Extreme headache, sent to hospital, HELP.?

Question

My grandmother was sent into the Hospital last night, with a severe headache. She claimed she could not walk or see straight, and saw wavey lines above her right eye. Her bloodpressure was 160, so i'm just wondering if anyone could tell me any bits of information of what could be potentially wrong with her.

I am currently 200 miles from civilization, on satellite internet in a fishing lodge, any websites or helpful bits of information is extremely helpful.

Thanks so much,

Ben.

Answer 1

Sorry I suffer with migraines and recently went to the hospital with a bp of 184/94. I was told I had Pleurisy. I am 33 will be 34 in a few days.

http://www.healthatoz.com

PS. I will be praying for a safe recovery. You and your family are in my prayers and will continue to be. Good luck.

Answer 2

Wait dude. She was sent to hospital right ? What did the doctors say ?

Anyway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headache

Answer 3

Too little knowledge and too much information can do YOU more harm than good.  Let her Hospital diagnose and treat her.  Even if they got it wrong you are unlikely to be able to change anything from where you are.

Assuming she is elderly they will most likely be looking at all the worst case scenarios and ruling them out one by one.  Some tests are instant but most take time and some cost a lot, so are only done when they are really thought to be needed.

If you get yourself all worked up you won't be able to support other family members who might need your help.  What advice do you think she would give you right now?

Answer 4

sounds to me like a migrane...they can be very severe. They can pretty much "shut you down" for while, make you dizzy, make you throw up, sensitive to light and so on. The doctors should be able to help her with that...worst case scenario there are actually shots that will make the migrane go away instantly.

Answer 5

Could be hi blood pressure or possibly a stroke if she has trouble talking or moving it was a stroke.

If that is the case she needs a doctor.

Answer 6

Ben, breathe.  Making yourself sick won't help.  Stay cool but observant.  Any number of things can cause similar symptoms, which is why she was admitted to the hospital for tests:  it's very important to treat the correct condition.

She could have a migraine or a stroke, it might be something minor - the admission is to rule out, to exclude, anything serious which needs immediate treatment.

Hopefully, the worst outcome for your grandmother will be a headache, worry, and terrible food.

You might try checking Rodale Press - they publish a good deal (books and magazines) on natural health.  Whatever the medical condition turns out to be, good nutrition and lifestyle won't hurt.  And I have found Tai Chi to be of great benefit for joint health (flexibility and freedom from pain).

Practice relaxation, trust, and pray or meditate for grandma - staying steady will help her far more than panic over what you cannot control.

Answer 7

I can't say for sure, not knowing all the information, but it's possible that she has had a hemorrhage of some sort in her brain. I know about this because it has happened to me twice, and I'm only in my 40's.  That means that her brain is bleeding on the inside. It can be very serious, I don't want to scare you but doctors can do a lot for something like that now. They will have to stop the bleeding and prevent it from continuing. I wish youluck and your grandmother good health. May God be with you.  

Answer 8

hey

wavy lines and a headache are the definitive sign of a "migraine with aura".  But, people arent usually referred to hospital for that, unless they really cant cope.  In not sure, but i'd imagine that in someone her age, she may have had a stroke, which affected her occipital lobe of her brain, and so affected her vision. you will have to check with her doctor, though.  Other causes inculde retinal detachment, which commonly occurs in diabetics.  more likely though, is a subdural hematoma, causing transient symptoms.  Its difficult to say what exactly happned without more information.  what i can tell u is that if it was a stroke, and she lived through it, she will be fine.  with strokes we say: "if u dont die when u have it, u wont die from later".  that is, of course, unless she has aonther stroke.

hope this helps

Answer 9

Since your grandmother ended up in the hospital, it sounds like a suspected Brain Aneurysm .

My best friend , her and i were on the phone and she told me how bad her head hurt, and it was the worst headache of her life... I told her what I thought it was, I called her from husband in TN from MT and said  I was calling 911, that I had a hunch it was a brain aneurysm and said for him to meet her at the hospital.. he zipped home in less then 30 min

She did have one and they got it in time. She is in the right place and they may just give her some meds to get her BP down and do an MRI to make sure all is Ok,

Relax! OK

I dont make it a habit to copy...but I did here is some info

What is a brain aneurysm?

A brain aneurysm is a ballooning-out of the wall of an artery in the brain. Often this wall is weakened by disease, injury or an abnormality present at birth. Aneurysms are often caused or made worse by high blood pressure. They aren't always life-threatening, but serious consequences — such as a stroke — can result if one bursts in the brain. This is called a hemorrhagic (or bleeding) stroke.

When a blood vessel on the brain's surface ruptures and bleeds into the space between the brain and the skull (but not into the brain tissue itself), it's called a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

How is an aneurysm detected?

Several imaging techniques, such as X-ray angiography, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or computed tomography (CT), are used to detect aneurysms. An aneurysm may be small and not cause symptoms. A doctor will want to check it regularly to see if it's enlarging. Symptoms of an aneurysm depend on where it's located. Aneurysms in the brain can cause impaired vision and headaches. The larger an aneurysm becomes, the more likely it is to burst.

How is an aneurysm treated?

Brain aneurysms are generally treated surgically. A metal clip is secured around the base of the aneurysm. Another type of treatment involves 'packing' the aneurysm with microcoils (small, flexible wire coils). These are delivered and inserted into the aneurysm using a catheter.

For stroke information, call the American Stroke Association at 1-888-4-STROKE.

If you or someone you know has a brain aneurysm or has had a hemorrhagic stroke, call 1-888-4-STROKE and ask for the Stroke Family Support Network.

I HOPE ALL IS OK

Answer 10

something that may have to due with cardiacness methinks. i'm not too sure but it sounds pretty boring living in antarctica or wherever.

Answer 11

It could be quite a few things. Her high blood pressure could have easily caused those symptoms by itself, but the reason her pressure was that high could be one of a million things.

It also could be a sign of a severe migraine, all the way up to a stroke.

Honestly, without knowing her medical history, it's very hard to say. But based on those symptoms alone, that would be my immediate impression. Isn't there a cell phone or something you could use to call the hospital or family for info? It has to be torture not knowing.

Answer 12

i have headache problems too. they run in the family. i have to go to a neurologist so they can persribe me meds to get rid of the headaches.. if could be something a lot worse, but the doctor prob. would take care of that with blood tests, cat scans, etc.  If she saw lines that means she was seeing wats called a oura.. thats wat you see with severe headaches.. ive seen one a few times.  

Answer 13

She needs to see a neurologist

Sometimes migraines act like that but it could be something else

I have had some that blurred my vision or caused light sensations, called auras, but she she get a specialist in case it's something else

Best of luck

Answer 14

sounds just like a very extreme migraine,also blood pressure has 2 numbers not one is it the top number or bottom,if its the bottom that is very high so maybe they will put her on blood pressure meds.If its a migraine they will help her with her pain,try not to  worry and think positive thoughts.