LisaKinVA Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 (edited) UPDATE -- My DX is... drumroll... SHIGNLES. Who would have thunk? I went to bed Sat. night and the left side of my head was painful. I woke up Sun. and have this bump on my forehead. At first, I thought I must have bumped my head w/o knowing it, but here it is Tues. and the bump hasn't receded and is still tender. It's also red, not the normal color of a bump on the noggin. The left side of my face, from the bottom of my jaw to my temple feels like someone beat me upside the face. It really only is painful if I attempt to like on my left side -- which, since I'm pregnant, is the side I'm supposed to favor. It's not painful to chew. It hurts to brush my hair or pull my hair back from the left side of my face, and if I'm upright for a period of time, the left side of my face begins to throb... I've had TMJ before -- so my initial thought was this may be a flare-up, but I can eat and chew normally without pain -- plus, I'm wearing invisilign retainers at night, which don't really allow my teeth to fully meet. Any ideas? Do I need to make an appointment with a GP to take a look? Thanks. Edited October 27, 2008 by LisaK in VA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Mc in SC Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 A bug/spider bite? I'd have it looked at. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Did you get bitten by something? I would definitely get it checked out if it doesn't go down with some ice, ibuprofen, and benadryl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 My husband suggested that -- but the welt on my head is about 2" long and about 1.5" in wide... I've never had a welt like that before (bug bite related, anyhow), but wouldn't it have still begun to recede after 4 days? I'm going to look up a GP (I don't have one right now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Have you had a sinus infection recently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 Nope... no sinus infection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 My husband suggested that -- but the welt on my head is about 2" long and about 1.5" in wide... I've never had a welt like that before (bug bite related, anyhow), but wouldn't it have still begun to recede after 4 days? I'm going to look up a GP (I don't have one right now). I could share a picture of one just like that, right above my eyebrow - but i'm not thinking that should be the first pictures i post of myself here! LOL!!! Mine was a mosquito bite and it swelled like that in 5 minutes. I would call a doctor - maybe even your OB. Mine liked to see me first for most things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 (edited) Nope... no sinus infection. Good. There is a complication of a sinus infection (Pott's Puffy tumor) that can cause a painful forehead lump. It usually happens in kids though. I do agree that you should see your doc. Edited October 21, 2008 by Perry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 I have an appointment wit a GP on Monday -- it's the earliest I can get in. If everything goes away, well, I still need a GP anyhow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in Toronto Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I had a bump on my forehead during and after a migraine. I think it was a knotted muscle/spasm. When I applied pressure to it, it would start to kind of dissolve, and then come back again when the pressure was released. It went away on its own after a few days, and it hasn't happened again. I typically get scalp tenderness, as well as pain over my sinuses (forehead and under my eyes) during migraines. With your history of TMJ, I'm thinking you might be having some kind of muscle spasm. What happens when you apply gentle pressure to the bump? Do you think you had a migraine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 When I apply pressure to anything on the left side of my head (including the bump) it feels like a bruise, and the pain courses down the left side of my face, into my neck. Of course, just sitting here, the left side of my head is now throbbing. My lymph node on that side of my neck is now swollen too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I have no idea about the bump but other than that, I had similar symptoms when once, my wisdom tooth abcessed & another time, when I had my one & only inner ear infection. Honestly, I would not wait till next Monday. We have walk-in clinics here - do you have something similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 We used to, but they won't accept our insurance -- or cash payment (that's a new one). The only other "walk-in" is the public health dept. Which I think might be more painful than what I'm going through now. I have a mid-wife appt. on Thurs., and will mention what's going on there. If they want me to be seen more quickly, they'll make it happen through their referral process, and I'll get seen in Alexandria that day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Lisa - how'd this go today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 27, 2008 Author Share Posted October 27, 2008 I have a diagnosis... SHINGLES. :glare: Apparently, my symptoms are "textbook." I have to let the OB know, have my anti-virals in hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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