What is Fluid Build up near the Temple?

Question

i have been suffering from Headaches for around 6 months but usually go with paracetamol so wasn't worried but lately they have turned into migraines, i went to the doctor as i had the migraine for 2 weeks nearly & she sent me for an eye pressure test & that was fine, now i'm getting blood test done as she really thinks it's a build up of fluid near my Temple she says it's quite common but i've never heard of it so it's scaring me a bit. Anyone know anything about it & how it's treated.

thanks

Mel

Answer 1

I have / had the exact same problem.  Chronic headaches in left eye, acutely-swollen temple so large others could see and feel it, turned into migraines.  A good-for-nothing Neurologist ran a whole bunch of tests including MRI, EEG, and blood tests but found nothing.  He diagnosed it as menstrual migraine and gave me an abortive migraine medication (Maxalt) to take as needed.  From my own research, I believe my temporal artery was swelling, putting pressure on the trigeminal nerve, which caused the migraines.

The best way for me to manage the migraines was to discover and avoid my trigger: aspartame, found in nearly everything "diet" or "lo-cal."  Splenda  (generic = sucralose) is the only acceptable artificial sweetner for me.  But triggers are different for everyone.  A coworker gets migraines only when she combines bananas and peanut butter; separately they don't cause her a headache.  Since staying away from my trigger, headaches have decreased from 5/week that nearly caused me to quit my job, to about 1/month that's treatable with Maxalt.

My suggestion is to find a list of common migraine triggers, prioritize them in the order you consume them from most often to least often, then cut one completely out of your diet for a period of time.  If the headaches subside while abstaining, or return when you start consuming again, that's one of your triggers.  Keeping a food diary may also help.

If the temporal swelling is not acute but chronic, it may be Temporal Arteritis, which is easily discovered through a blood test for sedimentation.

Best wishes for a speedy solution.