Headaches, random pain and dizziness?

[lucylou99]

Hello,
I'm a 15 year old female and last October (almost a year ago) I started getting these headaches every now and then, over the next few months they started getting more severe, more frequent and they lasted longer until it got to a point where I was having it all day almost everyday, it really affected my school work as I couldn't go in much and when I did I couldn't consentrate. Then I started getting dizzy and nearly fainting, this usually occurred when i came out of lifts, stood up after sitting down, ect. I also felt totally drained of energy and slept most the time I was at home. I went to the doctors many times and they just told me to take pain killers and see how it goes but they did nothing. He also said I had post viral fatigue and that I would feel better soon but I didnt. I then started getting these random sharp pains that felt like they were coming from the bones, they only lasted a few minutes or seconds at a time and moving didn't seem to affect the pain but I got them atleast 20-30 times a day. They were usually in the right thigh, right wrist, various fingers (especially thumbs), sometimes the bottom of my feet and some other less frequent areas. I was told that they were growing pains and that they would just go away but they didn't. My local doctor didn't know what else to say so he sent me to a get some blood tests which he said were all fine and an MRI (because we have a family history of brain tumours) but that was all fine aswell. i then got sent to an oesteopath and she said that some of the vertabrats at the top of my back and neck were crushed together which could explain some of my simptoms so she released them all and I started to feel a little better. But the sharp pains, headaches fatigue and dizziness is all coming back again, I went the the oesteopath not long ago for a check and she said my back looks fine so it can't be that.
I really want to find out what it is before it gets too bad again as I've got my GCSE's to concentrate on this year.
I don't know if this helps but I'm normal height and weight for my age, have asthma and hayfever and have a family history of brain, breast, bowl cancer and leukemia.
No sarcastic comments please.
Thanks
Lucy :)

[lucylou99]

Thankyou, I'll go back to the doctors if they don't go away soon and ask to be referred and get my neck checked out. I'll also try some relaxation techniques to see if that helps. Thanks again

[jemma116]

The car bump will have jarred your neck and may have aggravated your neck problem, so it is still a good idea to get your neck checked out.

I presume that your doctor ordered blood tests to rule out any inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis.  It does not mean that you do not have some form of arthritis.

It may be a good idea to ask your doctor to refer you to the Triage service and may be a rheumatologist too.  Also may be your doctor should consider ordering imaging tests to find if there is any problems with your bones.

Any stress or anxiety can cause any problems to be exacerbated (made to feel worse than they are).  You clearly have a problem that needs further investigation.  

You can also get aches and pains from exercising or doing things that you do not normally do.  Before you do any type of exercise (even at school) make sure that you do appropriate warm ups first and then gentle exercises to wind down afterwards.  Always keep warm and keep out of draughts (like sitting in a room or car with two opposite windows open).

Anything that you do to help you relax is a good to help relive stress.  Deep breathing slowing through your nose and then exhaled slowly through your mouth is a good way to relax if you feel stressed.  Going for walks in the fresh air and swimming is also a good form of gentle exercise that will help you to relax and unwind.  Having warm soothing baths will also help you to relax.

There are medications to help, but as you are 15, it is better to try and learn coping strategies rather than rely on drugs.

Make sure that you have a healthy and well balanced diet and cut out or cut down on junk foods and processed foods.  Eat more fruit and veg.  Make sure that you include full fat milk and dairy so that you get your calcium for your growing bones.  Drink plenty of fluids so that you do not become dehydrated.

Your doctor may prescribe a pain relief medication that will be suitable for you for your age group.

Best wishes.

[lucylou99]

Thankyou I'll look into the Triage service. I've never been in an accident from what I can remember apart from a small car bump but I was fine and that was months after it all started. The MRI was only on the Brain so I'm guessing they didn't feel anything was wrong with spine at the time. If it is stress and anxiety is there anything I can do or take for it? And is there anything you know of that could explain the random pains?
Sorry for all the questions.
Thanks again.

[jemma116]

Sorry to hear that you have been so unwell and are still feeling unwell.

Have you ever been involved in any accident?

Your dizziness will all be related to the neck problem.

You should make an appointment to see your doctor again and ask for a referral to the Triage.  Because you are in the UK, the Triage will assess you and refer you to the appropriate consultant/specialist or advise you on doing specific neck exercises.

I can't understand why the osteopath said that your vertebrae were crushed together but the MRI came back fine.  If you had an MRI scan done on the spine, any abnormality would have shown up on the imaging.

Headaches, fatigue and dizziness can also be signs of stress and anxiety.  As you experience some of these symptoms when getting out of the lift, it appears that there is something not right with your neck bones.

Make an appointment to see your doctor and ask to be referred to the Triage service.  Triage is higher than a physiotherapist.

Let me know how you get on.