This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I've suffered from headaches since I was a teenager. I used to think they were sinus headaches and always medicated myself accordingly. I had a headache for months after my first MS attack. I finally went to ENT who told me my headaches were from muscle tension. This seems consistent with my other symptoms but I would like to hear from someone else who has MS and headaches. Do you have headaches and if so, what do yours feel like?
Thanks, Terry

I have never suffered from headaches, but I have had chronic severe sinusitis for decades! Your post brings me several questions.

1. Did you have any "MS symptoms" when you were treating headaches as sinus-related?

2. You wrote: "I had a headache for months after my first MS attack." Did you have sinus drainage before or during this time?

3. How did the ENT determine that your headaches were from muscle tension and not from a sinus problem?

4. Have you had an MRI? Have you requested that your sinuses be particularly noted and commented on?

Because of my own suspicion of sinus involvement (and inflammation, in general), I am interested in your experience. My sinusitis has been observed in every MRI.

I ALSO SUFFER FROM FREQUENT HEADACHES. I HAVE ALWAYS ASSUMED THAT MY HEADACHES WERE FROM SINUS PROBLEMS BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAD A STUFFY NOSE THAT ACCOMPANIED THEM AND ADVIL OR SINUS PILLS HELPED. BUT I ALSO HAD HORRIBLE HEADACHES AFTER MY FIRST MAJOR ATTACK THAT I COULD NOT MAKE GO AWAY WITH ANY KIND OF MEDICATION. THIS LASTED FOR A FEW MONTHS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL MRI'S AND THEY HAVE NEVER MENTIONED MY SINUSES.

My headaaches never seemed to have any kind of congestion, just horrible pain and sometimes dizziness. I've had these headaches since I was 16 and wasn't dx with MS until I was 42. My original MRI showed that I have a retention cyst in one of my maxillary sinuses (my cheek) My Drs have said that it is not a big deal and not the source of my problems. I've had CT scans of my sinuses that were also negative. When I'm having a bad flare up like I am now, I've never found a pain killer that works. I'm currently on Neurontin and Lyrica, both allegedly pain killers and neither do any good, same for Tylenol and ibuprofen. Increasing my Baclofen dosage seemed to work better than anything else until my recent flare. I'm open to any suggestions.
Terry

Although the following does not address MS per se, I think there is a connection between many, if not all, "autoimmune" diseases.

In reviewing InFocus, the quarterly publication of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (www.aarda.org), I came across the following article in the December 2003 issue.

Sinus problems may cause body pain and chronic fatigue

"A new study shows that body pain and unexplained fatigue may be related to sinus problems. If the findings are confirmed, they may result in more effective treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Georgetown University professor of medicine Alexander Chester, M.D., noticed the combination of sinus problems and fatigue among many of his patients. When the symptoms were treated, the fatigue and pain disappeared. Chester asked 297 patients, 40 years and younger who were being seen for a general medical exam, about fatigue, body pain, and symptoms typical of a sinus infection.

Approximately 22% of the patients cited unexplained chronic fatigue, 11% noted unexplained chronic pain, and 9% said that they had both. According to Chester, these patients were ten times more likely than other patients to have symptoms related to sinusitis.

Neil Bhattacharyya, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, is also studying the link between chronic fatigue and sinus problems. In his recently released study, approximately four out of five patients with chronic sinus problems also demonstrated severe fatigue."

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine; WebMD.


It would seem logical to try to remove this "retention cyst," wouldn't it? It may not be a "big deal,'' but maybe for you it is a source of inflammation, even it is not enough to cause sinus drainage.

Remember, these are just the thoughts of a concerned "civilian." This is the direction my ideas run, I have no other suggestions. Best of luck.

My headaches were continual they went completely away the day after I had CCSVI treatment. They came back after my veins re-narrowed and went away again after I was retreated.

Just as an FYI to those who may want to respond to concerns of some of the earlier posters, this is a thread from 2006 - 6 years ago - that was just bumped today.

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Dx'd with MS & HNPP (hereditary peripheral neuropathy) 7/03 but must have had MS for 30 yrs before that. I've never taken meds for MS or MS symptoms except 1 yr experiment on LDN. (I found diet, exercise, sleep, humor, music help me the most.)