“Headaches for 2 days”
Hello,
Sunday night I started getting a headache. When I woke up Monday i still had the headache. I took pain relied medication and it went away. Tuesday morning woke up with another headache. Took pain relief and it went away. I have had headaches in the past. The intensity of the headache is no worse then any previous headache. Ive just never had them 2 days in a row. I am a worry im concerned about brain tumor/cancer. Headache is the only symptom. What could really be going through. my general practice dr is out town until the end of this week? any help would be great
Sunday night I started getting a headache. When I woke up Monday i still had the headache. I took pain relied medication and it went away. Tuesday morning woke up with another headache. Took pain relief and it went away. I have had headaches in the past. The intensity of the headache is no worse then any previous headache. Ive just never had them 2 days in a row. I am a worry im concerned about brain tumor/cancer. Headache is the only symptom. What could really be going through. my general practice dr is out town until the end of this week? any help would be great
Male | 43 years old
Complaint duration: 2 days
4 Answers
Those type of headaches are common and are part of the migraine syndromes. It is highly unlikely that these are associated to a brain tumor. With such the headache once manifest is unlikely to wax and wane ( better, gone, back again ). There will also be other findings such as blurred vision, weakness numbness and or loss of Neurological function. I feel if your primary will be back in a week or two and you're still experiencing such then you can see him / her and look at further testing. If your headache gets intense and doesn't respond to the analgesic medications then go to the emergency department.
Best of luck.
Dr. F.
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Best of luck.
Dr. F.
Sent from the all new AOL app for Android
Hello,
I'm sorry for what you are experiencing. Headache is one of the most common neurological symptoms, and by your admission have had similar headaches in the past, with the concern now being persistent over two days and lack of complete resolution and recurrence with over-the-counter medications. However, I would refrain from attributing headache symptoms to sinister diagnoses such as a tumor or cancer at this time, as this could be due to a variety of benign reasons, e.g., sinus infection, allergies, stress, inadequate sleep, etc. There are also symptoms that could be considered red flags, and these would require further assessment and evaluation by a physician, and may consider urgent care or ER visit if there are continued concerns regarding your headaches.
I'm sorry for what you are experiencing. Headache is one of the most common neurological symptoms, and by your admission have had similar headaches in the past, with the concern now being persistent over two days and lack of complete resolution and recurrence with over-the-counter medications. However, I would refrain from attributing headache symptoms to sinister diagnoses such as a tumor or cancer at this time, as this could be due to a variety of benign reasons, e.g., sinus infection, allergies, stress, inadequate sleep, etc. There are also symptoms that could be considered red flags, and these would require further assessment and evaluation by a physician, and may consider urgent care or ER visit if there are continued concerns regarding your headaches.
It is impossible to answer that sort of question in this forum.
The usual way to deal with this would be to go to your primary care doctor. If your primary care doctor is unavailable, doctors will usually have a coverage system that can refer you to another doctor. Other options include a walk-in clinic, which can often deal with headache problems. It is entirely up to the patient to decide if they need to go to the emergency room. Two days of headache in someone with a previous headache history is usually not a brain tumor. But you have to decide your level of fear or concern. If your primary care doctor is concerned, they may refer your to a neurologist. A referral is not for emergencies - those are handled as described above. Referrals are for chronic problems.
The usual way to deal with this would be to go to your primary care doctor. If your primary care doctor is unavailable, doctors will usually have a coverage system that can refer you to another doctor. Other options include a walk-in clinic, which can often deal with headache problems. It is entirely up to the patient to decide if they need to go to the emergency room. Two days of headache in someone with a previous headache history is usually not a brain tumor. But you have to decide your level of fear or concern. If your primary care doctor is concerned, they may refer your to a neurologist. A referral is not for emergencies - those are handled as described above. Referrals are for chronic problems.
Headache is very rarely an early symptom of a brain tumor. The brain has no pain fibers. They can operate on the brain with patients wide awake. Headache is much more. Likely to be migraine, tension, or originating from the neck. If this headache is identical to one’s you have had before, except it lasted 2 days, then awaiting your family doctor’s return should be safe.
