Hey, Liam.

Listen to Gnatty. What's probably happening is pressure change. Everyone has them; we're just often more sensitive to them, so your valve is probably just saying, "Dang...gotta work harder!" thereby irritating the neighboring nerves. This is very normal, albeit irritating and does not ,indicate that your shunt is on the blink. If you notice other symptoms that persist, though, tell your nsg right away. (Chance of shunt infection more than a couple months after surgery is almost nil, so that should be at the very bottom of the list, if it makes it at all. )

As for the jack@$$ who jerked the hat onto your head, I hope you kicked him in his manhood! It's unlikely to harm the shunt, but it can give you a headache you wouldn't soon forget, as you may have found out yourself. Make sure to let your nsg know if you have any symptoms after injuring the valve, too, especially if it's programmable. Though unlikely, it may re-set.

LIZARD