Headaches After Head Injuries — Post-Traumatic Headaches

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Please remember, we are not able to give medical or legal advice. If you have medical concerns, please consult your doctor. All posted comments are the views and opinions of the poster only.

Following a minor head injury and subsequent concussion 5 weeks ago, I have experienced constant headaches, which worsen towards the end of the day. Unfortunately I am unable to take regular pain relief for any length of time, because of unpleasant side effects. The most effective treatment I have had so far has been cranial osteopathy. The treatment is very subtle, but with an experienced, professional practitioner can be very effective. I would recommend it to anyone who has on-going symptoms.

For all of you with nausea after concussions - I had persistent nausea after a car accident and after 9 months of trying different things, my primary care sent me to a GI specialist who prescribed reglan (for a very short period of time) which stopped the nausea.  Unfortunately, fell and struck my head recently and am having headaches, but try the GI doc if you can.

To the 51 year old who just posted. I'm suffering as well after my boyfriend shook and slapped me violently. Immediately I experienced severe dizziness, ringing in my ears and several hours of nausea and vomiting. It's been over a month and I still have headaches, eye pain and dizziness. Unfortunately I have no insurance and have not seen a doctor but am seriously considering it being I'm not getting better.

I am a 51 year old female.  I was assaulted and landed on my head on pavement.  I blacked out briefly.  I suffered a right parietal hematoma and concussion.  I'm one month out from this injury and these post concussion headaches are constant and make me feel nauseated. It's awful.  I'm scared how long this will last.  My head is still sore.  Going to a concussion specialist Thursday.  My left eye twitches throughout the day, my memory of finding certain words, or like putting chips in the fridge, are just part of my memory problems, I'm tired, get worn out quickly, have trouble sleeping, and have found myself getting off balance.  Lights and noise bother me.  The only thing that takes the pain away are Percocet but I try not to take these unless the pain is severe.   I start with 3 Advil which usually does nothing though.  On top of being very angry from being victimized, I feel so robbed for not being able to do my daily activities that have practically ceased to try and get better.  I love biking,  walking, gardening and golfing and I'm unable to do anything.  I'm reading about these headaches lasting for months!  Ugh!  From my CT scan it showed no fractures and no bleeding either.  Something is very wrong with my brain and the pain is awful.  I just have to lay down because I get so nauseated.  I'm going to reiki, having massages and I think I will try acupuncture next.  So frustrated. 

We are using Botox to manage headaches extending from sub-occipitals over top of head. From cervical and whiplash injuries in car accident. Perhaps Botox would be an option for you?

Peace to all, sorry we are all in this mess. My TBI was back in 2012 but still I have a feeling as if there were a band around my head, and a tightening. The pain and sensitivity on top of my head is still there but not as bad anymore now that the swelling slowly went away after steroids. But that tightening feeling is unbearable. Nothing touches it. Anybody else able to do anything about this? 

Hi I was in car accident on April 27 2015 our car flipped 3 to 4 time I was passenger first flip was on my side I banged my head so many time I was unconscious during the accident went hospital doc said I have concussion MRI and ct was good still dealing with pain dizziness nausea and ringing in the ears feels such pressure on my head my jaw joints makes weird sound too any suggestions my doc said take it easy its gonna take a while to get better

One thing I noticed is that the more I think, use my brain with troubleshooting at work, the worse I feel. I had a fall on May 5, 2015 and I'm still having problems, especially with headaches. I'm still missing hours at work but I have to go so I won't loose my job.

I suffered a concussion after a slip and fall accident 18 months ago. I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We have a post-concussion clinic here that was amazing in helping with my balance/dizziness issues, word finding and cognitive therapy. I also am part of the Headache/Chronic Pain program through Mary Free Bed Hospital. I am SIGNIFICANTLY better than I had been, but I still suffer from headaches daily. They can be mild and ignorable, but can become intolerable. I have a great doctor who totally believes me and works with me, even though progress has been tremendously slow. I know not everyone has access to such services, but see if you have post-concussion specialists in your area. They are used to dealing with things that seem difficult for others to believe. My doctor has me off all pain meds (except when my headaches are really unbearable.) And I just started The Explain Pain program (noigroup.com) I am still experiencing daily headaches 18 months later, but I can tell you it CAN get better. 

