herpes headache

[cranleehansten]

I am 45 years old. I have had canker sores and cold sores occassionally since childhood. I strongly believe my outbreaks are caused from stress.

The past few years, I don't have an outbreak on my lip or mucus membranes, but instead have a debiltating headache that lasts for three days. It is always the same, on one side of my head. It feels like a knife has been inserted under my occipital ridge, goes through my brain and ends behind my eye. It is constant and no pain medicine helps. (if I get a common headache, Excedrine will alieviate it quickly) Even narcotics won't relieve the pain. I will sometimes fall asleep but then awaken with the same pain.

Half of my head is sick when I get this. My scalp feels like it is sunburned and it hurts to brush my hair. My eye feels very dry and tender. My cheek aches, my ear feels like it has an outer ear infection and my teeth ache--all on one side of my head.

Sometimes, the roof of my mouth will get bumpy, like I'm going to get some canker sores but they never break out.

I call this my "herpes headache" because I feel it is the herpes simplex virus acting up in my nerves. I've gone to doctors and they feel it is a tension headache.

I am also a massage therapist and can relieve a common headache through massage and relaxation but this does not touch my "herpes headache".

Does anyone else in this world suffer from these symptoms? Does anyone have suggestions for me? Sometimes the pain is so horrible that I wish I could end it all. It is so discouraging. And these headaches often come when I need to feel good. I might have a big event planned and work hard to get ready for it and that's when the headache hits.

[Ramsnic]

Dos anyone get sore throats with this to?

[Homeophile]

Monolaurin (better) or BHT daily  along with L-lysine  may help. I was consistently taking these and had a long (5+ month) run of great health with no outbreaks and no headaches. Stupidly, I thought I'd stop for a while to see how I was and just had the mother of all headaches. Taking preventative supplements may seem over-cautious but I am now a true believer. Monolaurin is natural (coconut based) and is a much healthier way to keep the virus in check than acyclovir and other Rx antivirals.

[finnegan2017]

Dear cranleehansten,

What you describe is EXACTLY what i'm suffering, it seems every few years this happens. At first I thought I needed glasses as I'm slight short sighted or the fact the work on computers all day but no otherwise I would get it more often.  I'm currenlty suffering from it now and my conclusion is also the herpes virus. My last cold sore outbreak (on lower lip) was a few weeks ago probably triggered from having the cold/run down. As it died off I felt it move towards upper left middle of the brain. Then I was okay for a while and now suddenly when I'm tired I'm getting these headaches on the left side of brain at the top which then migrates behind the left eye. A throbbing pain which makes my nose run and my eyes water.

No pain killers have worked so I'm going to neck some Acyclovir tablets now and see what happens.

Its comforting to see I'm not alone.

Cheers

[catsmeow58]

Thats a cluster headache.

[H_Lawson55]

Yes cluster migraines can be caused by anything. I get them but do not have herpes. Flonase gets rid of it the fastest.

[psmountian]

You should look into Hemicrania Continua.  There is a treatment that is very effective for this condition: Indocin.  It is a generic NSAID like advil but for some reason works differently and is almost a 100% cure for Hemicrania Continua.  Hemicrania Continua is a type of headache that affects one side and has other symptoms like stuffiness/congestion of that side, tearing or congestion of the eye on that side, and many other things that are consistent with what you say.

[Bumblebees]

I have had herpes simplex since I was 15 and over the years it has gotten worse. What started out as a sore on my lip progressed to sores that would appear anywhere on my face around my mouth including inside my nose. For the last 15 yrs, I've had awful headaches that go with the outbreak, sometimes before and sometimes after. There are times that I think that I am dehydrated and drink a lot of water but if it is the herpes acting up the headache refuses to go away. The only things I've ever found that help are extra B vitamins (I take a multi in the am and a B complex in the pm everyday), and echinacea. The B's seem to keep it under control but if I get an attack, the echinacea is the best thing for some relief.

[Rebecca1957]

Thanks for your post I am a reiki master and yogi I think medications can also lower our immunity and make this virus rear it's ugly head.  I have had the same symptoms and currently have an outbreak this is the first time a canker sore has appeared on my upper gum on the outside with my half head headache for five day snow.  How long till my sore goes away. No stress I think mine is medication related tramadol.

[horselip]

Hey there is a type of facial pain associated with the various herpes viruses. I rec that you go to a pain management center to be evaluated for trigeminal neuralgia, or trigeminal neuropathy. Viruses can cause lesions on the trigeminal nerves and be very painful indeed.

There are over 300 types of headaches. And trigeminal nerve issues can be treated with meds, procedures and even surgery depending on what your issue is.

Good luck, I feel for you.
Horselip

[sandy409]

I forgot to ask you this. You say that the roof of your mouth feels bumpy. So did mine this morning. Did you look with 2 mirrors and a good light or flashlight? Something must be there and my feeling is that it IS herpes, the bumps are not just nothing. So it sounds identical to what I now have. It was the worst pain on one side of my head, I was going out of my mind. Mine was brought on by stress. Suggestions? I am taking Lysine but probably should have seen my dentist and gotten some acyclovir. Please let me know how you feel now and if you had it looked at.

[sandy409]

I just had 3 days of the worst pain on the left side of my face. I thought it was TMJ but it was worse. This morning the roof of my mouth on the same side was broken out in herpes. It must be related as I have had herpes before and it is always preceded by pain in the nerve pathway near the outbreak. Your symptoms sound exactly like mine, my outer ear, my upper cheekbone and teeth were hurting. My question for you...is the roof of your mouth which is bumpy on the same side as where the headache was? By the way, nothing helped my pain either. It went away today when the blisters appeared. I hope it's not actual shingles.