Odd Problem Affects Eyes & Head Muscles

[efilbert]

I've had a rather odd problem now for nearly a year. It started with occasional headaches or flashes of head pain and an intense pressure around my eyes. Going to the doc, didn't solve the problem--(without getting into all the details of the exploration) allergy meds didn't help, antibiotics didn't help, multiple eye exams turned out fine (except for a low level of nearsightedness that I've had for years), no apparent sinus problems, CT scans of head turned out fine, blood tests turned out fine. Eventually I was told--we can't test anything more. So, I started experimenting--went to a chiropracter, massage therapist, physical therapist, cranial sacral therapist, started doing yoga, etc. End result: The headaches went away and the eye pressure became less but didn't disappear. I eventually realized that the skin around my nose and inside and above my eyes was tight and sensitive, even painful along the ridge above the eye (incidentally, I had been doing more reading than normal when the problem started). Then recently I also came across a study that talked about how ponytails can cause headaches/other head sensations. Now, it just so happens that I have a ponytail. However, when I read that, I stopped putting my hair in the ponytail and then observed how I felt the times when I did put it in. It turns out that it is VERY clear that within a few minutes (or less) of putting my hair in a ponytail, I start to feel pressure around my eyes. Also of note, after doing some of the bodywork therapies above, I would often feel--I can't really describe it--other than a dancing of muscles in my head. It seems that perhaps my head was being squeezed at both ends and working the neck even would cause muscles to release. Now, while not putting the hair in the ponytail has alleviated the pressure even more, its still there at times. Any suggestions on what to try?

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[lauracj]

Have you had an eye check up? I don't know if eye strain could cause your symptoms, but it might be worth checking

[neurospast]

It seems to me that the problem you have is a neurological one. You have already pointed out that you have gone through quite some extensive eye tests as far as I understand so I suggest nothing is wrong in that area.
I am not an expert on the subject but it seems to me that you have an irrtation of 1 of the sensoric nerves of the face, at least that is the direction I would look. (e.g. Nervus Trigeminus). When you put your hair in a ponytail it will activate the hyper sensitive (due to irritation) skin around your eyes (stretch of skin). I am though a little worried about your medical care shopping because it becomes unclear actually what did help' Yoga? Chiropraxy? Massage?
The problem is with having a cocktail of treatments you don't know what worked for you. To give an example, let's say it is mental stress related, Than would assume yoga and massage would help. Let's say it is physical stress related then chiropraxy would help.
Apparently your Gp nor you have really looked into the possibility of a neural irritation which could be benign e.g Cranio Mandibular Disfunction or a loose filling (amalgan working as a battery) of a tooth.
You mention that when you read you have loosened the ponytail but maybe already the possition you are reading cold cause problems in the area Nerves coming from your neck C0-C2 (in between skull and 1st, 1st and 2nd, and 2nd and 3rd vertebrae). So to enable to be helped you have to eliminate what did not help