About 10 years ago i got hit in the back of my head by a snow boot while sledding. I was pretty shaken up. At that moment everything turned black and i felt like i couldn't hear anything. I quickly got up and went back to the car but i felt lost; i didn't remember where i was and was roaming around until i found my car. I never went to see a doctor and ever since that incident i get frequent sharp head pains on the back of my head where i got hurt. I sometimes forget things i was told or had to do. And i don't have recollection of my childhood. I only remember small things. I have gone to the doctor complaining of my symptoms but she said it was probably a neck problem, which doesn't make sense. I'm sensing its a long term post concussion problem but what do i know. The best advice that i could give is: if u have gotten hit on the head go to the doctor.

I'm 31, and I fainted in the middle of the night trying to use the bathroom, and was very dehydrated.  I woke up on the floor, and suffered a concussion and have not been the same since.  That was Feb 2015.  It's been 4 months.  I had a headache that didn't go away for a month, and I still have double vision.  I've been seeing doctors, but the neurologist said that it just requires brain rest.

My daily headache has gone away, but I still get them, and they can last for days.  All I feel like doing is resting when I have a headache.  My cognitive thought is also impacted.  I feel very weary of taking on any new challenges.  I am expecting my first child.  Honestly, reading these is scaring me a lot.  I realllllly hope I get better.  I'm supposed to be helping my wife, and I'm really struggling here.  I try to pretend to be ok, so that I don't worry her.  I am hoping for the best.

I am a soccer goalie, and when I was in 7th grade I played for my schools team. One game I was kneed in the head by an opponent as I dove for the ball. I'm not the type of person to show my emotions or to quit, so I kept playing for about 1-2 more minutes. I finally told my coach to take me out of the game once I couldn't see straight anymore and I burst into tears on the bench. It felt like someone was squeezing my head in their fist. After I went to the ER it was determined to be only a mild concussion and after just about a week I was cleared. Then I also played on the same team my 8th grade year and yet again took multiple hits to the head including getting hit in the back of the head when I turned around to get another ball during practice. This caused me to move forward as I went to pick up the other ball and I smashed my head on the goal post. At first I didn't suspect a concussion, but after about a week, I became suspicious when I got a 75 on a vocab test (I usually get between 90-100) I also came home from school almost everyday and took 3-4 hour naps. When I went to the doctor this time I was told to take a week off of school to rest my brain. After I took this week, I began going to a concussion specialist who gave my school a list of accommodations for me. Luckily I had taken a baseline test before the concussion and when I took it again to compare it, my results had dropped by over 60%, my balancing test also came in way below average. This concussion began in mid October and I have seen the concussion specialist every 2 weeks since then and now it is May and I still have barely shown any improvement. Also during January and February I did all of my school work from my house due to my unique situation. FYI I'm a 13(at the time of the concussion)-14(since January) year old girl who plays soccer, basketball, lacrosse, field hockey, and has a black belt in karate. I am also a straight a student (until my second concussion)

i got knocked out about 9months ago while practicing for fast pitch softball and i went to the doctor and she said it was normal but its been 9 months and the seem to be getting worse always keeping my light headed and dizzy

I fell early this week, and I know exactly how you feel. This post-traumatic headaches/pains are tough to bear. There must be something the Drs can do to help us.

I had a horseback riding accident at the end of January where I cracked my head on a dirt road, had to get 11 staples in the back of my head, was diagnosed with concussion, etc...  CT at the ER was negative.  Typical post-injury headaches, neck strain, and healing of the fairly large wound.  Now 3-4 months out, the headaches aren't as bad, but pretty much any physical activity makes them worse... especially anything jarring such as running, horseback riding (which I do ALL the time), etc...  After limiting myself for quite a while, I just reached a point where I was tired of sitting around and decided I'd rather be active with a headache than be a lump with a less-intense headache.  The bizarre thing is that my ears and face often feel full, my ears crackle, I move my jaw around to try to make them pop (like pressure-related in an airplane), and it's just a very weird headache.  I wondered if all of this was exacerbated by seasonal allergies so I tried meds for that, and nope.  I wondered if it was a sinus thing so I've tried meds for that and no change.  Last time I talked to my doctor about the headaches he said that it just takes time to heal from a concussion.  The ear thing though is pretty annoying, and I find that I have a harder time hearing with background noise.  I am not letting this impact my life in that I'm still doing things, but it is definitely at a price.

My Son is 18. He had a head injury at high school 3 years ago. He has what we call 'turns' at least 2 times a day, where in his words 'it feels like someone has hit me in the back of my head with a baseball bat, and my eyes go black, and my legs go weak'. Also, he has short term memory loss, anxiety, depression, and anti social disorder. Also his maturity has reversed to a cheeky 10 yr old. A specialist told us he has post concessional complicated migraines, that there is no cure, and that he will have them for the rest of his life. We were also told that it is these 'turns' that have created the memory loss ( a 10 year window).  Reading this article, it describes my son to a tee. We were told my son is one of the very few unlucky ones that have this for life. What percentage is that? 

