Question
QUESTION: Hello Dr.Quackenbush,
I am 18 years of age and have recently been suffering with headaches. I have had these headaches for around about a month, getting them maybe 4/5 or more times a day, every day. They primarily effect the front of my head, mainly my temples, around the bridge of my nose and also my forehead. They affect both sides of my head. They can also spread to my jaw. They arise randomly and without any real build up or warning.
They do not last very long at all, most of the time the pain lasts no longer than several minutes - if that sometimes. There have been occasions however where the pain has been elongated somewhat but I cannot remember them ever lasting much longer than an hour, nevertheless, it is rare that they last this long.
The pain is usually quite dull, feeling almost like a bruise, if there have been instances of a sharper pain, this is very rare. I sometimes feel a pain on my upper neck/the back of my head. I sometimes have a pain towards the bottom of my neck also. I have had some mild pain around my ears too but for not as long, this is very infrequent but i thought it may be useful..
I have been to see a couple of doctors about this, both of them agreeing that they were most likely tension headaches. However, after seeing one of my doctors, i had a visual disturbance, almost like spots appearing and some dizziness - it lasted for only a short period of time. This may have been due to me  looking at a bloodshot eye I had possibly making me squeemish and uneasy, still, I thought it suitable to mention (this happened about 2 weeks ago and I have had no visual disturbances since). When I saw a second doctor I told her about this visual disturbance and she told me it was probably fluctuating blood pressure.
It is not that i do not trust the doctors telling me that it is chronic tension headaches, but they are a concern of mine and so i thought i would seek some other advice before making another doctors appointment. I understand that your advice is not a medical diagnosis and that I should not prioritise it over the word of my doctors.
Other than the above symptoms i feel majoritively okay, i sometimes feel a little lacklusture although i would asign this to me having little to do as I have been on a school summer break for a couple of months.
I apologise if any of this information is vague or inconscise but the effects of the headaches can be hard to pinpoint sometimes as they are very random. I appreciate any help you can give me, thank you very much for your time.

ANSWER: Andreas,

If you presented to me with these symptoms I would immediately order an MRI of your head and neck to rule out any possible pathologies that may be present. I also would order a full set of cervical x rays. I also would want you to have your eyes checked by an EENT and I would check your blood sugar levels to see if you may or may not be borderline diabetic.

I truthfully feel you should seek the care of a chiropractor and have these tests done. Once you have done so if I can help you any furhter please re submit any questions you would like me to address.

I sincerely hope this information helps you to make your medical decisions.

Dr John Q Quackenbush
Chiropractic Physician
www.drqdc.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello again, thank you very much for your rapid response. From your answer I imaginethat you see the headaches as a cause for concern. I feel that in the question I sent you have maybe told you the severity of the pain also, maybe around a 5/6 out of ten and that maybe they are slightly less severe than they first were.
Nevertheless, I thank you again for your quick response and I will heed and strongly take into account your advice in my decision.

Answer
Andreas,

I would like you to know I still feel that you should seek Chiropractic care as the whole situation maybe caused by a pinched nerve in your upper cervical spine.

I did not mean to scare you off from seeing a chiropractor but the tests I suggested is to rule out any and all possibilities of any pathology.

I do want you to know your 5/6-10 is serious enough as a pain level but pain is only a warning signal and just because its is a 6 out of 10 instead of lets say 8/10. please take this seriously enpough to seek the care and examination of a competent chiropractor or osteopath.

Good luck with your health issues.

Sincerely,
Dr John Quackenbush
Chiropractic Physician