Is this constant headache related to my stroke or something else?
Headache is not a common symptom after a stroke. When it occurs, a few questions go through my mind. They include: 1) Could there have been bleeding at the location of the stroke? 2) Could there have been swelling from the stroke that caused stretching and pain in the sensitive areas around the brain? 3) Could there have been a tear in one of the arteries which caused the stroke? 4) Could there be a clot in one of the veins of the brain? 5) Could the stroke have affected one of the headache centers, usually deep within the brain?
Sometimes, headaches can happen after a stroke regardless of whether or not one of the above occurred. I have seen patients develop chronic migraines as a result of an otherwise normal looking stroke.
It sounds like you should do two things. First, I would ask your physican to do a complete imaging work-up, including a detailed look at the brain, the arteries of the head and neck (not just with an ultrasound of the neck), and the veins of the brain. This can usually be accomplished by either a special MRI or a special CT (not the standard ones that most hospitals use in their routine stroke work-up). Second, I would ask your physician to start you on one of the many chronic headache medicines - including such options as topiramate, amitriptyline, or nortriptyline - all of which are good, inexpensive, headache medicine options.
I had a stroke in 2004 and a mini one in 2008 and both times had what I would call shooting pains in my temple area that day.However,since the strokes they seem to pretty well come more frequent when I don't get enough sleep so I try to make sure that I do.
This headache I called the Incredible Hulk Brain Stretch. The way I understand it is that the stroke can destroy brain cells, but they can reorganize and recruit from elsewhere. There is swelling in this extremely painful process. In my case, this was a sign of healing. But as mentioned above, it might be the opposite. I think a good indicator to check out is if memory capacity is returning, that is if memory loss occured. For me retrograde memory wiped out three months of memory.I am not an expert, just been there. It shocks me that few report this brain crunching pain - or do report it but it does not make it into research data.