My injury occurred in 1990 when I was 20 years old. My early 20s were past in a blur of vagueness and pour concentration. I always felt so pleased not to have suffered more pain considering the severity of the head injury. I have understood from what I read over the years that I had a fairly major injury, cracking the skull from the forehead to the crown. The x-rays are hard to believe. Although I had little direct physical pain, I did have huge problems managing emotionally and blamed everything on pre-menstrual tension. I would be feeling fine then feel my mood sink into a dark spiral, be overwhelmed with light and sound and feel a physical fragility that wasn't so much pain as hyper-sensitivity. I would cry basically for 3 days, barely able to sleep sometimes, other times unable to wake up. Then I would feel a head ache come on and I remember the relief of the dark mood lifting. After another 6 or 7 hours it was all over, my puffy eyes would go down, my period would start a day later and I could return to a normal life for 3 weeks until the next one. It was only at the end of my 30s that I realized that this was probably my version of a migraine. It was obviously triggered by my menstrual cycle and has eased with menopause which came on in my mid 30s. (Which I was fascinated to realize is frequent after head injuries). I read through the stories here and am so sad to learn of damaged lives and reflect on my own. At least there is some understanding developing through these shared stories. I felt very alone and ashamed and frightened to be excluded from opportunities. I hope my story can help others. 

I am glad that people have made their comments. If is helping me decide on my next move. A little over a year ago, I had two accidents in a row. I went down a death hill on a slide and ended up with a severe concussion and then the next month I fell on the ice and fractured my spine; taking me out for many months. I was heavily medicated and I am not one to be on medications. Not only that...they actually did not work and caused me to become really depressed. Like I said, it has been over a year and I took myself off all medication except over the counter meds. My vision and hearing sensitivity has heightened as well as my neck, hip, and back pain. It affects life tremendously and I am lost in what I should do since my neurologist has no clue on what to do for me and has basically admitted that. Anyways, I think I may ask for a neck for because they only did an mri of my brain. If anyone has ideas for me please write back.

Recommend getting checked for herniated discs in neck. I had continual strain in neck after mva . Had acdf done.feel much better.

This is a very good site.  About 12 years ago, I was riding my bike up on a ramp that was about 3 feet high.  The bicycle stop at the very top and it and myself fell about 6 feet to the ground in which I hit the top of my head on the ground and my head did a very quick turn to the left.  I thought I was paralyzed but wasn't.  Since then I have had headaches mainly when I sit longer than 10-15mins.  It usually starts a an ache in the right side of the neck, then spreads to the whole right side of the head.  the left side is ok.  Advill doesn't seem to work much these days.  Muscle Relaxers help but I don't want to get used to those.  The only thing that helps me not to have a headache is when I'm walking.....all the time.  I've learned to lay down at home or if I sit will usually get a headache that starts as an ache deep in the right side of the neck.  Does anyone have this?  I'm thinking I must have pulled some things deep inside my neck on the right side.  I think it was like a wip like injury.  Can email me at jmfancy@eastlink.sc

