New Pain After Flashbacks, Any Help?

[Serena 1975]

I've been battling flashbacks for many years now but lately they are more intense and more frequent. Then yesterday, after each one, I got a sharp pain in the back of my head that shot to the top, like a knife being plunged in. The pain lasted for about 30 seconds and after the intensity lessened, I was dizzy and my vision was blurred for another couple minutes. This has never happened before. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[just keep swimming]

I remember having this, for me the experience was my mind showing me that i had work to do with a Therapist, and what to talk about, at the same time the pain was my minds way of protecting me as too many of them too close together.

That is just my experience.

I wish you well.

 

[Venusian]

It is funny (not ha ha funny, coincidental funny) I noticed this just this week. I was having a conversation with a friend who has just realized that she is having PTSD symptoms and flashbacks. Talking with her, I was just letting her talk and I was just there as a sounding board, I could empathize with what she was describing and was having emotional responses. I would have the same symptoms you were describing, the sharp pain at the back of my skull that only lasted for a few seconds but was intense. I put it down to stress and anxiety, possibly my blood pressure spiked a little bit. It may be something to talk to your doctor about if you have never had this symptom before.

 

[Serena 1975]

Thanks, JKS and Venusian, how do I know what to work with? I've been working closely with a psychologist as well as a sexual assault therapist for the past four years. This pain is new. And flashbacks are so much more intense.

 

[Venusian]

how do I know what to work with?

Hi Serena, that is the million dollar question. It is hard to sort out physical symptoms from those that are related to PTSD and anxiety issues, sometimes impossible to distinguish without getting tests done. If it is new I would talk to your therapist but also to a medical doctor to rule out any new physical illnesses. At the moment I am having a lot of physical ailments that just happened to start the same time that my PTSD kicked in big time and blocked memories started to surface. It seemed like the physical issues triggered the memories. It is hard and right now I have a mystery pain that none of the medical tests can explain...yet. My doctors are still trying to rule out a physical cause before they start saying it is something I have to handle through my psychiatrist.

Headaches can indicate many things and may have a real physical cause, it would be wise to check it out medically at the same time you are talking to a therapist. High blood pressure from extended periods of stress can cause those headaches you are describing. If your flashbacks are getting worse at the moment, can I assume that your stress levels are getting high too? Is there a medical hotline you can call where you are?

 

[just keep swimming]

For me, that type of pain was happening when i was over loaded with stress and everything else Venusian says. Sounds how it does but the stabbing in back of my head was my defense mechanism saying to me 'that is enough' its time to be good to myself.

I learned how to belly breath and kick out loads of stress this way. Its how we are all born breathing. Its our fail safe coping device and has never let me down. Of course you may do this already.

Being 4 years into therapy maybe you need to learn some new coping methods and your be able to carry on in and out of your sessions better equipped. I am not saying your not already.

Hope your finding your way.

 

[Powder]

If this pain also coincides with a creative burst of genius, this has been associated with mini strokes. Many creative people have this. See TED talks with Amy Tan on Creativity for more info in an entertaining/enlightening way on this.

 

[arfie]

Mine are not too much like you describe, but I get something similar.

I haven't talked to a doctor about it since the 80s, but mine move around my head. I call them, "pressure centers" because mine seldom cause stabbing pains. I personally associate mine to another piece of my amnesia healing. Flashbacks are part of that process.

I never met a doctor who seemed concerned about my headaches. I confess I never pursued it with any enthusiasm.