Scar Tissue Cause Headaches???? (Page 1)

Hey I had a brain aneriysm and 6 months after surgery started having seizures. Dr. Said it was from scarr tissue from the brain healing. I am hoping I will not have to take seizure meds for the rest of my life. Doc said it might heal on its own. Have you heard of this?????

yes i have taken meds for 10 years they said my sezuries were from scar tissue

Princess8561: my neurosurgeon has told me that the cause of my headaches was scar tissue. They had fixed the problem(hydrocephalus) but headaches and pain in head remained. He explained it as such, whenever I became stressed or tired, my neck and shoulder muscles tense and become tight. This in turn pulls on my scar tissue on and in my head which causes me to have headaches. I have had 17 brain surgeries so there is plenty of scar tissue inside my head as well as outside.

One thing that has helped is having physical therapy. It is basically a massage (paid for by insurance) on my shoulder and back muscles. I was taught stretching exercises. If ur dr writes a prescription for it and you take it to a physical therapist then most insurances cover it. I usually went 2-3 x a week for several months. Then I stop until I start to have problems again. Then I repeat it for a few months.

Hope this helps

paula

I've had 2 brain surgries. why did they do so many 2 u? My head it's been 7 seven years since the last one, now my head and neck hurt all the time now. But after having 2 stresfull marriages. It all started right before I walk out of the first one and I stop having seizures after after the I walked out the second one. So i'm saying it's due to stress. My surgeries were elective at U.C. Davis. The 2nd I got the infection! that's when they took part of the bone out of my skull. Now I have the Titanium plate. It started when I was 39 now I'm 52. Yes they found scar tissue on my right frontal lobe. From a car accident or spinal menigitis. jamie

My son had bacterial meningitis at six months of age. He spent a month in the hospital and went home with a pic line and home health care for another month. After he was done they did an MRI and found no sign of damage or scar tissue. The past three weeks my son started having seizures he is now four years old. We went to a neurologist and they did an MRI, EEG, and EKG. The EEG came back mildly abnormal, the MRI came back with scar tissue caused by meningitis. He has been having severe headaches and has been sleeping a lot. The doctor is going to have him repeat the MRI to make sure it is not a mass and then go from there. So I am so lost as to what to do since he had a clean MRI after the meningitis why would something be there now all of a sudden four years later?

my son just had similar test results. mildly abnormal EEG & scar tissue on MRI, was curious how it turned out for your son.

I had brain surgery a year ago and my headaches have only gotten worse. My surgery was anything but invasive. I had a craniotomy and have 3 titanium plates in my head, now I can't get rid of my headaches. Does anyone feel the same?? I guess I need to know there is others out their feeling the same?

I had a craniotomy four years ago for a meningioma and, like you, have dreadful headaches. Where the burr holes were are now sunken 'holes' and the pressure on the scalp where the 'clips' are located are especially sensitive and sore. A recent MRI showed no re- occurence of the tumour or lesions but I believe that there is pressure around the site of the surgery. I sympathise with you as the medical profession often are at a loss to suggest any help other than pain relief. Keep your spirits up.
Spookz

I had a benign brain tumor removed when I was 4, 30 years ago. For the past 10 years or so, I've been getting migraines more and more frequently- in fact, the last 5 years, I've had them chronically, up to 3 times a week. Medicine was working, but has become increasingly ineffective. Last week I saw a naturopath, who told me about scar tissue build up, and worked on my head to loosen the scar tissue and also allow my skull to move more than it can now. So far, I've seen a difference in how my head feels (it's much looser, so it's easier to stop a headache), though I still don't have a good pain killer that will work- I built up a resistance to tylenol years ago, before the new migraine medicines came onto the market. Any ideas?