~~One user comment was “What works?”; everyone has same symptoms and you just end up repeating it in threads. i agree
2 years since auto accident, Post traumatic, concussion was moderate, disc’s in next and back. Dizziness, double vision,  headaches back of head & pressure. Back\neck spikes of pain typical symptoms. memory problems, interpretting Blah blah
This is what has worked for me, in the same order treatment received. All doctor and rehab was\is under worker compensation care. Not all WC carriers are awful – I have qual-lynx and seemed to have lucked out.
Neurologist: first treating doctor; ordered MRI – MRA – CT Scan. Pain meds vicoden. Flexeril for tightness. Pain meds – I am careful to take only on bad days now. It has been 2 years. I found out quickly – they do not work after a few days, try to space them out to decrease your dependency. Flexeril short term work – ok. Long term not so much. I now take them at night when I’m really tight or muscle spasm. They help me in this manner. Also referred me to Kessler Rehab, for vestibular, head, neck\back problems. Dismissed after 6 months and referred to an Otoneurlogist and pain management. * need to mention first Rehab place(Concerta) put me on treadmill and I blacked out. Worst thing to make a vestibular – brain concussion person is treadmill exercise.
Prolonged dizziness - Otoneurolgist , specialize in vestibular functions gone awry. More PT and meds, meclizine and a few others. Some people have success The meds did not really help me. The PT for vestibular helped me more. I still get bouts of dizziness and am not aware I am going balance. That requires a ton of focus and sometimes I dunno I just blank out.
Neurobehavioral Science – Unfortunately I did not go here sooner. Like article stated; put me on amitriptyline first visit (30 mg – low dose). Also had me goto cognitive therapy.
Basically said after one year this is as good as your gonna get. Not much improvement after that. I like his honesty. So I will say – seek physical therapy and cognitive therapy as soon as a physician thinks you kan handle it. Maybe offset some memory loss and functional.  I have really bad pressure and pain in back of my head. It increases through the day – some days are tolerable some forget about it. I debate a gun. The amitriptyline helped me with the pressure in the back of my head. I still have the pressure but symptoms have decreased. This has helped me not take the oxy or hydro for 8 days consecutive. That is a big stretch for me – max before was about 4 to 5 days. Also Days of having to take more than one has diminished.
Reason I searched for this topic: I ran out of the amitriptyline. I thought my prescription was on auto refill. First day without, I really did not notice a difference. Second and third day wow, the back of my head was killing me. So I missed 3 doses; point is I did not really notice it was helping until I was off. I am back on now one day, head pressure and pain decreased very slightly.
Cognitive therapy – basic terms – evaluates your memory, mental status, cognitive functions? Someone needs to explain this better. Anyway, PT is talking to someone, getting a diagnosis and brain challenges. My diagnosis was agitated depression, focus – meaning visual cognitive problems.
Trust me some of those puzzles are ridiculous. My head hurts afterwards. Again someone more knowledgeable needs to do a paragraph or two on cognitive therapy.
If you read some typo’s or my way of putting stuff out there is off the wall sometimes. Forgive me but that is the way my head is now.
I’m fading now and I hope this helps someone. nybraslxv@live.com

http://www.americanheadachesociety.org/assets/1/7/Alan_Finkel_-_Concussion_and_PTH.pdf

http://www.nucleuscatalog.com/view-item?vendorID=MON12

This may help with the knowledge base.

Hi my husband was involved in an accident had a lil bleeding to head an a lil fracture to the base of skull how serious is that he is getting bad headache what should I do

I am 30 yr old male.I got hit at t'he side of my head 3 months by a man.i treated t'he wound but now,av started having mild headache,lack of concantration and mild fever.what is the problem?

My 11 year old got hit in the head 11 months ago he now gets really severe headaches and blinks uncontrollably.

When I was 9 I had a concussion at school. I was in the classroom and was swinging between two chairs. My feet went out from under me and I fell to the floor, striking the back of my head. I must have blacked out, I don't remember how long I was lying there. When I opened my eyes, I couldn't see. It was like a lightbulb was right in my eyes. Right when I tried to get back up, I felt horrid pains like my skin was being continually unzipped and rezipped from the top of my skull to my toes every 2 seconds. These shooting, burning nerve shocks continued for what must have been 15 minutes. It felt like my bones were going to crack and my eyes were going to rocket out of my skull, the pain was so bad. It was as if my body was being sewn to the floor, with millions of little pin pricks occurring with every electric shock. My teacher did not know that this happened. She was a polio victim and could not have gotten up to help me without crutches. I lay on the floor, with classmates walking past and looking at me strangely but not asking if I was ok. No one helped me. I stayed on the floor, not able to move or speak for about an hour. I closed my eyes because the light hurt so bad. Finally, I rolled onto my side because I remembered my mother telling me that you should do that if you find someone unconscious, and I nearly vomited from the pain. I was the last one in the classroom. I sat up and put my bookbag on, and I felt dizzy. I stumbled out the door, my head pounding. I think that I almost missed the school bus home. I fell asleep on the bus and the driver had to yell at me to get me to respond so that I didn't miss my stop. When I got inside the house, I wanted to go take a nap. I fell asleep and missed the bus the next morning. I failed my math test that same day and could not tell my teacher the capitals of different countries, even though I had won the geography bee the previous year. From that day on, I have not been able to comprehend math problems without intensive tutoring and I have suffered severe attention deficit disorder and dyslexia along with migraines, arrhythmias, and nerve pain. However, I overcame these issues to some degree, obtaining two high school diplomas and retaining a 4.0 my first year of college. I suffered three additional concussions in high school and college from high velocity equipment impact and falling on my head during acrobatic partner work in dance. Now that I am studying athletic and orthopedic medicine, I realize that I suffered both coup and contrecoup injuries on different occasions. I suffered impacts to the occiput, parietal and temporal bones, C1, and C2. I also suffered some temporary anterograde amnesia. With the third concussion, I suffered retrograde amnesia just before exams. The ATC at my high school conducted IMPACT testing with me. I scored very poorly and I had to be given extra tutoring in order to get me up to speed so that I could pass my exams. I have severe sleep cycle disturbances.I'm considered a "night owl". In high school, I would not sleep for 5 or 6 days, then want to sleep for the entire weekend. But I could not, because I had to travel for competitions. I fell asleep in class, in the middle of lunch, at rehearsals, in the car, everywhere. I was not narcoleptic, just unable to sleep at a normal time. I had to put myself on a sleep regimen to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every day. I had to take melatonin and muscle relaxers, and I still have trouble getting to sleep and waking up in the morning. Sometimes I fall asleep at 4am and wake up continually during the night. In high school, I had to do annotations for 27 books over the course of 2 years, and it was very hard to focus without getting a headache. Where my colleagues finished theirs in one week, it would take me two or 3 months to complete half the book. I nearly failed English my Senior year because of this. It is very bad to focus so hard under so much pressure after a concussion, as this delays healing. I also realize that the neurological degradation that occurs with a concussion is not easily repaired by the body. Where I used to have a photographic memory, I have terrible short term memory and cannot remember people's names day to day. I worry about my continuing education and my future career. I sometimes get giddy and irritable for no reason at all even after a full night's sleep. I wish that more care had been taken to diagnose my injuries before it was too late. So now I manage the 2 migraines I get every month like clockwork through use of acetaminophen, paracetamol, and ibuprofen along with a dark room and no noise. And lots of sleep. It is hard to manage life after 4 concussions. I feel like a less responsible adult. I did not get my drivers license until age 20 because it was so difficult to learn how to drive, although I started when I was 15, before my 2nd concussion. And you can see how I have written a rambling, disorganized piece here. All of this is evidence of post-concussion syndrome.

Sadly I was t boned in a car accident at he age of 14 where I was flung to the floor board knocked unconscious and from my waist down was submerged under motor...I suffered many back aches and headaches including tendinitis in knees and elbows....sadly I again a month later similar car was rear ended by drunk diver on way home from a dance ....only suffered mild injuries from dash board. Then lastly following 6 months later in same type of car I got into a head on collision and impact speed of 130mph my seat belt came out of holster and flew into windshield suffering yet another concussion and lacerations...this all said I truly am feeling nuts and I don't ride in Pontiac sun birds anymore they seem to be my death .....so along with this at age 15 I had a dolly that someone was holding when I threw pop in it she let go unexpectedly and it yet again hit me on head sending me to hospital. Oddly I think I'm lucky in a sense as I've gone one to become a nurse practitioner but at times I feel so ridiculous as I feel.off and not myself despite medications...frustrated too bc I think of the worst thing like a tumor bc of pain from headaches....doctors think I'm nuts for past few years and it's so annoying. Glad I'm not the only one who has had issues.

My sons and i have all had head injuries in UK. I read that in New Zealand they monitor head injuries for 12 years. This is not happening in UK. You can get acquired dyslexia after a head injury. Find a tutor trained at Helen Arkell Centre near Farnham, Surrey, where they are trained in the medical facts too, and for helping adults. CBIT also helpful, for children. My headaches get diabolical ~ I even thought of going into a quiet monastery. You've got to have a place of sanctuary to go to.

Please see an upper cervical chiropractor, you msy have an atlas subluxation or c1 vertebrae subluxation. Very easily fixed but only by a upper cervical chiropractor. Doctors dont know what to do. Its probally your answer. Please go.

Four years to the day that I was accidentally hit in the back of my head with a tray of food. It took six months of seeing doctors to get a diagnosis for occipital nerve damage and a mild traumatic brain injury. I have experienced unrelenting pain in my head and the rest of my body which increases with daily activity. I have no quality of life. The doctors have been bought out by insurance companies and big pharma.  As Plato says " The cure of many diseases is unknown to physicians because they are ignorant of the whole. For the part can never be well unless the whole is well." These doctors are not trained to cure anything. Being specialized dumbed them down because they only know their part, not how it relates to the rest of your body. The medical system is not designed to validate your illnesses, this would cost the Social Security System too much money in payouts. Insurance companies would have to cover these injuries and their goal is to deny responsibility for them, what better way to do this than to make it difficult to prove their existence. There is no wonder the US ranks first in medical cost but thirty something in medical quality. I will pray to God for healing and the knowledge to eat the right foods and herbs to recover my health.

