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possible tension headache?

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Hello. I'm a 26 year old healthy female with no history of sickness. I went on a vacation in May and when I returned, I became ill. I was nauseous for about a week. After that the headaches started. I had a CT Scan in June which was negative. The pain/pressure is always in the lower back end of my skull, above my neck. Sometimes I feel a warm, sort of burning sensation in the right side (back) also as well a pulsating feeling through just the back part of my skull. This headache can last anywhere from 1-12 days, and it's usually constantly throughout the day and night. Mornings are the best, I wake up and am usually ok til the afternoon, nights are the worst but so far, they haven't prevented me from living out my life. I began seeing a Neuro about a month ago when the frequency of these headaches increased. I was given a few different Migraine medicines (Maxalt for example) and nothing seemed to really work, yes they did ease the pain but the pain always comes back. Today I was given Amrix which is a muscle relaxor because I do feel a lot of tightness in the back of my head. I took one about an hour ago and the pain is still there. I am getting an MRI next week. I'm a little scared. If the CT Scan was negative 6 months ago, do you think within 6 months I could have developed a tumor or anuryesm? I don't know what else to do to get rid of this pain.

Thank you.
ps: I am on a birth control pill that I've been on for years, also taking a One-A-Day Vitamin, a B12 and a Magnesium Vitamin too
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replied November 6th, 2008
Extremely eHealthy
Was nausea the only symptom that week after returning from vacation?
Does this pain begin in the neck and then spread upwards?
Are you experiencing pain in the scalp, forehead, and behind the eyes, too?
Do you find your scalp painful on touch, and, your eyes especially sensitive to light?
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replied November 7th, 2008
MandMs, thank you for responding.
Yes nausea is the only symptom, and I've been experiencing episodes of nausea on and off since then. Usually the nausea lasts a few days to a week. And when I'm nauseous, I don't have a headache. The pain is ALWAYS in the lower back part of my skull and the pressure feeling is usually spread across the back of my head. No scalp pain so much, nothing in the front of the head at all. Scalp doesn't hurt to touch, sometimes when I touch it I feel like I'm burning. No eye sensitivity either. I took a muscle relaxor last night (it's a 24 hour pill) and I'm actualy feeling alot better but not perfect yet ...
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replied December 2nd, 2008
Extremely eHealthy
Headache that is characterized by piercing, throbbing, or electric-shock-like chronic pain in the upper neck, back of the head, and behind the ears, usually on one side of the head, is known as occipital neuralgia.
This type of headache, usually, is misdiagnosed as tension or migraine headache.
Many causes that affect (irritation or injury) the occipital nerves, can lead to experiencing this type of headache (like pinching of the nerves by overly tight neck muscles, frequent lengthy periods of keeping the head in a downward and forward position).

Do you have some other gastrointestinal problems?
Are you taking other drugs along with BC?
Have you been tested for some hormonal problems (diabetes, thyroid gland hormones underproduction)?
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