Headaches in same spot made worse by coughing, straining. Brain Tumor??

[defd2012]

Ok, so I am an otherwise healthy 29 yo male. About 5 years ago I began to get muscle twitching, I googled and immediately thought I had ALS. I went thorugh the gambit of tests EMG, etc. and found I had benign fascicullations. It tooke me like 3 weeks to find the courage to finally contact the doctor to do the test because I was so convinced of the dire outcome.

Now today, about 10 days ago I began getting headaches in the same exact spot in my head, near my right temple and over my right eye up the front of my forehead. This would only occur when I would lift weights and strain very hard. The headache would intensify when I would lift anything and really calm down seconds after the lifting. Well being with my HA I went ahead and googled the  symptom and BAM brain tumor comes up. I have had headaches before but I cant remember if I had anything like these before. When I checked the google it said headaches caused by coughing or straining or bending down were very bad signs! Additionally focalized headaches are very bad signs!!! Additionally waking in the morning with the headache were very bad signs! Radiation exposure could cause this! (I work in a rad environment but very controlled) Well after I googled this, it is exactly what my symptoms have been ever since!!! Every time I am checking when I cough, bend, strain for symptoms. I have no other neurological symptoms that I know of...

The only other real things I would say I have going on is some sinus congestion and I have a deviated septum in my nose from an injury as a child. The congestion moves from side to side in my nose leaving one side blocked and the other side clear.

Every day the past 9 days I have been paying attention to my body WAY too much. However, these headaches have not gone away and they are in the same spot every time I wake, cough, strain, bend down or move my head. They are there every day, pain meds and sinus congestion&pain meds don't seem to have too much of an effect.

I am going to my doctor, first time in 5 years tomorrow, to talk about these headaches and ofcourse demand an MRI or CT scan to rule these out!! Do you think I can get a referral to get the CT/MRI on the same day?? It sure would help me feeling like this continually!

But for me the big question I keep asking myself is can my HA make these symptoms continue to happen in the manner they have been. Because my brain has seen the google symptoms can it actually morph into these exact symptoms that match the google symptoms?

Or are these real symptoms that are being caused by a brain tumor!! I really would like to hear of others stories, maybe even ones who have had actually exact symptoms after reading the google symptoms which in turn make their symptoms mimic the exact bad signs we are not wanting to have!

My mind is spinning, I'm constantly monitoring my head by coughin to see what the pain is like. I have no desire to do the things that I want to do lift weights, etc. This is really bothering me and I just pray for my wife and two children that I am going to be ok and be there for them. Thanks to all and I hope to hear from you!

[defd2012]

I know I posted a very long thread but I am extremely more scared because last night I developed some nausea and believe I was having a full on panic attack because of it. I began getting cold, shaky, dry throat, trouble swallowing and then the nausea and upset stomach and stomach churning loudly.

I feel I have hit rock bottom with my anxiety and with my symptoms I feel justification in feeling this way unfortunately...

[adriannep]

I'm no doctor but it sounds to me like headaches caused by your sinus congestion. Or tension headaches (I Gotham all the time above my eyes because I work at a computer) I also think you're being hyper vigilant to these symptoms, which is making them seem more severe than they actually are. Been there too. Go to the doc if you want but IMHO you're just suffering from sinus headaches.

[annoyingwife21]

My symptoms are pretty similar to yours.. I am 25 and have been having anxiety for what feels like 3mos straight. It may just be our bodies saying enough is enough. My chiropractor did tell me that temple pain is referred pain from your shoulders- it could just be that we are tense I dunno. I am not wanting to go down the road of getting a CT scan and all that because at some point I just need to realize its health anxiety. My husband is a paramedic and says I am fine- he has ran people with serious issues-so I am just going to wait till he is worried about my symptoms and try getting my mind off of them. I go to sleep with my temples hurting and wake up with them hurting and make myself nauseous thinking about it!

[defd2012]

Thanks for the encouragement and hearing that others have had similar problems is good. What I cant seem to shake is the fact that the headaches are always caused by me coughing, bending down or straining. Now I may just be paying super attention when I am doing these actions because the nasty google monster says these are bad.

Last night Im pretty sure I had a panic attack, breathing very rapidly, shaking cold, tried to go to sleep but kept waking up throughout the night with pressure behind my head, nausea feeling and almost a numbish type feeling in my arms or legs. Pretty sure I woke up every hour feeling this way.

I have my doctor appoint today with my GP because I havent been to a doc in 5 years, I just hope he can get me an MRI or CT today because I have never had one in my life and I feel if I can get one with a clear bill of health I atleast wont worry about the symptoms.

