Aa
Tonsillar Ectopia and headaches
I have 24/7 headaches. They began after a CSF leak. Within a few weeks of the initial CSF leak, I had 2 different Blood Patches, but the headaches remained, although not as severe. Years later, still having 24/7 headaches, I have another MRI. This MRI showed "Tonsillar Ectopia less than 3mm". Prior MRI's showed nothing. Is it possible that the slight herniation is causing my daily headaches? I never had headaches prior to the CSF leak. But, I've had them ever since.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.
Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
Usually tonsillar ectopia >5mm seems to be the cause of headaches. It may just be that you were unlucky and developed chronic headaches after the CSF leak.
There are several causes of headaches. Headaches can be divided into primary and secondary. Primary headache disorders are headaches without a direct cause. These are diagnosed after secondary causes have been excluded. Secondary headache disorders are due to an underlying problem, there are many many causes but some include:
-Tumor
-medication side effects
-central nervous system infections (meningitis)
-CNS vasculitis (which often shows up on MRI but sometimes requires an angiogram and lumbar puncture for diagnosis)
-neck problems (as in cervicogenic headache which causes predominantly pain at the back of the head)
-bleeds in the brain
-clots in the veins in the brain (called venous sinus thrombosis, best diagnosed with a test called MRV. Risk factors include the use of oral contraceptives and blood conditions in which the blood is prone to clotting, called hypercoaguable state)
-benign intracranial hypertension (due to elevated pressure in the fluid around the brain called CSF, suggested by the presence of papilledema, or optic nerve swelling in the eye as diagnosed by an eye doctor, commonly occurs in overweight people or those taking specific medications, and best diagnosed by lumbar puncture) etc.
-intracranial hypotension (too little fluid around the brain, as occurs following surgery or lumbar puncture or less commonly spontaneously. Suggested by the headache improving when a person lies down and worsens with sitting up)
Primary headache disorders are much more common than secondary ones. There are several primary headache disorders, over 50 different types. For example migraines, which usually a pulsating throbbing one-sided pain with nausea and discomfort in bright lights that lasts several hours. Another type is cluster headaches, which are sharp pains that occur around and behind the eye often at night and are associated with tearing of the eye and running of the nose. In primary stabbing headache, sharp or jabbing pain in the head occur, either as a single stab or a series of brief repeated volleys of pain. Primary stabbing headache often occurs in people with migraine. The pain itself generally lasts a fraction of a second but can last for up to one minute in some people. Another type of stabbing headache is called paroxysmal hemicrania. This is marked by episodes of stabbing or sharp pains that occur on one side of the head and may be associated with eye tearing or runny nose. Episodes may occur several times and last 30 seconds to a minute. Yet another type of stabbing headache is abbreviated SUNCT; 100s of stabbing pains lasting seconds occur and are associated with red eye and tearing.
Without further information about your headache, it is difficult to provide you with adequate information. However, it is important for you to understand that if you have not experienced headaches in the past and you are now having new head pains, seeing a neurologist is a good idea, just to make sure there is nothing serious causing this pain. Imaging of the brain and sometimes then neck may be indicated depending on your exact symptoms, your physical examination, and other factors.
Causes of neck pain associated with headache are cervicogenic headache and occipital neuralgia.
Cervicogenic headache is a headache that is "referred" to the head from bony structures, muscles, and other soft tissue in the neck and shoulders. Symptoms are usually one-sided and include: precipitation of head pain by neck movement or awkward neck positions, head pain when external pressure is applied to the neck or occipital region, restricted range of motion of the neck, and neck, shoulder and arm pain. Treatment for cervicogenic headache includes physical therapy, medications, behavioral therapy, and other modalities.
Occipital neuralgia is caused by irritation or injury to two nerves that run from the upper neck to the back of the head. The irritation could be due to neck trauma, pinching of the nerves (by muscles or arthritis), and other causes. Symptoms include a piercing sharp pain that travels from the upper neck to the back of the head and behind the ears. It is usually a one sided pain but can be on both sides of the head. Treatment includes physical therapy, medications, and in some cases injections, "nerve blocks", during which a physician injects the irritated nerves with an anesthetic.
I suggest that if your neck pain/ headache persists and/or becomes more severe, and/or if you develop neurologic signs like weakness on one side of the body, slurring of speech, double vision, difficulty speaking, and so on that you be seen immediately by a doctor. If you frequently experience headaches or neck pain and are not finding relief, evaluation by a neurologist, and perhaps a headache specialist, might be helpful for you.
In treating chronic headaches such as in yourself, the treatment should include two types of medications: preventative therapy and abortive therapy. Preventative therapy is a medication that would be taken every day regardless of whether or not a headache is prevent. This type of medication is used to prevent headaches from occurring, and there are several types including but not limited to beta blockers such as propranolol, calcium channel blockers such as verapamil, and others including topamax, depakote, elavil, etc. A lot of these medications were invented for other uses and are used not only for headache but also epilepsy and depression. They have proven very effective in preventing headaches. The second medication is abortive, meaning it is used when a headache is coming on. The medication used depends on the nature of a headache. If it is a migraine type headache, a group of medications called triptans can be used. And so on. However, with frequent use of abortive medications including triptans, tylenol, advil, and others, medication overuse headache occurs. This requires a specific treatment in which the over-used medications are slowly stopped and replaced with more long-acting medications. Tylenol with caffiene, and similar medications, can cause medication overuse headache if used too frequently. Lyrica, which is used for fibromyalgia, can be used for chronic headaches too.
Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
Usually tonsillar ectopia >5mm seems to be the cause of headaches. It may just be that you were unlucky and developed chronic headaches after the CSF leak.