We have the same symptoms, the only difference is I have been dealing with this fir 14 years. I have spent 1000s $ and no resolve. What I do find is helpful is relaxing , stress free , pure coconut oil and my favorite foot massage along with spinal and cranial pressure release. Want to talk further. jaws1275@gmail.com

I had a head injury were i was knocked out since then i keep getting severe neck pain that shoots straight up the back of my head and feels like pressure in my crown of my head it lasts for days and sometimes when i move my neck i get what feels like an electric shock through my skull, on top of all this i now get vocal cord dysfunction which scares the life out of me , my head trauma was April it's now October 2014 and symptoms are worse nobody understands that when i get these feelings it's as though i'm not in control and i get an almost death like feeling it's horrendous but Walton Centre In Liverpool UK did MRI & CT scans and say apart from slight compression of vertebra and possible nerve entrapment that there is nothing they can see wrong i'm at the point of giving up as the pain and symptoms are unbearable and i'm getting no help.

Billy King, Crosby, Liverpool UK williamwindsor@ymail.com

I completely understand ! I'm 9 months out and I'm on a prescription (Vimovo) and the Tylenol but you need to figure out the point that it is slightly to much and stop! It was EXTREMLY hard for me as I hardly sit! You must listen to your body mostly your head! It tAkes time and it's EXTREMLY frustrating

I have been suffering from PCS for eight months now.  I have been unable to work for any consistent time period and mostly everything I did prior to the accident causes my symptoms to flare again.   I had good results from a week at the Carrick Brain Center in Atlanta.  I cannot say it was an immediate fix but many of my symptoms have subsided; confusion, nausea, brain zaps and concentration has improved some.  My life has become very quiet now to avoid symptoms but I'm starting back to work part time next week and am concerned about it.  The headaches seem to be the most significant lingering symptom at this point and can be triggered by almost any "normal" activity.  Massage, Acupuncture has helped some but does anyone suggest an over the counter med that is helpful?  Motrin seems to help more than Tylenol and I wondered if others had similar experience.  Also have any of you been prescribed Relplax for the killer migraine-like headaches?

I have used Zipsor 25mg for the pain in my head from TBI. It is very helpful. The medicine is very new and my neurologist prescribed it for me. Hopefully it will help you too! God Bless!

Hi, had my first head injury when i was 2 years old, cracking my head on a door frame. Had 10 stitches and sent home. My second was traffic accident on a motor bike, which after returning from hospital 3 months later, i began to suffer with headaches. Doctors gave me tablets but never worked. I found that pain relief worked better if i took 3 tablets at a time, and most days i would take 3200mg of pain relief a day. Third accident i was a passenger and i was alseep on the back seat when the car was side impacted and my head and neck took the full force. I was knocked out again. Patched up and sent on my way without any MRI done. The final accident was a racing accident where i was thrown into the air and landed upside down on my head, i felt fine and got up and drove home. Over the pass 30 years i have suffered with headaches everyday and doctors advise over the phone is take a pill. Since my accidents life has gone down hill, i tend to stay in doors, cant stand bright light or noise, emotions are up and down, pins and needles in both arms, poor sight with blurry vision and now told i have dyslexia. Doctors will not give me the answers i want or the MRI scans i need. I am now off medication due to the size of dose i need because doctors have warned my liver will fail, so can any one give me an answer, because this has lowered my self esteem and well to live.

I was in a highway accident in 1993.  I had some injuries and suffered a blow to my head.  I have had chronic head pains and headaches since then. 24 hours a day every day. Always ...always always. I also get dizzy spells and have trouble concentrating.  Before my accident I took the odd aspirin or Tylenol for headaches.

A month after my accident, my leg, face and arm healed up, but my head pains and headaches continued.  My first doctor told me it was Psychological pain due to depression.  The idiot did not believe me.  Eventually, I found a doctor that was willing to listen to my complaints.  Over the years I saw many specialists and sadly, most did not believe that I had head trauma. 

I take painkillers everyday,..mostly to give me mild relief fro a few hours here or there. I have tried marijuana but it only helps a bit.  Basically, all the cures are like small band-aids. The worst of pains are the nerve burning I get. It is always there but can get really bad.

Gee,.. I can go on about losing my job as a teacher and other part time work. With the support of my wonderful wife and kids,.. I was able to keep my family together.

