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I Have Been Having A Throbbing Headache , Sort Of

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Posted on Wed, 20 Feb 2019
Twitter Wed, 20 Feb 2019 Answered on
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Question : i have been having a throbbing headache, sort of like a migraine, for 3 days now. however, now im getting dizzy spells and my eyes are burning as well. my left arm is also starting to feel a bit heavy. i have no chest pain though. i know in the past this is kinda how my strokes have started withe massive migraines. i justdontknow what i should do. i really dont want to go to the hospital for them to say nothing is wrong.
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Answered by Dr. Aaron Branch (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
See below

Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor.

I am not sure about your medical history or other risk factors, but especially with the left arm feeling heavy and you're feeling that this is similar to a previous stroke, I would of course be very concerned about a stroke and would strongly recommend that you go to be evaluated. While your headache could be from a migraine, which can sometimes have additional features such as dizziness and even neurological signs, it would be difficult to tell the difference between this and some other neurological problem without a physical exam and imaging to look at your brain. I know it may be frustrating to have to go to the ER if there is nothing wrong, but at least you can know for sure and hopefully they can help treat your headache as well.

If you would like to give me more information about your past medical history, including your age, medications, whether you've had high blood pressure, and more information about your stroke history, I would be glad to discuss this with you further. However, I still think you likely should go to the ER and I wouldn't want you to delay doing that.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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Dr. Aaron Branch

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Practicing since :2011

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I Have Been Having A Throbbing Headache , Sort Of

Brief Answer: See below Detailed Answer: Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. I am not sure about your medical history or other risk factors, but especially with the left arm feeling heavy and you're feeling that this is similar to a previous stroke, I would of course be very concerned about a stroke and would strongly recommend that you go to be evaluated. While your headache could be from a migraine, which can sometimes have additional features such as dizziness and even neurological signs, it would be difficult to tell the difference between this and some other neurological problem without a physical exam and imaging to look at your brain. I know it may be frustrating to have to go to the ER if there is nothing wrong, but at least you can know for sure and hopefully they can help treat your headache as well. If you would like to give me more information about your past medical history, including your age, medications, whether you've had high blood pressure, and more information about your stroke history, I would be glad to discuss this with you further. However, I still think you likely should go to the ER and I wouldn't want you to delay doing that.