concussedGuy, I know we've talked a bit briefly and I know we have similar symptoms and stuff.

I just visited a doc yesterday who had a degree in psychology and psychiatry I believe, and I told him a bit about my story.

Recently, I've had a pretty high level anxiety about anything that may cause concussion symptoms, and I told him that.

Obviously, small bumps in the car, hard steps, jogging, jumping, showering, and any other head jolting isn't causing brain damage. Our brains are just responding to them like concussions. So basically, we need to rewire the brains to not react to nonconcussive hits. One thing he recommended for my anxiety and to get rid of my sensitivity was "exposure" in a safe manner.

When our bodies aren't used to things they become sensitive. I started wearing sunglasses, and I still wear them quite a bit and I'm slowly weening off them, but right away when I tried to ween off it brought back lots of symptoms. It'd be the same thing as working out for the first time in a while. He said for the sensitivity use an eye dropper and drop water on my head, for me, and slowly build up. He said maybe try tapping really softly your head, seeing what that can do.

Now, I haven't tried these things quite yet, but my head is very dry and itchy because it's cold here and I have noticed that touching my head has reduced my head sensitivity quite a bit.

I have noticed my sensitivity to walking is down a bit too. He recommended walking, then brisk walking, and going from there. Same with exercise. Start small, and gradually build up.

He also recommended a form of deep breathing, pretty much meditation. You can sit. Sometimes I lay down, but breathe in through your nose, and make sure air is going through your stomach and not chest and breath out through your mouth making a 'fffff' sound. Focus on the air going in and out of your nose and mouth or your stomach contracting. It relieves pressure in the head and is a nice relaxing thing. He recommended 5 minutes in the morning after school and 15 minutes at night.

As far as headaches/pressure. Mine is in the front too. Laying down and breathing work the best for me. I haven't quite read this whole thread, but I will later.

I also stopped eating gluten because it causes inflammation in the brain and dairy. I stopped dairy a long time ago because I got acne from it, but some studies show it causes brain fog and some peoples brains are allergic to it.

One last thing, vestibular therapy has helped a lot and I can explain my exercises if you want.

I've been taking the same route you have in terms of recovery with the diet and rewiring my brain. I also do some balancing exercises on my own. It certainly seems to be helping. Thanks for the advice, really appreciate it

I'm still relatively new to this but have issues with pressure (the pressure that doesn't always come with pain, specifically).

J Buckl, if you're still around - can you explain more about your exercises and how vestibular therapy has helped (if indeed it still helps)?

Had terrible pressure in my head for months after a car accident, also severe headaches, felt as though my head was exploding and sometimes not even lying down in a dark quiet room helped.

I did go through vestibular therapy but not really sure if that helped with the pressure.

Accident was over a year ago and still get pressure but not as frequently, still have brain fog, a lot of confusion and suffered 2 big seizures last year.

I am so careful with my diet and take the vitamins listed on this site and I do notice a difference.

I don't have any crushing sensation anymore but the outcome of this is Neuralgia a year and a half on. I get toothache, cheek ache, headache in the temple area and predominantly earache on my left side. This pain can switch to these areas of my face on the right side for shorter periods.

Thankfully for me it is well controlled now by a morning SNRI Cymbalta, Lyrica three times a day and a tryciclic antidepressant called Gamanil. I can get on with my life with these medications at low doses.

Hello everyone, I'm a newbie. I have probable Pseudotumor Cerebri. I'm going for my spinal tap in the morning. My MRI of the brain showed no tumors, thank goodness. Do u have to fast before a spinal tap? Just wondering.

sherry,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. A spinal tap does not require general anesthesia so fasting would not be required. I don't think you would want to have a heavy breakfast, though.

Please feel free to tell us more about your condition and symptoms. There are lots of good people here.

My best to you.

They thought that is what I had as well but turns out that I just seems to have an empty sella for some other reason... I hope that the spinal tap works for you!

Thanks Mark
I thought I was getting r spinal tap tomorrow. The hospital called and said I have to have a consultation with the radiologist, So it's been delayed. My symptoms are dizzy migraines, shooting pains in my eyes and head. Both my optic nerves are swollen since October. I'm pretty sure I have it. So are the Drs.
Sherry in MI

An increase in intracranial pressure can cause an empty sella.

And an empty sella can be a sign of hormone deficiencies and/or pituitary dysfunction.

Sometimes a head injury can cause a temporary increase in intracranial pressure which can cause an empty sella which disrupts the functioning of the endocrine system (pituitary gland) and then after 2-3 years the pituitary gland inflates back up which makes the sella no longer empty but the dysfunction remains.