| Roller Coaster Headache — Literally! | |
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by Marianne H. Robards
When I latched on to the worst headache of my life, I knew what caused it, but I didn't know what to do about it. I had a screamer! With the help of my husband, I lifted myself out of the roller coaster car. That day, I went from a healthy 37-year-old woman to a doctor's neurological nightmare. I didn't realize then that I had just sustained a brain injury that would haunt me to this day.
First
came an explosive headache followed by vertigo,
nausea and short-term memory loss. I belonged in the emergency room. Instead, I
waited to see my primary care physician about this cluster of symptoms. He took
a blood sample for some tests, but they revealed nothing abnormal. Then he told
me to wait and have patience, that the symptoms would pass. They didn't. Instead
of going away or easing up, the headaches and vertigo worsened. He handed me
antidepressants
and sent me home.
I knew something was very wrong because my functioning level deteriorated on all fronts. Struggling, I continued to work, attempting to function as a mother to three children and fighting desperately to stay in control of my life. I visited two different primary care physicians and an Ears, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist. All performed numerous blood tests, a thyroid check and an MRI; my pain was still present, and none of these tests revealed anything.
My headaches hit me with a crushing fury and debilitating force that simply incapacitated me. They began with pressure around my ears and spread to my forehead. Movement, burst of noise, or someone tapping my shoulder would trigger these massive episodes of excruciating pain. I kept searching for help. After four years of visiting doctors, I was finally referred to an otologist-neurotologist. During a battery of tests called Electronystagmography (ENG), my symptoms were substantiated.
It took more testing from Dr. John Epley, a leading neurotologist specializing in head injuries, to receive a diagnosis — inner ear concussion syndrome. This turn of events taught me that headaches after violent acceleration, deceleration, or hitting your head, are severe cause for alarm — see a specialist. Be specific about how and where it hurts, what triggers it and, most importantly, any injuries that could explain why the headaches occur. I sometimes mentioned the roller coaster, and sometimes I forgot. The delay in my diagnosis came because I failed to make the doctors understand what happened on the day my injury occurred.
Although
I still struggle with head pain on a daily basis, including nausea, fatigue and
an enormous deficit in memory and concentration, I have found some relief. Dr.
Epley helped my nausea with several surgeries during which he cut my
chordi tympani,
vagus and Arnold's nerves. These procedures
provide enough relief to get me out of bed. Monthly, he administers lidocaine (a
local anesthetic) and dexamethasone (a corticosteroid) through a wick, numbing
other damaged nerves in my brain. Although this treatment supplies temporary
relief, it transcends into a big reward--my sanity.
NOTE: As Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-MASS) and Dr. Peter Speth research brain injuries
from excessive G-forces on roller coasters, they are pressing for more safety
and accountability through a new federal law. I am included in their research
which can be located at
http://www.house.gov/markey.
Dr. Epley's web site can be seen at
http://www.earinfosite.org.
© Marianne H. Robards, 2002
Marianne H. Robards is a 46-year-old who resides in Keller, Texas with her husband and three teenagers. She is currently completing her book "Untitled" that chronicles her journey to overcome a debilitating head injury. Her co-author, Steve Sharp is a 35-year-old freelance writer who resides in Huntsville, Alabama.
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