Pulsatile Pain in the Left Side of Head

Well, I'm no doctor!!! But I did experience something similar. I did have a CT Scan (thank goodness for health insurance), and was diagnosed with sinusitis. I thought, wait a minute. Isn't that the same thing as "sinus infection?" My doctor said, yes it is, and that's really what it is. He said most often when people think they have a sinus infection, they really just have a bad cold. But pain like you described is often a true sinus infection. The good news is I just kind of had to wait it out like a cold.

Hope it's just a sinus infection. And I hope you feel better soon!

The pulsating pain sounds like a common, residual symptom from your bad cold. Coughing for almost 2 months puts a lot of strain and pressure on the many nerves and small vessels. People can break ribs from severe coughing, so imagine what kind of damage you caused with 2 months of chronic coughing.

Give yourself some more time to heal. If you are really worried, jot down on you calendar, or on your phone, when the pulsating starts, how long it lasts and see if there is a pattern over the next week or so. If it does not improve, then you could have caused permanent nerve damage.

Do you smoke? If you do, you should stop immediately until this clears up, as smoking damages the small vessels.

M.,

Sorry to hear that you are suffering! I don't know if this info will help at all, but I once had what you are describing - stabbing pain in one spot on my head about every 30 seconds lasting for 2-5 seconds ALL DAY LONG. It was not only debilitating but very worrisome. I did a little investigation and realized that it was called an ice pick headache because it feels like someone is poking an ice pick into your head! I realized that I had walked my girls to the bus stop with a wet head that morning and it was kind of windy and a bit chilly. Apparently this type of headache can be triggered by that sort of an experience and is like a nerve ending that is on overdrive. Later that day it just all of a sudden stopped. I do remember the area feeling a little sore afterwards.

No idea if this is similar to what you've dealt with but just thought I'd share my experience. Certainly, severe head pain is nothing to ignore. If you have that "worst headache I've ever had in my life" feeling, go to the ER at once!

I'm a nurse. It could be a sinus infection.

Did you ever go to the doctor? It sounds to me like your cold led to a sinus infection, and you need antibiotics.