NeuroTalk Support Groups - Extreme Head Sensitivity

NeuroTalk Support Groups (https://www.neurotalk.org/)

- Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome (https://www.neurotalk.org/traumatic-brain-injury-and-post-concussion-syndrome/)

- - Extreme Head Sensitivity (https://www.neurotalk.org/traumatic-brain-injury-and-post-concussion-syndrome/190458-extreme-head-sensitivity.html)

Personally, I always thought that this head sensitivity is a psychological factor, meaning that your mind reacts very anxious to any movement of the brain. But after I got rid of this anxiety, i still experience that I can feel some faster movements, without worrying about it. So I would expect that there is indeed a physical influence as well on the nerves in the brain, that causes this feelings. Unless no one is able to look inside, one cannot really tell where this comes from.

I know what you mean...

Im going through the exact same thing. I'm 23 years old and my life has been on hold for almost a year now with this being the major symptom... I don't know what to do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Higgs96 (Post 994670)

I am 17 years old and live in Austin, Texas. My story starts last April 25, 2012 when I received my 5th concussion playing football. All 5 of these concussions happened over 3 years and were very minor, I never lost consciousness and gave each one time to heal. That last one on April 25, however, gave me a headache that lasted for a year.

That headache has just recently gone away, praise the Lord, but it has been replaced by a far worse symptom. After that last concussion from football I gave up football but still stuck with baseball, which was going fine until I got hit lightly on the head with an underhand toss. This normally should not have caused any harm, but because of my acquired vulnerability from previous concussions I believe it gave me another concussion.

That hit happened mid February of this year, about 10 months after my previous concussion from football. Since I got hit with that baseball I have not been able to run or do anything active, because if I do I feel like my brain shakes around in my head.

This sensitivity has gotten so bad I can't ride in cars because of the bumps in the road, can't go out with friends, and can hardly walk because the vibrations are sent up to my head and it feels like I can feel my brain shake.

If I lightly bump my head or have it shake one day, I will feel very bad for about 3 days, headaches, drowsnines, all that, but I will feel pretty good again after 3 or four days of rest.

It is also weird because this shaking of my brain I feel usually happens on the top part of my head, where I have never received a concussion or been hit with anything, all of my concussion have been on the front of my head.

It does not seem logical that I could suddenly go from be able to do so much to not being able to run from a light hit from a baseball. Please let me know if you have any insight as to what is causing this and what I can do to help it heal. Could it have anything to do with the cerebrospinal fluid in my head?

My life has been completely put on hold and I am desperately looking for help and will do anything to get better. I have given up contact sports altogether and am currently completely resting myself. I just want to have my life back and be able to do the simple things in life-drive places, go out with friends, and even play golf. Please let me know if you share a similar situation or have any advice or help. Thanks so much and best of luck with your own PCS situation.

Reading through this thread makes my consider wether it could be really the neck that is responsible for my symptoms. Since a rough bus ride 2 days ago my condition has extremely worsened. My main symptom is debilitating headache, meaning that I only start to feel something when I strained my brain too much. Does this also speak for a neck issue?

the other symptoms are slurred speech, tiredness, sleeping issues(including a bad twitching problem) dizziness, light and sound sensitivity, and extreme head sensitivity.

I haven't checked my neck yet, as the concussion was caused by a tennis ball that hit me on the forehead. Never thought that something like this can displace a vertebra.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Griffin17 (Post 1126181)

I also get sleep starts(hypnic jerks) on and off. Its like my leg, shoulder or my head would jerk/twitch just when I am falling asleep. Do you also have the same thing ? It all started after about 10 months after my concussion and after I took dimenhydrinate and cinnarizine tablets for my vertigo. So I doubt if this problem is because of my concussion. I hope it goes away it's so scary!

I have all forms of twitches you could imagine. Even my jaw twitches, what makes my teeth bite together. I experience this since the second week after my concussion.

I first really noticed this feeling of sensitivity when I was in the passenger seat of my girlfriend's car. She was driving me to a neurology appointment so it was pretty much necessary to go. The car doesn't have the best suspension/shocks. We live in New Hampshire and this winter has been horrible with snow and ice. There are a lot of holes and bumps on the roads.

I realized if you wear earplugs you can notice certain actions that shake the head and in turn cause symptoms. Obviously driving in a car, or a bus ride is unavoidable in order to live one's life, but I was surprised to find that my boots were causing a lot of bumping and even just my regular walk on the tile floor in my kitchen was too. Since then, I have tried to take softer steps and it seems to be helping. Still, it is quite disconcerting to think that this is how sensitive my brain will be for the rest of my life. I guess that means no more basketball for me!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DannyT (Post 1126392)

Danny, I am so sorry for your troubles. Have you taken any doctors opinion about this ? When did you have concussion ? What are your symptoms and what medications are you on ?

Thanks Galaxy. I am sure my symptoms are less severe than most on here, but they still are quite debilitating.

I've seen several doctors including a neurologist I'm currently under the care of. They all say the same thing pretty much - give yourself cognitive and physical rest. Then, they tell you 3 months, and raise that to 6 months. That's where I'm at.
I have tried to do that as much as I can but I am currently a Chemical Engineering Student at college.

First concussion that produced symptoms was on 10/2/2014
I have taken amitriptyline for insomnia and headaches but discontinued that because of nasty side effects.
I take lorazepam (up to 2mg/day) for anxiety and occassionally Lunesta for insomnia. I was prescribed these for conditions I had prior to the concussion. Unfortunately, both diagnosed conditions have gotten a lot worse.

Thanks for your interest. What about you? What symptoms are you dealing with? Any things you have found to help? When was your concussion?

You can see more about my story in this thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread213768.html

DannyT, your story is almost a copy of mine.

I suffered the first concussion on 30th september. I was fully recovered in the last days of october. The second concussion happened on 21st of November.
I also didn't notice it at the first moment. The next morning was the point when I realized what happened. Since that day I am not able to do anything. No TV, no smartphone, no reading, and very little computer time.

I am also a student at university(like you). I took complete rest for the whole semester, hoping that I will be fully recovered when the next semester starts.

So that driving incident throws me definately back, I can't estimate how far(3 days passed and no real improvement). How did the situation develop in your case, after you had this rough car ride?

Hey Griffin,

It seems there are a lot of us students going through this horrible phase.

The car ride was on Wednesday and I seem to be slowly improving since then, so I can't say it has had too much of an effect. I still can't watch TV or have long conversations, but my headaches have improved since resting. I have not been to class since then and am planning on withdrawing for health reasons.

Amazingly, I was able to finish last semester with a 3.52gpa in very difficult courses. I honestly don't know how I did it - I had a lot of help from my professors. I have been unable to repeat that performance this semester and I need to take a leave of absence. I'm afraid that if I push myself too hard for too long my brain will be permanently damaged.

I find that my condition is worsened by emotional triggers. Like last Friday evening, after going to classes, I felt fine and decided to take my girlfriend out to dinner. Bad decision - the restaurant was crowded and extremely noisy. We were seated and there was this child next to our table who had an ipad, and some loud toy that kept going off every minute, and he kept getting up and running around screaming.

We had to leave the restaurant before the rolls were even out. Then my girlfriend and I had a huge fight. There was screaming and crying. This set me back for over a week. That weekend I was feeling as bad as the first weeks after the concussion.

Anyway, I wish you the best in your recovery. I know how difficult it is to be forced on the sidelines while everyone else is at college. When does your upcoming semester begin?