Brain Injury Support Group
Traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating head injury. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. Outcome can be anything from complete recovery to permanent disability or death. A coma can also affect a child's brain.
I know some of you have had migraines pre-TBI, so I'm wondering what the difference is between a Migraine Headache v a Post-Traumatic Headache.
They have me diagnosed as having post-traumatic headaches w/a migraine component.
I get this swelling at the back of my head (occipital blood vessel). And, it was pretty much always the same - swelling pressure against my skull.
But then, this summer, I decided to try to do more - i.e. be more active. And with that, I've started to get an additional component to these headaches. I will get awakened from a dead sleep with the swelling and now with this new pain that feels like someone is taking a drill and drilling through my skull. The pain is located at the same location as where the blood vessel is trapped.
So, is that drilling pain a migraine?
I'm mostly just curious. I guess it doesn't overly matter, but just would like to know.
They have me diagnosed as having post-traumatic headaches w/a migraine component.
I get this swelling at the back of my head (occipital blood vessel). And, it was pretty much always the same - swelling pressure against my skull.
But then, this summer, I decided to try to do more - i.e. be more active. And with that, I've started to get an additional component to these headaches. I will get awakened from a dead sleep with the swelling and now with this new pain that feels like someone is taking a drill and drilling through my skull. The pain is located at the same location as where the blood vessel is trapped.
So, is that drilling pain a migraine?
I'm mostly just curious. I guess it doesn't overly matter, but just would like to know.
I was in the Netherlands in the early 80s and had such awful migraines that I'd sit in my room and cry for hours . ( I was visiting my fiance ( who I didn't marry ) and his family ). It was wet and cold there - I went from Oct to Dec. I swear we had one day only that it didn't rain or drizzle. Once I got home, it was even colder , but there wasn't the constant rain. My doctor here said the headaches "must have been from the combination of the wet and cold". I only had a couple of migraines ( felt drilling , like my brain was going to explode) after coming home.
I have a friend who has something wrong with one of her eyes ( a benign tumor or something) that causes migraines. She says it's a drilling in the back of her head, where the eye problem is. She's a teacher and had to miss the first 3 days of school last month due to a migraine. She also had a spinal tap to "check on the pressure" ; I guess this has something to do with things too. I immediately thought of Carla when you mentioned your headaches coming from the occipital lobe. I know too much running around causes them to come more frequently.for Carla.
As I say, I haven't really had migraines since the trip to the Netherlands. However, since my concussion in '05, I"ve had cluster headaches that last for a few days when they come. They hurt to the point that if I have them in winter, I can't wear a hat.
They seem to be different from the migraines I used to have because with these, one entire side of my face/head aches. I Have found that my diet plays a role in them ( too many sweets cause them, for one thing). My neurologist says they're from the concussion , so they'd be considered tbi headaches.
My question as far as you're concerned is whether "becoming more active" somehow aggravated that nerve that's swollen. I wonder if there's a test for that. (I think of Carla having the spinal tap to check her pressure) .
I assume all I've managed to do is confuse you,, but yes, at least in my case, my "before tbi" headaches were different than the ones I have now. -H.