So,..yeah life goes on and with my health,,I tend to not go out much and have become reclusive.

Anyway,..I went to head injury group meetings and I think my injuries are NOT rare as the article suggests. I have met a lot of people like me.  I really think most doctors think this is rare because they do not believe it can happen. 

To survive you must adjust and find new hobbies to keep busy. I used to swim and bike a lot. I do none of that now - too painful.  I collect stamps now and read and do internet. 

I usually take my meds before I go out in public to try and "mask" my headpains. You can be real angry when you are in pain, so the meds help to adjust my mood for a few hours here and there.

so yeah you carry on. Focus on something to not think of pain.  I have two cats and they help.

take care and thanks for reading,... I hope this helps someone else like me. 

Hi last year in 2013 i suffer a head injury at work it was nothing serious. I was bending down and came up and bumped my head. Ever since that i cant go to the gym or do anything active, because i get a mild headache and some times even nauseous. My doctor put me on stages of pills but they seem like they are not working. Please is anyone have any advise let me know. I want to have a normal week with out headaches!! Thank you Suriel04@gmail.com

Hy I had a head injury 3 days ago but i am facing severe headache in my back portion of my head whereas the injury is on front and i didnt even fall back after the injury. May i know the reason behind that.

The article was very helpful, but after reading it, I can't help but feel a little discouraged. In April of 2014 I was involved in a high speed, head on collision with a truck. Multiple skull fractures, (including a serious basilar skull fracture.) Since the accident, my headaches seem to be getting worse, as the months pass. I thought they would get better. Apparently not. I've been to a host of specialists, and like many people here, they throw medication at me, (including serious pain medication).  Long term though, the medication is not an answer. 

My name is Ryan. Just over a year ago we almost lost my dad. He fell at work and hit his head twice. He ended up having a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain, a bruised brain. The last few months hes been getting at least one headache every day. Some worse than others. On top of that he has a very short temper that he never had. Both my parents are in their 70s. Other than the headache and temper my dad is in great health. He has started smoking again about 6 months ago. His family dr just seems to be tossing pills at the problem. His first few visits to his family dr she failed to believe he had a fractured skull. Can we expect his headache to get worse? is their anything he can do to make things better?

So, I'm not crazy - as I've been made to feel. No one "gets"my pain and the accompanying symptoms like memory loss, cognitive processing, anxiety, exhaustion, or the plain fact that chronic pain is DEPRESSING. Nutshell - worker's comp. is like any insurance company that will deny claims or continued treatment. My best interest is NOT their concern. You have to battle - which is not so easy when you are exhausted from constant pain. I was assaulted by a student in Feb. 2014 - punched in face by a troubled kid - I was standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. I've had a constant headache since then that never fully goes away and fluctuates without warning from mild to moderate, severe, and migraine. The occupational doctors office used by my school district gave me pain meds and sent me home. I called my chiropractor the same day who took much more detailed x-rays that showed a tendon stretched to the point that I could barely hold my head up. The tendon also had a small tear. My injury was "whiplash" equivent to being hit by a car going 40mph. I was out of work the rest of the semester until the last 2 weeks of school - during which I went home early one day in pain and was absent another day due to severity of pain. I wore a TENS unit to barely survive the other days. We finally got an MRI approved which showed bulging discs. I now have approval to see a neurologist because of headaches, memory, and cognitive functioning problems. It has been a constant battle with workman's compensation. They decided if I"wasn't better by now then I probably wasn't going to get better." I have had appealed this decision several times and each time was approved for continued coverage of treatment. However, each appeal process took 3 to 6 weeks to be approved. In the meantime I was not receiving ANY kind of treatment. I offered to doctors to pay for my treatment with my regular insurance but was told that would result in a battle of denial to pay between worker's comp. and health insurance. My entire existence has been affected by this injury. I am so frustrated trying to find care/treatment that will return me to my normal life.

I had an accident at work January 31, 2012, where I was struck in the head by a free standing shelf unit. A year and a half after that, they found a tumor. The tumor was removed. Now going on two and a half years and I still have daily headaches. I have gone from being medication free to being on multiple medications and my marriage is suffering.

In December 2013 I had a bad fall at work.  I slipped on snow and broke a rib, put out my neck and hit my head on the ground.  After the diagnosis of concussion almost a month later, our wonderful workers compensation here in Canada denied my injuries.  

It has now been over 7 months, I have received acknowledgement for the concussion but not the headaches.  I have yet to see a specialist as the waiting time here is super long, 1-2 years long.

