My Neurosurgeon suggested I go to a Neuro-Opthamologist, because I've had this headache on the back of my head for over a year now. At first I and my neurosurgeon believed the headache might be caused by an arachnoid cyst I have in my fourth ventricle. However, when the cyst remained stable, I believe my neurosurgeon thought to send me elsewhere to look for clues to the origin of the headache.
The headache is different. It mostly appears when I rest my head, or lie down on any surface (the recliner, dentist's chair, massage table, floor mat, you name it.) It's met with immediate pain in the back of my head. I need an extra tiny pillow (thanks Vanessa for making it for me 😊.)
It didn't say on my appointment reminder how long my appointment would last (ten minutes like with the neurosurgeon, 20 like with the neurologist). I researched it the morning of my appointment and found out it was going to last almost THREE hours. I'm certainly not used to that.
My appointment consisted of many different eye tests, with and without my glasses, questions about my health history, (meningitis/hydrocephalus/migraines), and the same neurological tests I've been through thousands of times in my forty-six years. The neuro-opthamologist determined the cause of this specific headache to be Occipital Neuralgia. What?! Apparently it's: "a condition in which the Occipital nerves that run from the top of your spinal cord up through one's scalp are inflamed or injured. The N-O was unable to determine the cause of the inflammation: Was it previous damage due to a lifetime of hydrocephalus, whiplash from one of my car accidents 2013-12014, or just plain anxiety.
He was also unable to tell me anything I could do at home to relieve the pain, which when at its worst runs from my shoulders to my eyebrows. I found a good stretch that helps most of the time. Meanwhile I wait to hear if I need to see a pain specialist, who will inject a nerve-blocking agent in to my occipital nerve(s). Another exciting medical adventure awaits.
Bonus undertaking, I get to see the Neuro-Ophthalmologist yearly from now on.
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