Intense Pain on the Crown of My Head
Greetings, I've been experiencing a sudden and intense pain localized at the top of my head, particularly on the left side. Upon feeling around the area today, I found a small ridge that resembles a dent, although I can't tell if it's always been there. At times, this sharp pain also extends towards my eye. Based on my findings, this might be consistent with what are known as ice pick headaches. I am a 25-year-old white male, standing at 5 feet 11 inches. I don’t smoke and am currently only using minoxidil. I'm curious to know how serious this could be and plan to consult my primary care physician this Friday for further evaluation. Thank you!
Answers (1)
8/17/2025, 4:31:37 PM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you're experiencing a concerning and painful condition at the crown of your head, with a possible associated feature of a ridge. Given that you have a scheduled appointment with your primary care physician, it's great that you'll have a chance to discuss this further. Let's address your immediate concerns.
Main Points:
- Potential Issues: Sudden intense pain and physical changes such as a ridge could indicate a variety of conditions, potentially including headaches or structural changes.
- Next Steps for Relief: Focus on immediate self-care strategies while monitoring your symptoms before your appointment.
Explanation:
The pain you described, particularly on the left side of your head, can stem from a few different causes. Ice pick headaches, characterized by brief, sharp pain, could be one possibility based on your description, but it’s essential to rule out other causes, especially since you’ve mentioned a noticeable ridge. Changes in head shape or any unusual findings can sometimes relate to conditions that warrant further investigation.
Prioritized Next Steps:
-
Pain Management: For immediate relief, consider over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, but ensure you follow the dosage instructions and are not contraindicated by any other conditions or medications.
-
Track Your Symptoms: Keep detailed notes on when the pain occurs, its intensity, duration, and any accompanying symptoms (like changes in vision or nausea). This information will be invaluable for your doctor.
-
Avoid Triggers: Pay attention to any activities or environmental factors that seem to worsen your pain and try to minimize these until your appointment.
-
Rest and Hydrate: Make sure to rest as much as possible, and stay hydrated, as dehydration can sometimes exacerbate headaches.
-
Follow Up: During your appointment, be sure to discuss your findings, including the ridge you felt, and any changes you observe in your symptoms. This will help your doctor better assess your situation.
It’s good that you’re proactive about your health by planning to consult a physician. They can perform a thorough evaluation to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms. If you experience any new symptoms like severe nausea, vision changes, or worsening pain, it would be wise to seek medical attention sooner. Take care!
Related Questions
Symptoms Resembling Sunburn
Age: 36 Gender: Male Height: 5 feet 10 inches Weight: 240 pounds Ethnicity: Caucasian Duration of Symptoms: 3 days Affected Areas: Head, mouth, lips, hands, genitals, feet Pre-existing Health Issues: None reported Current Medications: Adipex For the past few days, specifically the last two to three, I’ve been experiencing an uncomfortable sensation akin to a burning feeling on various parts of my body including my face, hands, feet, genitals, mouth, and lips. I noticed a slight redness on my palms and the soles of my feet. The situation drew my attention when I was changing pants; upon adjusting myself, an intense burning sensation hit the head of my penis. Later that evening, my lips felt unusually dry, prompting me to apply lip balm, but I quickly removed it due to the stinging sensation. After an intimate moment with my wife, I observed a red ring at the base of my penis. Today, while having ranch dressing, I felt a burning sensation in my mouth. Additionally, after taking a shower, I noticed some dead skin in the area of the red ring on my genitals. As I write this, I am relaxing in a bath, but the sweat is making my face sting. This is a completely new experience for me. Just last week, I had a cold for which I took some medication. During that week, I also averaged around 5 hours of sleep each night. Here’s a list of the medications I took last week: In the morning: Adipex, a multivitamin, DayQuil, and a zinc supplement. At night: NyQuil and an additional zinc tablet. I am uncertain whether these symptoms stem from the medications, lack of adequate sleep, or a combination of several factors.