Intiially I thought they were sinus headaches as well as I am congested from deviated septum continually but I've never had them flare up and give me headaches before, especially ones last 2 weeks every single day upon waking.

[annoyingwife21]

are your muscles by your neck tense or tender if you squeeze them?

[Xocnagem]

annoyingwife, you sound just like me! I'm not wanting to get a CT/MRI scan, but at the same time i want reassurance. My Fiance is also a medic/firefighter, and he also says the same thing! We would KNOW if there was something wrong! =)

[annoyingwife21]

I stumbled upon this to try and found some relief! I am starting it to see if I find an improvement with my HA and headache/temple pain
http://www.myyogaonline.com/healthy-living/health-and-wellness/ayurveda-daily-routine-for-vitality
and here is a link for a self message-- I tried it this morning and it did actually help a lot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNKcdlQKyMc&feature=youtu.be.
Let me know if you try it- my temple pain and nausea did decrease.

[defd2012]

I wouldnt say that it is tender to squeeze but it is a little tensed up ofcourse. But this Im not sure as to why I would be getting fullness in head all the time and then sharp and throbbing pains in the same spot around my temple anytime I cough or strain, seems unrelated. Thus the bad guy google says these are classic signs of a BT and thus why i am continually in this spinning cycle... 145pm cannot come fast enough and I hope that the doctor has some good words for me but ultimately hope he can get me an MRI/CT scan done today as I am gone out of town this week to attend my uncle funeral who after battling a BT for 15 years lost his life. I believe this is the source of my original hypochondria was as a kid seeing my uncle have that happen to him.

[defd2012]

So I just got back from my GP office and he ordered me an MRI, unfortunately I probably wont get it until this coming Monday. So I am stuck waiting again!!! I just hope I can keep my head on straight and not be so worrisome about these headache symptoms. Im afraid I will have some more panic attacks though unfortunately, which is just going to fuel my brain and my symptoms even worse...

What does concern me is after telling the doctor my symptoms today he said "you need to get an MRI dont you?" I dont know if he just was saying that because he could tell I was super worried about it or if he wants to get the MRI done because he thinks there may be something sinister going on! So now Im freaking out about this as well!!

The only really reassuring thing that I heard from his is brain cancer doesnt present with ONLY headaches, you will have weakness in an arm, vision will be completely changed (double vision, blurring), projectile vomiting, seizures, etc. He thinks it is possibly sinus related and said the MRI would show any problems with the sinus' as well.

I pray to god to give me strength to not worry about my symptoms so much but I know this week is going to seem like an eternity.

[annoyingwife21]

If your GP was worried about cancer he would have ordered blood work stat and an MRI. The GP thinks its your sinuses and is having it ordered for Monday. There is too much liability on there end to have you wait if they thought it was something serious.

[defd2012]

I did admit to him that I had HA pretty bad and a big fear of BT. He wanted to do it this week but I am out of town for a funeral, which is going to make me even more anxious probably...

I really appreciate the replies you guys!

[defd2012]

Ok so since last night I have now had infrequent bouts of nausea, that feeling you have in the back of your throat. This is really concerning me that although I know it could be caused by my anxiety it can also be a Brain TUmor in my head simply progressing and now to the next phase which will be nause and vomiting. THen who knows...

I hate this vicous circle I am in right now and I have no idea what symptoms and feelings I have are real symotoms and which are simply caused by me being so anxious and nervous!

[annoyingwife21]

I can't relate to you more, I have had nausea off an on the last couple of days and have been paranoid! I figured out I think I just have IBS (from my constant freaking out!) and low and behold my nausea has been fine all day because I havn't been freaking out because I had something else besides cancer or a tumor to blame it on. Your getting too worked about and its going to make you nauseous. If you freak out just post- please just keep in mind that your doctor would not make you wait till Monday if he/she thought is was serious. Are you having numbness in your limbs, visual changes, or just a headache?

[defd2012]

Thanks anoyingwife you have been a godsend to help me through this! I only get tingling and numbing in my extremities when I sleep but I always get this from the positions I sleep  in. Visual changes I wouldn't say I've had any other than the floaters I have always had but I feel like they are much worse and pronounced right now.

