My mom has a pain right behind her head, like behibd her neck, inside, feels her stomach like throwing up, could this be stress?

Call 911 right now, could be a stroke or heart attack. I’m serious. Get an ambulance now.

How long has it been going on? Did it come on suddenly? How bad is the pain? It could be several different things, including a garden variety migraine headache.

Drive the woman to the ER now. We can Fluther about this later.

She had this pain going back one forth, today she had it, yesterday she didn’t… She says it’s kinda strong, but sometimes she doesn’t even remember that pain…

Good God woman, get the car keys.

It could be any number of things & about 25% of “what it could be” is lethal.

Are you going to casually Fluther about it for a few more hours?

Stroke is a possibility as is an aneurysm…DO NOT WAIT!

DO NOT GIVE AN ASPIRIN OR IBUPROFEN!

True. Pressure on the brain – tumor, aneurysm, or bleed, would cause headache and nausea.

Everything looks fine because she’s still alive but THIS IS NOT OK.

Go to the ER NOW or call 911 NOW.

yes,but have her see a doctor immediately!

And please update us after she sees a Dr. tonight.

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It could be stress, but I have read that it one of the symptoms of a stroke. I suggest you contact 911 immediately. My son had his life saved because his partner wasn’t too ashamed to call 911.

IF YOU’RE READING THIS YOU ARE NOT IN THE ER YET!

With just the two symptoms given this could be one of at least 395 diagnoses…some of which are life threatening.

I’m a doctor. Go see a doctor.

My granpa’s a doctor…go to ER now

With the little information available, it certainly could be a heart attack or stroke (though a classic stroke isn’t associated with neck pain). A stress headache would be the least of her problems. My best guess is actually a migraine headache, what with the intermittent nature and the associated nausea. The only way to know for sure if for her to have a thorough medical evaluation, preferably as soon as possible. Best wishes.

I have chronic migraines. This does NOT sound like a migraine to me.

@SpatzieLover Sorry to hear about your migraines. However, the classic symptoms of migraine are unilateral head and neck pain, photophobia, aura and nausea/vomiting. Given that she described 2 out of 4 symptoms second hand, and given that the probability of migraine (or other headache) is probably higher than a heart attack or stroke manifesting as neck pain, I think it is certainly possible. As I said, only a complete history and physical ± lab tests and imaging studies (i.e. head CT) would be definitive.

@SpatzieLover Unilateral headache is more commonly associated with cluster headache; migraine can be bilateral. But you are correct that migraine is associated with the other symptoms you mention.

@Benny I’m not sure I agree about the differentiation between migraines and cluster headaches. Migraines are usually unilateral and are only less frequently bilateral. Cluster headaches are also unilateral, so that aspect doesn’t differentiate between the two. Also, as an older woman, cluster headaches would be much less likely than migraine, but of course, a full work-up is necessary. I hope 2late2be’s mom has seen someone by now.

@shilolo It is true that migraines are lateralized in certain percentage of patients, but many do have global symptoms. My clinical experience is about 50/50.

@Benny Fair enough. My own clinical experience is more like 80–20 (and I also know quite a few friends and colleagues who have had them, including my wife, and those anecdotal numbers are more like 90% unilateral).

@shilolo Your experience is more in line with what uptodate.com says. The thing is, in a primary care practice, headache, like anything else, tends to be multifactorial. Anyway, here is a cut and paste from uptodate.

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS — Migraine commonly begins early in the morning but can occur at any time. Nocturnal headaches, which awaken the patient from sleep, characteristically occur with cluster headaches, but migraine can awaken patients as well. However, in a patient with the recent onset of nocturnal headaches, brain tumor and glaucoma should be carefully excluded by thorough neurologic and ophthalmologic evaluation, with appropriate imaging studies if indicated.

The headache is lateralized during severe migraine attacks in 60 to 70 percent of patients; bifrontal or global headache occurs in up to 30 percent. Occasionally, other locations are described, including bioccipital headaches. The pain is usually gradual in onset, following a crescendo pattern with gradual but complete resolution [33]. The headache is usually dull, deep, and steady when mild to moderate; it becomes throbbing or pulsatile when severe.

@Benny. Thanks for the link! And, welcome to Fluther. It’s good to have more medical expertise on board.

@shilolo Thanks. Although I do try to keep my medical advice to a minimum. I get enough of that at work!

@Benny Yeah, I keep telling myself that. But, the gravitational pull to medical Qs is like a true physical force. Impossible to resist. Also, people have taken to putting my username as a tag, so the Q inevitably enters my “questions for you”.

It’s a good thing Shilolo feels that pull. He actually saved someone’s life here!

@2late2be Are you going to update us? I see you’ve written another question or two. Let us know how your mom is doing, please.

@augustlan That’s a story I’d like to hear, actually. I’ve helped people online before with medical problems, but I can’t ever say I’ve saved someone’s life!

@Benny Here you go!

@augustlan Ah…good story. As someone who has had to remove busted appendices I can say that the earlier you get in the better!

Thanks for asking about her…
She didn’t wanted to go to the hospital, we went to a doctor here and told us that she is fine and she has stress only.

Thanks for the update!

@2late2be Glad to hear that she seems better. BUT, if this situation recurs, then she really does need a more complete evaluation. Sometimes even the best doctors miss things.

@shilolo I know. But it’s so hard to convince her to go to the hospital! I just hope she doesn’t feel that pain again.

@2late2be Of course, it could be something that just goes away. But, me and others are concerned that the next time it might be much more serious. Obviously, we have no way to tell over the internet. I have seen many patients who are afraid of the hospital come only as a last resort, and by then they have a very bad problem. Had they only come sooner, things would be better. Does that make sense? Sometimes, waiting does a lot more damage.