My research of Post Hepatic Neuralgia indicated that in my case the Shingles outbreak would have travelled along the Trigeminal nerve on the upper right side of my head. It is the disruption of the Trigeminal nerve due to the progress of the Shingles virus, which can give long term severe pain from the nerve damage that is caused.
On what might be an unrelated track of my research I found out that people with Cluster Headaches, which I believe also involves the Trigeminal nerve and a part of the brain called the Hypothalamus, experienced nasal discharge on the side of their head where their headaches occur. So my reasoning went that perhaps the disruption to my Trigeminal nerve is causing the sinus stuffiness and headaches I have on the right side of my head.
I also read that the Modafinil drug I had tried without success, which had made my headaches and tinnitus worse, is thought to act upon the Hypothalamus.
My understanding is that the Hypothalamus is a small area at the base of the brain. It links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, which basically means it is the area that allows the nervous system to send out signals via hormones (i.e. the endocrine) system. It is the Hypothalamus that controls body temperature, hunger, thirst and circadian cycles i.e. the sleeping and waking cycle.
So the following is my suggested hypothesis for my condition:-
- I had Shingles on the right side of my head.
- The Shingles virus has probably upset or damaged my Trigeminal nerve on the right side of my head. I still have some odd sensations on the scalp and forehead on the right side which I believe are from the Shingles outbreak.
- A consultant neurologist has diagnosed mild Post Herpetic Neuralgia as a result of my Shingles.
- The upset/damaged Trigeminal nerve is possibly causing/triggering the discharge in my right sinuses causing the stuffiness in my sinuses on that side.
- The upset/damaged Trigeminal nerve is possibly causing/triggering the headaches I am having on the right side of my head.
- The upset/damaged Trigeminal nerve is possibly causing/triggering some reaction in my Hypothalamus and/or the surrounding area of the brain. I have symptoms of fatigue/tiredness and sweating that are things the Hypothalamus has control over.
- Taking Modafinil, which is thought to work on the Hypothalamus made my headaches worst.
- My testosterone levels might be lower than they used to be and the Hypothalamus via the Pituitary glad controls hormone levels. Perhaps a lowering of my testosterone level could be the reason why I feel more emotional at times.
- My Tinnitus is on the right side of my head so perhaps somehow this might be related to my other symptoms, certainly when my headache gets worse my Tinnitus can get worse.
Go to Part13. My suggested way forward.
