deep head pain when sneezing, bending over

[matt916]

I'm about 9 months post op via translab for a 2cm AN and up till now I've been problem free.  About 2 weeks ago I had a couple violent sneezes that set off a sharp pain in my head localized to surgery sight.  I had a thorbbing head ache for 4-5 days after and since then every time I strain at all or bend over the pressure and pain is pretty intense.  It subsides after a few seconds, but no doubt I feel different than I did before.  No nasal dripping that I can tell, but the cruddy taste in my mouth on surgery side is back as well.  This came back almost the same time as the pain.  Any one have some insight on this one? 

[Raydean]

Matt

I can't offer any insight, but  given the changes that you describe it would probably be best if you contacted your Doctor and ran this by him/her.  Always better to error on the side of caution.
Hopefully someone else can offer insight.

best to you
Raydean

[Gennysmom]

I'd agree with Raydean....let your doctor know of the changes.  That's good that there's no dripping, but if this isn't subsiding any your doctor will want to know.  Not that I know what it is, but I'd want to have it checked. 

[Rc Moser]

I agree go see your doctor. I feel similar pain but not as severe as you described. I also can move my head a certain way and get the pain. In my Case (IMC) I think it the skin moving over the nerves where the hole is in the head setting them off. But, I wouldn't take a chance if it could be remotely related to a spinal fluid leak you run a higher risk of get spinal meningitis. why take a chance!?!

[amymeri]

I agree a trip to the surgeon and maybe a CT is in order.  I had a friend on another board who sneezed and 2 screws came out and he had an infection...all this 2 years after surgery!  He is totally fine, now, but you never know if you knocked something loose or not and you will worry until you get the all clear from the doc.

Amy

[Janet]

I've had that kind of pain since 2 weeks post-op for a couple of years now. It can last up to 20 minutes of severe pain but other times is lasts seconds. It is triggered by movement like sneezing or bending my head over. The worst position would be to reach under a table to pick something up off the floor or washing my hair in a sink. I take some medication that helps but I still don't know what the cause is. It feels like my head isn't on right! Keep us posted as to what your doctor thinks is causing it. I hope it resolves for you soon.

Janet

[matt916]

Thanks for the input, I better go get it checked out.  I was hoping to avoid that place until my 1 year! 

Janet - does your pain seem more "intracranial/deep" or more superficial?  Mine is definetly a deep pain and feels mostly isolated to where my mastoid bone was. 
The washing your hair in the sink analogy hit it right on the mark though.  Ouch.

[Janet]

Matt,

I can pin point where the pain is originating from. It is deep intracrainial where I imagine the top of the cervical spine meets the cranium. My gut feeling is that the pain is coming from that joint. It radiates down the neck and to the shoulder and sometimes to the jaw. It is only on one side.

Janet

[matt916]

Saw my doc and he was concerned about possible CSF leak.  He used the terminology of possibly "trapped air" from a lead causing the pain.  MRI revealed nothing and since I had been feeling better, he didn't seem to concerned.  Of course the day after I started getting lots of pain while working around the house particuarly every time I bend over.  Might just be one of these things that I have to work through.

[staypoz]

Good that you saw the doctor.  You should read the ANA's book on headaches.  Sneezing and coughing used to send me to bed, but they rarely trigger head pain for me anymore.  Bending over can be a problem for me too, but not always.  l   

Good luck and hope the pain eases. 

staypoz

[Kilroy1976]

I'm glad your doctor isn't concerned. It's probably worth keeping an eye on though, and you should definitely keep him informed.

Sneezes are "funny" things sometimes. When I was in high school, a sneeze sent me to the chiropractor for several years. Every so often you'll even see a pro athlete go on the DL because they hurt themselves sneezing. Who knows what they can do to brain nerves, but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a study come out linking hard sneezes with brain-nerve-pain.

[Patti UT]

Matt , like the other posters, get yourself back in to the doc. Better to get it checked out.

I have a question. You mentioned that there was no nasal drip, etc. At 9 mo post op, is it still possible to have the CFL  flluid leak?
I always thought that was something that they only watched for direcly after surgery and for the frist month or so. I have been having some new problems lately, mostly related to the wonky head and headaches, but I also got a swollen AN side eye, couldn;t close it for several hours, and the nasal drip on the AN side was terrible. My sinus on the AN side has been dry since surgery, even when I cry. No tears, no nasal moisture. But since that weird headach about  about 10 days or so go, my AN side nostril has been running alot. A CFL didn't even enter my mind, at almost 2 yrs post op, I didn;t think it was possible.

Any comments anyone??

patti UT

[rntiggergirl]

Patti UT,

I had a CSF Leak discovered 9 months after my last surgery.  Is the fluid salty tasting down the back of your throat? does clear liquid come out only the AN side of your nose? You should have this check out because this can happen.  You may need to be pushy to get them to look into a CSF leak because it is rare.  I also had increased headaches and wonky head.  I have had 2 surgeries to try and close the leak, hopefully this one will work, because I just can't have any more surgeries.  (This make 5 in the past 3 1/2yrs for my AN). I go to the House Ear Clinic and they have been wonderful, My doctor (Jose Fayad) has worked with me and supported me thru all of my trials, not once making me feel that it was all in my head (haha).  He has been the best doctor I could ever have dreamed of having thru all of this.  He is not one of the big names at House but he is very good, very compasionate, and wil see you thru to the end. (ok I got a little off subject there, mind tends to wander in it own direction at times these days).  I also will be returning to work next monday (for the 3rd time since my original AN surgery, new job this time), I am excited and scared!!

Cheryl