I have also had a 6 cm. benign tumor removed 3 years ago. Largest one taken out of the head in the hospital I was. Large cut on right side of head. Titanium plate and 4 screws. I have alot of headaches now to where before the surgery I hardly ever had a headache. Now my head hurts so bad sometimes I have to wear earplugs. Especially at work. Been going to neurologist for 3 years because of headaches and partial seizures. Have been a guinea pig for this Doctor (I think) because when I tell him I am still having these migraines he will give me a new medicine to try or raise/lower the meds i already on. Somedays I can hardly work but I trudge on w/ ears PLUGGED! Headache goes all into shoulders and neck. Some say it could be scar tissue hurting. I have never heard of this. Is it true? Help! I am only 41 and feel a headache as i type. I take fiorcet w/ codeine and this seems to do wonders if i can take two at a time. Only allowed 60 per month. So you see it's hard to take 2 at a time when I have headaches 4-5 days a week. I run out of meds before the month is out. Please help!!

I feel for all of you but know nothing to help. Could u try holding the pressure points to kill the pain? Pumping drugs in is so unhealthy for the rest of body. I'd search natural cures and herbs if me.

Maybe plate is too tight and need to give brain more room?

My friend found out he has a tumor in center of brain. Wondered if it was scar tissue or damage from when he fell as a child. He didn't receive med care, at age ten he was in a poor Russian country. I'm thinking his tumor might be where his brain got squashed as a child and never healed. If that is the case operating would probably not be needed, because it will not change--so far his only symptoms was when he felt tingling in his face and a headache now and then. I'm sure he could live with that, whereas the surgery is risky.

When I was 18 months old I died from spinal meningitus for about 3 minutes, when I came to I fell into a coma for about 4 weeks. The doctors said that I would be a vegetable for the rest of my life. I seem to be doing all right now except for the fact that I have really bad headaches and I don't see as well as I should. I am only 26 but my body feels like I am an 80 year old woman. Would my pains and headaches have anything to do with the coma or being pernounced as being dead?

ive had brain surgery about 3 months ago to remove a benign tumour on the right hand side, and ive had no headaches, then all of a sudden i have had a bout of about 10 sezuires and headaches.. please dont tell me i can expect this for the rest of my life?! could these be stress related? considering that i had the tumour removedin jjuly 09 and ive now just started my first year of univeristy...
oh and does anyone know if bumps/ depressions where the piece of skull has been put back in is normal? i was feeling my head the other day and i have loads of depressions.. which scares me a lot, would the piece of skull ever fall in?!
Please reply!

My son has some scar tissue on the back of his brain he's done a an one hour EEG which came up partially abnormal so they did a 24 hour EEG but that came back normal he has had some silent seizures. We did an MRI which they found scaring tissue on the back of his brain more on the left than the right. My son has been diagnosed with ADD has an attention span of a 1 year old and cant really focus on anything he's supposed to do; he's failing just about all his classes in school and not sure what the scaring tissue is from or what exactally is being affected by the scaring tissue. Not sure what step needs to be taken next because I'm not getting any answers to what is really happening with 9 year old son..

Quite good information and discussion,will be helpful for those who are suffering with same problem of headaches,it is also becoming popular in children s rapidly.Thanks.

emma56: I have the same problem, but I had my surgery over a year ago on a benign tumor the size of a baseball that was on my right side. Recently a bump on my scar has been so painful that even if I hit it by accident brushing my hair it will cause extreme pain and give me a headache that will last for days. I cant believe that after a year my scar still hurts and Ive actually had worse headaches than I did before the surgery...for the past year and a half or so I''ve been through therapy, tons of medication, and millions of doctors appointments. Its not the kind of surgery you have and check up once...you will live with it the rest of your life.

I had brain surgery nine years ago. I still have terrible headaches. I have been to the Dr. countless times and now am in therapy. If the back of my head is touched at all i get a serious headache and will sometimes throw up. I am still missing skull. The therapist said that because there is no skull there and the muscles are messed up along with massive amounts of scar tissue, there isn''t anything he can do. I am so tired and depressed all the time because of these headaches. I''m at a loss and don''t know what to do to live a normal life. Advice?