[annoyingwife21]

Its all classic anxiety. Last week I was posting on here on how my hand and feet were tingling (I thought I had a tumor)--my left leg was even going numb! You are under a lot of stress. Anxiety is real and really does cause a bunch of crazy symptoms. I don't call myself an annoying wife for nothing, I have driven my husband CRAZY with my new fears every day. Your MRI will go fine if you want something to try in the mean time...  have your tried a Neti Pot? My mother in law swears by it...she used to have horrible sinus problems.
By any chance have you looked at TMJ disorder?- I figured out that what I have going on causing my right temple pain and dizziness. See if your jaw pops when you open your mouth. If not, I still am 100% sure you have sinus issues. Your going to be fine...if you get a new symptom just post on here and I will convince its just anxiety :)

[defd2012]

I think I do have TMJ as well as I do grind my teeth when I'm bored and when sleeping but I didn't think that would cause the headache to be a sharp pain near my temple and up to top of my head on only one side. Because at first I was thinking this could be it but Ofcourse I ruled it out to the Nast BT because of the straining, coughing being the only thing that causes the headache. For most part I don't feel any pain but some pressure and fullness until I cough, strain or bend down. Always in the same spot....now I'm in the vicious HA cycle where I was continually googling symptoms, survivor stories, etc. and now the last two days the nausea.

[annoyingwife21]

TMJ can cause migraines (and migraines cause nausea), and sharp pain in temple because its all connected. I found that if I don't shut my mouth all the way the pain in my temple does get better. I woke up with a horrible migraine this AM because of it. Google, TMJ temple pain and it will explain it to you. I think it is common for people under a lot of stress to grind there teeth when they sleep. QUIT googling random stuff though-I have learned just to come on the site and enter in a symptom, and if you do google ALWAYS put anxiety at the end because you will probably find out its because of anxiety. Self control is the biggest help- its hard but just limit yourself to this site for now but try to focus off the tumor because you are just going to make yourself feel like death is around the corner. Maybe see a dentist-thats what I am doing. A lot of people go forever before being diagnosed with TMJ because they go to there PCP, maybe see your dentist, thats what I am doing.

[defd2012]

This TMJ thing really does sound like what I may have because I do clench my teeth and maybe during the stresses if work and Xmas and caused me to grind even more. My wife watched me sleep and she thinks I have some sleep apnea and grind my teeth when sleeping as well. Which maybe makes sense for waking up with the temple pain. The thing that still stumps me is why is the pain in this spot always worse or aggravated when coughing, straining or bending down, i mean it really gets a sharp pain then. Do we tense up our head muscles when we do these things?

[Tauntaun]

I have experienced the same thing, and it was related to sinus issues and also tension. I was pretty freaked out about it at the time because my anxiety was taking over and telling me it was worse than it was...

The problem is we get into a cycle that our brains have a hard time reprogramming.

Our anxiety looks for a "reason" when we expeience it, and will come up with some pretty far fetched ideas. 

So, anytime we have a new symptom, anxiety looks through the file cabinet of doom, and assigns a reason for it, and logic goes by the wayside.

[defd2012]

Yeah I am hopeful it is the same it's just the uncertainty of having this pain in the same spot, same sensation every day as soon as I wake for like 2-3 weeks straight whenever i cough, strain, bend down. No relief really with sinus or pain meds.

I've even been asking my wife if my personality has changed. She says I have been more on edge and take more aggressively which I hear can be a symptom. However I'm on testosterone therapy and have very high testosterone the past 3 months so pretty sure that's what that is from.

[defd2012]

Ok so now I am really freaking out again!!!! I know where my headache is located is near the front of my head/temples when coughing and this is the temporal lobe! One symptom is a personality/behavior change! Could be more irritable, angry and on edge! My wife told me today I have been this way and very snappy!

I'm freaking out because I have been this way probably the last year or so! I have had to run some cycles of testosterone therapy and I know it could be because of this but my anxiety is telling me that it is from the possible brain tumor!!!

I'm spinning again!!! Getting really anxious all over again!!! Would this kind of indicate the type of personality/behavior change in a tumor?!! Or are these something drastic that everyone would notice that I have changed who I am????

[defd2012]

Anxiety panic attack again! Feel like pressure all over my head, feels dizzy, nausea, like my field of vision is closing...I'm really freaky out now because of this whole personality type things.

[annoyingwife21]

If you asked my husband he would say I am snappy and mean lately but its because im anxious. anxiety causes mood swings.  your dizzy because your anxiety is really high..i was dizzy for days. please look at more stuff about tmj...it causes head pressure pains, eye pain, earaches lots of stuff. You do not have a tumor or cancer. your doctor would have got the test done sooner. you are ok. drink some warm milk and try to relax. I promise you really dont have a personality change just moood swing.