Experiencing Unexplained Wrist Locking? Here's What You Should Know
(28F, apologies for the formatting, I'm posting via mobile) I've experienced an unusual issue with my right wrist for the third time since February, and I'm hoping to gain some insight from you all. Here's the situation: I suddenly feel pain in my wrist, usually when I wake up in the morning. At first, the sensation resembles early signs of tendonitis, but it quickly escalates to something akin to the pain you'd have after a hard fall on your hand. It's reminiscent of those growing pains I used to encounter in my youth. As the pain intensifies, I find that I lose grip strength and dexterity in my hand. Initially, I struggle to open my car door with my right hand; then it progresses to me having difficulty lifting a glass of water or using my keys. Eventually, the pain worsens to the point where I cannot even loosely grip a fork. Additionally, I am unable to extend my hand backwards towards my elbow as I normally could; while my wrist can usually bend to about 90° without assistance, it deteriorates over time. Initially, I might still manage to bend it back to around 60°, but it eventually becomes impossible to do so at all, and keeping it straight becomes the only option, which is quite painful. Interestingly, there is no limitation when tilting my hand forward. When I’m not using my hand, I experience minimal discomfort. I can easily shake and rotate my wrist without issue, and pressing on my wrist with my other hand does not elicit pain. Oddly enough, if I allow my arm to hang down, I can carry a shopping bag by my fingertips without discomfort, as long as my arm remains entirely straight. The most perplexing aspect of this condition is that by day three or four, the pain seemingly disappears without warning. There’s no pop, crack, or unusual movement to account for the sudden relief. It might feel somewhat tender for a day or two, but then it's as if everything has returned to normal. Prior to these episodes, I haven't overexerted my wrist at all, and I haven't noticed any numbness or tingling, leading me to believe it’s not nerve-related. There are no visible signs such as swelling or bruising. The pain is localized in the wrist itself, though certain movements can briefly transfer the discomfort up to my elbow. Over-the-counter pain relievers don’t seem to alleviate the pain at all. Actually, I did have a minor fall while skiing about five weeks prior to the first episode, but it was minor, and I felt fine two days later. I’m uncertain if this history is relevant. This situation is incredibly frustrating as it always occurs on weekends or when my doctor isn’t available, and the pain fades too quickly for me to consult a specialist. Visiting the emergency room wouldn't be helpful—they'd likely refer me elsewhere based on my explanation. My mother, who is a nurse, is equally baffled about this situation. My primary care physician is swamped, and I hesitate to trouble her with, "My wrist hurt all weekend for no apparent reason, but now it's fine." What should I do the next time this occurs? What preventative measures can I take in the meantime? Thank you for any guidance you can provide!
Unexplained Red Swelling on My Arms?
Hello, I'm 23 years old and I've recently noticed that my forearms are becoming increasingly swollen and painful. This swelling seems to be expanding over time, which has me a bit worried. In the past, I experienced a smaller instance of this issue, and it resolved itself after about a week. Currently, the affected areas are very tender and hurt when I touch them. What could this be? Should I be concerned enough to seek immediate medical attention? Or might there be lifestyle adjustments I can make to address it? Thank you for any insights you can provide!
Exploring the Connection Between Chest Size and Back Pain
At 30 years old, standing 1.56 meters tall and weighing 70 kilograms, I live a relatively active life despite being considered overweight. I don’t smoke or consume alcohol, but I've been intermittently troubled by lower back discomfort since my early twenties. Recently, I began working in an office which has resulted in long hours of sitting, a contrast to my previous active roles that involved walking and standing throughout most of the day. What perplexes me is that acquaintances without a medical background often attribute my back pain to my larger breasts, even when I haven't mentioned my discomfort. In discussions with several healthcare professionals, from doctors to physical therapists, this topic has never been brought up, which makes me question its potential relevance. I am curious if there’s a medical basis for considering breast reduction as a means to alleviate my back pain. For additional context, I have a mild form of scoliosis, and my spinal discs are healthy. I've also been informed that my legs are of slightly differing lengths; I rely on orthopedic insoles daily. An interesting note is that a past X-ray showed a height difference of 3 mm between my femoral heads, which has since increased to 7 mm. My orthopedic specialist assured me that this nuance is consistent with my scoliosis and not a cause for alarm. When consulting with medical experts, I consistently receive feedback that my situation is manageable, along with the suggestion to increase my physical activity. They’re correct that as long as I avoid prolonged sitting and engage in regular exercise of about 1-2 hours twice a week, I experience fewer issues. This advice is generally applicable, as maintaining fitness is advisable for everyone. Nevertheless, I notice that not everyone I observe seems to experience similar back pain after extended sitting, such as during family gatherings, even when they occupy hard wooden chairs for over two hours. This raises questions about why my own discomfort seems to be more pronounced. Thus, I seek a comprehensive overview of the various factors that might contribute to my back pain beyond the simplistic explanations of "sitting too much" or "not exercising enough." Could chest size be a notable factor that hasn’t been addressed, or is it something less significant in my case? Are there other lifestyle elements, such as improper sleeping habits, that could be impacting my situation? Thank you for your insights!
24/Male - Concern Regarding My Rear End
I frequently use butt plugs, and during a recent night, I decided to sleep with one in place. Upon waking, I experienced some mild discomfort, so I took it out. To my surprise, I discovered a small bump, which appeared to grow larger as the day progressed. The area has felt somewhat painful and mostly uncomfortable. I'm anxious about what this issue might be; could it be a hemorrhoid, or have I caused some injury? It’s been persisting for about 3 to 4 days now. I’m hesitant to visit a local doctor since I’d prefer to keep this issue private. I apologize for the directness of my inquiry, and I appreciate any insights or advice regarding whether I may have harmed myself. Thank you in advance for your help!