Ravenmissa, I had brain surgery ten years ago to remove a benign tumor,i have heaps of scar tissue on my brain which causes seizures, doctors put me on a drug called Dilantin, which has given me liver damage along with a dozen other side effects, basically if i dont take dilantin, i will have a suizure and maybe die,but if i do take dilantin, the side effects will kill me anyway,either way, i lose....so with this knowledge i have learnt to cope by simply excepting and ignoring.I know that sounds weird, but the more we stress the worse we feel...everyone worries for their health,its normal, but our minds can be our own worst enemy at times.What i do is fill my mind with so much that it doesnt get a chance to worry....read a book watch movies,do as much as you can....it helped ,me,good luck.jessie

my husband has been having debiliating migraines for about 3 weeks. His Dr did an MRI of the brian which did show scar tissue but at least he said there were no signs of Cancer or MS. We have both been so exhausted that we didnt think to ask about the cause of the scar tissue. The Dr gave him a shot of toredol (which helped ) and he prescibed Trximet and prednisone. The headaches are less severe, but he is still in pain (it has only been a few days - but since this has been going on for some time - I am sure it seems like an eternity. Should I try to talk him into seeing a specialist or neurologist ? Any suggestions?
Aside from being worried about the fact that he has brain scarring , I just want him to find something that will make the pain go away for awhile (and preferably something that doesnt involve more meds - since he already has to take stuff like Niasapin, plavix, ramipril.

survived a near drowning incident to only emerge with cognitive impairment and a permanent massive headache. I have determined from my own research that after suffering global neuronal cell death, I essentially had scar tissue surrounding the outside of my brain. it felt like a terrible scratching on the outer rind of my mind. there are also lots of little pops like air bubbles or fluid being compressed when I move my head. there are currently no magic cures for brain injuries nor are there many effective drugs which are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier... but there are several supplements I have found which HELP TREMENDOUSLY. doctors for the most part seem to be pushers, can't focus take this amphetamine for your add, you have pain, take this narcotic. these drugs may temporarily ease your suffering, but you'll surely wind up with a larger problem than your original headache--amphetamines and opiates are non-sustainable drugs. you cannot take them everyday and remain healthy. yet, that was the only help I ever had a single neurologist or psychiatrist offer. this is quack nonsense, and is completely irresponsible of someone you trust claiming to act in your best interest(see hippocratic oath).

things I have found to help(and please do your own background research to verify safety of anything I recommend. I will say that I have found these to be extremely safe, effective, and that I have used them in combination for more than 4 years without a single detrimental side-effect):
MSM - effect on headache: seems to relieve pressure. difficult to explain but my head used to feel like it was being compressed and msm just acted as relief valve and "opened" the cells to let it out. I currently take 2 costco brand glucosamineHcl 1500mg/MSM 1500mg pills 3 times daily. I feel perfectly safe taking this much msm but honestly do not know the consequence of the glucosamine-- this has just been the most economical way for me to get it and have noticed no negative consequence. I chew them to avoid dying of blocked esophagus (horse pills). if pressure buildup is an issue you will notice the effects within minutes. my dad has also noticed easing in his joints when I give them to him.

FISH OIL -- probably the most highly recommended thing I have found. tons of people take this for every ailment in the book, and I now understand why. it has done wonders for my concentration. if you're at all sensitive to your psyche you will notice this one too within ten minutes. I take two enteric coated 1000mg (300mg total omega-3) pills at least three times daily. this may be overkill, I do notice a single pill and would suggest anyone start with just a single pill per dose.

branched-chain amino acids (BCAA 2:1:1 ratio [it's a very typical ratio for these amino acids])-- I don't know that this will have any appreciable effect on your headache, and am a little more wary of general prescription than the others. I do as extensive an amount of research as I can before putting anything in me, and haven't found anything to suggest the possibility of harm. the effect it has is a noticeable umph in brain energy. I take two small spoonfuls (it's in powder form) a day (one with breakfast, one after lunch) and you will notice the effect. physical energy as well. it can be relatively expensive, but I have found a high-grade product through nutrabio.com which lasts about 2.5-3 months (1000 grams for about $50). it's less than a dollar a day anyway. I have found a small spoonful is every bit as effective as a large one, but it is a strange powder and doesn't dissolve in water and can be a chore getting down. I didn't discover this til after a long time on the fish oil and msm so am not sure of it's effects on the actual scar tissue/pain issue. I just know it has an appreciable kick on mental faculty.