There are several causes of headaches. Headaches can be divided into primary and secondary. Primary headache disorders are headaches without a direct cause. These are diagnosed after secondary causes have been excluded. Secondary headache disorders are due to an underlying problem, there are many many causes but some include:
-Tumor
-medication side effects
-central nervous system infections (meningitis)
-CNS vasculitis (which often shows up on MRI but sometimes requires an angiogram and lumbar puncture for diagnosis)
-neck problems (as in cervicogenic headache which causes predominantly pain at the back of the head)
-bleeds in the brain
-clots in the veins in the brain (called venous sinus thrombosis, best diagnosed with a test called MRV. Risk factors include the use of oral contraceptives and blood conditions in which the blood is prone to clotting, called hypercoaguable state)
-benign intracranial hypertension (due to elevated pressure in the fluid around the brain called CSF, suggested by the presence of papilledema, or optic nerve swelling in the eye as diagnosed by an eye doctor, commonly occurs in overweight people or those taking specific medications, and best diagnosed by lumbar puncture) etc.
-intracranial hypotension (too little fluid around the brain, as occurs following surgery or lumbar puncture or less commonly spontaneously. Suggested by the headache improving when a person lies down and worsens with sitting up)
Primary headache disorders are much more common than secondary ones. There are several primary headache disorders, over 50 different types. For example migraines, which usually a pulsating throbbing one-sided pain with nausea and discomfort in bright lights that lasts several hours. Another type is cluster headaches, which are sharp pains that occur around and behind the eye often at night and are associated with tearing of the eye and running of the nose. In primary stabbing headache, sharp or jabbing pain in the head occur, either as a single stab or a series of brief repeated volleys of pain. Primary stabbing headache often occurs in people with migraine. The pain itself generally lasts a fraction of a second but can last for up to one minute in some people. Another type of stabbing headache is called paroxysmal hemicrania. This is marked by episodes of stabbing or sharp pains that occur on one side of the head and may be associated with eye tearing or runny nose. Episodes may occur several times and last 30 seconds to a minute. Yet another type of stabbing headache is abbreviated SUNCT; 100s of stabbing pains lasting seconds occur and are associated with red eye and tearing.
Without further information about your headache, it is difficult to provide you with adequate information. However, it is important for you to understand that if you have not experienced headaches in the past and you are now having new head pains, seeing a neurologist is a good idea, just to make sure there is nothing serious causing this pain. Imaging of the brain and sometimes then neck may be indicated depending on your exact symptoms, your physical examination, and other factors.
Causes of neck pain associated with headache are cervicogenic headache and occipital neuralgia.
Cervicogenic headache is a headache that is "referred" to the head from bony structures, muscles, and other soft tissue in the neck and shoulders. Symptoms are usually one-sided and include: precipitation of head pain by neck movement or awkward neck positions, head pain when external pressure is applied to the neck or occipital region, restricted range of motion of the neck, and neck, shoulder and arm pain. Treatment for cervicogenic headache includes physical therapy, medications, behavioral therapy, and other modalities.
Occipital neuralgia is caused by irritation or injury to two nerves that run from the upper neck to the back of the head. The irritation could be due to neck trauma, pinching of the nerves (by muscles or arthritis), and other causes. Symptoms include a piercing sharp pain that travels from the upper neck to the back of the head and behind the ears. It is usually a one sided pain but can be on both sides of the head. Treatment includes physical therapy, medications, and in some cases injections, "nerve blocks", during which a physician injects the irritated nerves with an anesthetic.
I suggest that if your neck pain/ headache persists and/or becomes more severe, and/or if you develop neurologic signs like weakness on one side of the body, slurring of speech, double vision, difficulty speaking, and so on that you be seen immediately by a doctor. If you frequently experience headaches or neck pain and are not finding relief, evaluation by a neurologist, and perhaps a headache specialist, might be helpful for you.
In treating chronic headaches such as in yourself, the treatment should include two types of medications: preventative therapy and abortive therapy. Preventative therapy is a medication that would be taken every day regardless of whether or not a headache is prevent. This type of medication is used to prevent headaches from occurring, and there are several types including but not limited to beta blockers such as propranolol, calcium channel blockers such as verapamil, and others including topamax, depakote, elavil, etc. A lot of these medications were invented for other uses and are used not only for headache but also epilepsy and depression. They have proven very effective in preventing headaches. The second medication is abortive, meaning it is used when a headache is coming on. The medication used depends on the nature of a headache. If it is a migraine type headache, a group of medications called triptans can be used. And so on. However, with frequent use of abortive medications including triptans, tylenol, advil, and others, medication overuse headache occurs. This requires a specific treatment in which the over-used medications are slowly stopped and replaced with more long-acting medications. Tylenol with caffiene, and similar medications, can cause medication overuse headache if used too frequently. Lyrica, which is used for fibromyalgia, can be used for chronic headaches too.
Thank you for the information. Yes, Topamax is the only medication that seems to help me (but not the generic Topiramate). My insurance will not pay for the name brand anymore and I'm allergic to the fillers in the generic, so for now, I am living off of 2 AdvilPM's every night or an Rx Muscle Relaxer. During the day, I just live with the pain. I am only at peace while I sleep, but sometimes the headache keeps me from falling asleep...even w/meds. Beta blockers, antidepressants, Lyrica and other drugs didn't help, caused too many side effects or weight gain and didn't help the headache. Topamax has crazy side effects, but is worth it to me not to have headaches. But, again, I can't take it anymore thanks to my insurance company. There are a few members in my family with Chiari...I have no idea if that is genetic or not or if it is related to this.
You are reading content posted in the Neurology Forum
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease
