AboutNicholas Unger Expertise I am particularly adept at answering any sort of question relating to the action of various neurotransmitters on neurons. Any sort of Neurophysiology/Cell Physiology or Neuropharmacology questions, particularly ion channel based in relation to physiological response. Anything other than that will earn you an educated guess.
Experience I have worked in a Neurophysiology lab for 3 years now on various projects for my dissertation. My expertise is the hypothalamic homeostatic control mechanisms in thermoregulation. Also neural control mechanisms in general as well as Suspended Animation techniques and theory.
Organizations American Physiology Society
Education/Credentials Capital Univeristy- B.A Biology-premed Minor Psychology 06'
The Ohio State University - Ph.D Candidate Biophysics 10'
Expert: Nicholas Unger Date: 3/6/2008 Subject: head injury
Question QUESTION: Twelve years ago someone broke into my home. They hit me repeatedly with a sold oak axe handle. The force was enough to split my head open (skull exposed) requiring 15 stitches. I had a concussion with the usual nausea, ect...however I still get bad headaches originating in the right side of my head. Often the right eye gets 'weak' during these episodes. The headache often starts as a heavy 'pressure' feeling on the right temple, followed by 'lazy eye' and then screaming mother pain. My ability to concentrate and form fluid speech is impaired during these times.
Tends to get worse over start of winter and spring, when there is abrupt weather changes and precipitation (I swear I can predict snow and rain!). Relieved by about 1000mg of ibuprofen or alcohol. Sometimes the headaches last for 24-48hrs so that really wears on me. I have mentioned it to my Dr but he doesn't seem very interested and said it was nerve damage that caused the pain.
What can I do to seek relief from these headaches without trashing my liver with OTC meds or alcohol? That works only as long as I am drinking...the next day it comes back. It's difficult to vary OTC meds to prevent rebound headaches since not much else works (forget Excedrin Migraine, won't even touch it).
Direct pressure and heat also help, but not always practical since it can take several hours of laying on a heat pad with affected side - I can't work like that nor can I take time off to accommodate these headaches. So what can I do to get through the early winter/spring thaw pain?
ANSWER: Dear Julie,
Have you been seen by a Neurologist? I strongly suggest seeing one. You need to probably have a CT Scan done to properly diagnose this problem along with the standard neurology tests. That is honestly your 100% best bet.
Without doing proper tests I cannot give you a good answer. Your head was struck on the right or left side? on top or on the sides? No fracturing? You didn't get a CT scan? How is your pupil response to light? You can track objects fine with your eyes during anytime but during these headaches?
If you could answer those questions I could help a little bit more. There are a plethora of possibilities. The Speech problem concerns me slightly. My initial guess was that you had a subdural hemmorhage that put pressure on the side of your brain displacing some of your occulomotor and abducens nerve on one side. Speech centers tend to be located of course in the temporal lobe as well.
Let me know,
Nick
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks! Yes they did some sort of scan at the time of the injury but I can't remember which kind (I was understandably a bit woozy). They said there was no fracture but I could develop seizures within 2 years (which I didn't). Most of the impact was around the right side of my head - the eye doctor knows about this but cannot find anything wrong with my eye.
Thank you - I made an appointment to see my Dr in a few weeks and will be more insistent they look at it again. Twelve years of migraines is a LONG TIME.
Answer your questions:
1. no I have not been seen by a neurologist - just the ER trip and to get the stitches out. They don't really pay much attention when I complain of periodic headaches
2. Head struck almost exclusively on right side, we don't know for sure how many times but enough to blacken my eye, split my forehead open and scalp near the crown on the right side of head - stiff neck, sore shoulder and bruised jaw so it had to be at least 6-10 strikes.
3. No fractures - they were suprised, they thought for sure there would be. The damage was inflicted with a solid oak axe handle by a 16yr old male weighing about 130 pounds. If he were full grown he probably would have crushed my skull. the focus of the pain originates in the sphenoid bone of the skull, but the scar is vertical on the forhead running from hairline to outer edge of right eyebrow.
4. I don't know my pupil response to light but I can track objects no problem with both eyes as long as I am not in the middle of a headache.
Answer Julie,
Just a follow up to see how your visit with a neurologist went?