B-complex-- again this is more like a cup of coffee than an anti-inflammatory, but have found my mental acuity and brain pain to be inexorably linked. I only take one a day as the dosages of the typical b-complex for b1 and b2 are off the daily recommendation charts (6666% and 1176% respectively). this one too, you will notice and isn't recommended to be taken late at night.

I also take a multi-vitamin and D3 supplement daily as well, though will admit no noticeable affects of these in particular (they just seem like a good idea based on their functions).

If I could recommend just two of the above for the headaches, I would start with the msm and the fish oil. there's been a million safety and efficacy studies and again, they have noticeable effects within minutes. I do not sell or own any stock in any of these supplements, though with as many I take, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea. I am just a guy who for the last ten years has been trying to get his life back and through forums such as this one have gained tiny insights and direction in my path of trial and error. I sincerely hope this info helps someone else as much as it has helped myself.
Carl

jackiebo: If you are still on this forum, I would appreciate an update on your findings/health, if you would be so kind. I suffered a near drowning in 2008, woke up from 6 day coma with 24/7 headaches, fatigue, dizziness, head pain feeling like a pressure always, after suffering klebsiella pneumonia, heart attack, kidney failure, lungs hardened, liver shock, whole body/brain swelling, anoxia, "catastrophic" sugar levels and other issues. I feel lucky to be alive, but find doctors really don't know what to do with me. I tried to return to work but found it overwhelming, couldn't remember my job that I had done for 10 years, and developed PTSD. The drugs prescribed almost all exacerbate my condition and totally wreck my stomach. I've eaten very healthy, and tried some of the same vitamins/supplements you have. The pressure you describe is exactly what I feel, like being off, a huge pressure like a vise, and being off, sometimes feeling movement of pain across my head. Do you have other sites or readings you would recommend? Thank you. Anyone else have similar stories to share, please?

I had a tumor removed 11 years ago and had no problems with head aches. I did my follow up MRI's every other year for awhile and then skipped a couple years. I started to get some numbness in my right foot where I could not keep a flip flop on so I went back to have a Nero Dr. check it out. Well, I just finished up with 2 new tumors being removed and on Nov. 16th and was in Rehab for 9 days total of 16 days in the hospital due to right side paralysis.I have been home now for all most 2 weeks going to physical therapy 3 times a week. So far I have only had 1 bad headache to the point of needing more than tylenol to help. I guess I am very lucky.
I use mental imagery and meditation to help heal and not focus on the pain I feel. I first learned this technique for a L4 L5 back herniation in my back. It really works well.

Ive been having seizures for 2 years now did the eeg 1 hour and the 3 to 4 day eeg,still nothing mri's only thing that was found in mri was damaged scar tissue,they said damaged scar tissue caused from hard hit to the head or concusion. only hard hit to the head that ive had was when i was four i was kicked in the head by a horse, im 26 now started having them 2 years ago. didnt go to the doctor so dnt no if had a concusion or not.can that really happend after 17 years?

Ive been having seizures for 2 years now did the eeg 1 hour and the 3 to 4 day eeg,still nothing mri's only thing that was found in mri was damaged scar tissue,they said damaged scar tissue caused from hard hit to the head or concusion. only hard hit to the head that ive had was when i was four i was kicked in the head by a horse, im 26 now started having them 2 years ago. didnt go to the doctor so dnt no if had a concusion or not.can that really happend after 17 years?