown and while I’ve recicered mostly, the head pain persists.
It makes me cry sometimes and makes me nervous and depressed. But there’s no other aymptomscreally except loud noises pierce my head sometimes when the pain exists.
Is this migraine, tension, something else?
There’s sort of general pressure or crushing or gnawing feelings most of the day and sometimes there’s also sharp, stabbing pains around my eyes.
My neck and shoulders are extremely tense when I wake up and often sore but that feels like it subsides as the day goes on while the face pain gets worse and sometimes my temples and eyebrow Area is sensitive to the touch.
It all started after I had a severe episode of anxiety/depression/nervous breakdown and while I’ve recicered mostly, the head pain persists.
It makes me cry sometimes and makes me nervous and depressed. But there’s no other aymptomscreally except loud noises pierce my head sometimes when the pain exists.
Is this migraine, tension, something else?
Brief Answer:
Tension-type headaches most likely.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have read your question and understand your concerns.
From the description of your symptoms, tension-type headache is the most likely diagnosis in your case.
Migraine headaches manifest with different symptoms.
It is not something else serious since there are years that you suffer from it.
It is a well-known fact that anxiety and depression may be the underlying cause that may cause such headaches, or, at least, may trigger and worsen them.
Simple painkillers (Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, etc.) should be tried first as a headache starts to abort it or reduce its intensity.
If no satisfactory improvement with simple painkillers, antidepressants should be considered, counseling may help also.
Please discuss with your Doctor about these issues.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care.
Tension-type headaches most likely.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have read your question and understand your concerns.
From the description of your symptoms, tension-type headache is the most likely diagnosis in your case.
Migraine headaches manifest with different symptoms.
It is not something else serious since there are years that you suffer from it.
It is a well-known fact that anxiety and depression may be the underlying cause that may cause such headaches, or, at least, may trigger and worsen them.
Simple painkillers (Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, etc.) should be tried first as a headache starts to abort it or reduce its intensity.
If no satisfactory improvement with simple painkillers, antidepressants should be considered, counseling may help also.
Please discuss with your Doctor about these issues.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Hi thanks!
Also, when I’m relaxing it goes away but if I start moving around, bending, climbing stairs etc... that’s stabbing pain comes back.
And another thing... sometimes this happens for a few days after acute stress and if I go to a bar and am exposed to lots of loud stimuli. 2 nights agoni had huge fights with roommates and had to go to a goingbaway party... when I left... my head felt fuzzy and my ears were buzzing and my body felt overstimulated. The next morning I had to help a friend move. It kinda feels like that feeling of overstimulation or sensory overload doesn’t go away for days. And turns painful.
Does that change your opinion?
Also, when I’m relaxing it goes away but if I start moving around, bending, climbing stairs etc... that’s stabbing pain comes back.
And another thing... sometimes this happens for a few days after acute stress and if I go to a bar and am exposed to lots of loud stimuli. 2 nights agoni had huge fights with roommates and had to go to a goingbaway party... when I left... my head felt fuzzy and my ears were buzzing and my body felt overstimulated. The next morning I had to help a friend move. It kinda feels like that feeling of overstimulation or sensory overload doesn’t go away for days. And turns painful.
Does that change your opinion?
Brief Answer:
Tension-type headaches still the most likely condition.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome back.
Loud stimuli, physical efforts, fatigue, etc. all these are possible triggers for headaches including tension-type ones.
So, this additional information supports the tension-type headaches diagnosis.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Dr. Erion Spaho, Neurologist, Surgical
Tension-type headaches still the most likely condition.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome back.
Loud stimuli, physical efforts, fatigue, etc. all these are possible triggers for headaches including tension-type ones.
So, this additional information supports the tension-type headaches diagnosis.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Dr. Erion Spaho, Neurologist, Surgical
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Answered by
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