I cannot believe how disabling MTBI is.  I can't think or read properly; I can't solve problems or figure things out.  I cannot drive anymore because of the headaches and sometimes I stumble because I cannot get my balance.

I do hope everyone here can imagine how nice it must be to have a day without headaches, stumbling, irritability, and actually being able to understand what's going on in a conversation.

I do hope we all can get the individualized treatments we need and the coping skills to deal with what we cannot recover from.  I know this sounds stupid only 7 months after my accident, but without any actual treatment regiments so far, I'm not very optimistic I will recover.

My 6 year old daughter fell head first about 3weeks ago off a seating area at bus station smacked her head and face her face looked a mess gets to hospital they glued her wound said nose was broken sent her home next day we was back she was being sick and dizzy and was unsteady on her feet they done a C.T scan was clear put it down to concussion sent her home next day she has not been herself since still suffers head aches has a messed up sleep pattern and has change in her behaviour and appetite but because there was no bleed to brain said it was concussion will be ok in few days reading this artical makes more sense then these hospital staff .

One could translate your opening paragraphs like this: People with headaches after concussion are difficult to understand and treat. Doctors and insurance companies have set limits on the amounts of time, energy, commitment, and resources, they are willing to share with those of us who have such a problem after a "mild" head injury. "Mild" being the term they use when they do not see a bleed on the CT Scan or MRI. "Mild concussion" being that condition they send you home from the ER without treating in any way, shape or form, also recommending that you not return to hospital if you get large swellings the night/day after. "Why don't you call your primary care doctor" the ER nurse told me, and in my morphine state, with head pounding and pounding so that I felt as if I was being tortured: mild concussion is what I not have, and THAT doesn't qualify for much of anything. What we are left with is horrible ongoing pain, loss of some abilities, and in my case speech problems.

Readers would be much better served here if you would report on the latest treatments offered that do work, and just stop endlessly talking about a problem that is only "identified" as such because of the poor quality of US ERs.

I just suffered a concussion after a car accident. I was diagnosed with post concussion syndrome. I had a seizure three days after the accident. Lately, I have had such bad headaches I can't function. Worse than any migraine i've ever had before. I have trouble concentrating and any computer time more than 20 minutes will  give me a headache. I am a teacher and worry about functioning when school starts. I had a normal EEG but I am def. not feeling normal.

My wife had an accident in Dec 2013 in which her left side of the brain was hit by the car roof. We had done MRI (brain) and MRI ( curvical spine )but the reports were normal. She is having severe headache in left side of the brain and sometimes it increases to the whole brain from dec 2013 only. The pain is not permanent in nature. Doctors have referred this as post  traumatic effect. Please advice if you have any better option to cure it at the below mentioned email id. I would really be grateful to you.

Regards,

Harsh Sinha

E mail - harsh_sinha20@yahoo.com

Almost 5 years since my concussion. CAT and MRI showed no fractures or bleeding, but certainly have suffered damage.  Mostly recovered in the first year from visual disturbances and pain, constant headache, nausea, light sensitivity, memory loss, and trouble walking when swelling started again. Went from being a speed reader to learning to read in straight lines and build up to normal speed, could only read 3 lines of email in a sitting, could only read a 4th grade chapter book in 6 weeks. Used computer-based word games and pattern games to retrain my brain, used Webkinz children's games and it took weeks to become proficient at each game. After two years, still had trouble with short-term memory, focus, visual disturbance and frequent migraines. At almost 5 years - still cannot tolerate movement of screen, flashing lights, moving games, TV or video of any kind. Five seconds of a movie gives me instant migraine and vomiting, like the worst carsickness and flu mixed together and I just have to go to bed with ice packs and lay very still and sleep. I can do so much more now, but wish there were more resources to help. Newest technology can find microscopic tears, exact place of damage, etc... but there is still no treatment for those finds yet. All I want is one that helps.

Four months ago I was with my son who was babysitting a one hundred and fourth lb two year old very gentle boxer mix. We were on a walk and my son decided to run into the store. While I held onto the pups leash he saw my son through the store's window. I was sitting on the window ledge and suddenly I was twisted and tangled into his leash. He ran to the store door to greet my son as he exited and I was still holding the leash. He pulled me so hard and I was still tangled that I fell straight down on my face. I cut over my eye and my knewws. I had a very large lump on my eyelid, with a lot of bruising. Its four months later and I feel sick everyday, with nausea, dizzyness and when I go outside my other eye sees like a white glare. I did have a CAT Scan, which CME back normal. But I know everythingy isn't normal what do I do?

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