I'm 46 and in the midst of perimenopause.  Periodic anxiety attacks, mood swings...you know, the usual.  For the last six months, I have been getting a dull but insistent pain in my head (usually the top, but it sometimes migrates to the entire crown).  It is a feeling of pressure more than pain.  My doc found I had slightly elevated blood pressure, and put me on Norvasc.  Said the headache was probably caused by the pressure elevation.  Well, about two weeks ago the head pressure came back in a big way and it's been pretty constant.  Pressures up, but so is the anxiety (chicken and the egg - what causes what?).   Does anyone else have this kind of pressure feeling?  please write back before I start going for the (undoubvtedly unnecessary) MRI's just to assuage my fears.  Thanks, all.

Hillary, Hi!!

I have a question here....do you by any chance take any form of HRT???You are describing a problem I had, when taking Hormones!!  It felt like a fullness or dizziness, with pressure in the head...like you said!!:(Mine went away, when I stopped the hormones!! If you are on HRT maybe an adjustment or change is needed!! I'm just thinking out loud here!!  I could be way off base!!

(((((((Hugs from a Canadian Gal)))))))                       Nancy

Hi, Hillary: I, too, often have a feeling of pressure on the head - almost like someone is pushing on it. I just saw my doctor - my blood pressure is fine, and in my case the pressure appears to be connected with tight neck muscles. As I understand it, a stiff neck or shoulders can cause some very weird head sensations, even some dizziness (which I was also experiencing, though I think hormones had something to do with that). Think of all the nerves that are in your neck - and the pressure they could undergo from tightness in that area. My doctor saw no evidence of any neurological problems. So, Hillary, maybe if you're feeling tense, your neck or shoulder might be causing your problems??

(This is my very first post - I just discovered this board earlier this week, and I want to say that I am so relieved to find all this info and assurance that I'm not going nuts or about to die! I'm 48 and have been having quite a few symptoms for about 4 years. My doctor told me I was in perimenopause, but I didn't realize how much that could affect my life. Had a lot of anxiety around palpitations a couple of years ago, but have mostly worked that out, largely with the help of some great people on another board. I tend to freak out pretty easily. Am working my way especially through the panic and anxiety posts here because I've been pretty scared about the dizziness and panic attacks I've started having - PHEW! I really could almost weep with relief to find you all!)

Best wishes to you all!  

Anxiety can do a lot of rotten stuff so I imagine headaches are right up there. I find my shoulders higher than they should be all the time and I have to consciously lower them and relax. Also have you ruled out stuff like allergies and sinuses? They can also do this. Just a couple of different things to rule out. I'm sure this is most likely due to meno, but might as well rule out everything else. That might take care of the problem right there.

feel good soon, hugs ,jeanne

Hi There,

About 2 years ago, I started having constant dizzyness, fatigue and pressure in my head and face(especilly across the bridge of my nose and under my eyes). It was so bad I could not leave the house and had trouble getting on my feet. I had every test you could imagine and all were negative, then I found this site and realized this was probably hormones.. I began taking Revival and progesterone cream and noticed a gradual improvemnet over the last year and now I am almot 90% better except for the lingering anxiety as a result of all this..  

About five or six years ago, I started to get the most appalling sense of pressure in my head - it was truly debilitating. It also affected my forehead and made my scalp sore. After some weeks of this, it turned out to be anxiety (this was the very start of peri, although I didn't know it then.) I was having my very first panic attacks too, and my anxiety levels were HIGH. Anyway, eventually the head pressure sent me to the doc in a terrible state - and he explained that there is a massive muscle called the trapezius that runs up inside the skull, down the neck, across the shoulders and down part way of the spine. It is a big, powerful muscle. When we are anxious, stressed, tense, it is this muscle that can tighten, and it can sometimes go into spasm - hence the head pressure, pain, soreness etc. etc. It can last for weeks or months, or can come and go. Anyway, knowing that helped, but my doc gave me 2 weeks of Diazepam which is a muscle relaxant (and trank) and it went.You have my sympathy because it was the most debilitating thing - it actually felt like someone was pushing my brain sometimes.But, that's what it was....Hope this helps! The secret, I guess, is to try and relax (I know - easier said than done...!!!!)

Thanks to everyone writing in in response to my post - I feel an enormous sense of relief, knowing that although it's debilitating, I will get through it if I can keep remembering that it is temporary and that I am not dying! Bless you all!

i too have had this sensation of pressure. sometimes it is in my head and chest. I also believe it has something to do with tense muscles in your neck. Thanks for that good explaination Jools. I too was worried about this .