Feeling waves in your head can be due to vertigo, brain zaps (often from stopping antidepressants), pulsatile tinnitus (whooshing sounds), or sensations from anxiety, migraines, sinus pressure, or nerve issues, with symptoms varying from dizziness and electric shocks to pulsing sounds, and a doctor visit is key for diagnosis.
Vertigo usually results from a sudden or temporary change in the activity of the balance sensors in the inner ear or in the balance sensors' connections to the brain, both of which detect movement and changes in your head position.
Brain zaps feel like sudden jolts of electricity in the brain. They can be startling but aren't harmful. Many people get them when stopping antidepressants. Stress, poor sleep, and neurological issues can also trigger them.
Conditions that affect the nerves may cause tingling in the head or face. These include infections, diabetes, MS, occipital neuralgia, and trigeminal neuralgia. Other possible causes include anxiety, migraine, head injuries, seizures, and autoimmune conditions. Some medications can also cause tingling as a side effect.
Tight muscles in the neck and upper shoulders can compress surrounding tissues and restrict the natural movement of blood. This tension can create pressure that feels like pulsing or pounding in the head.
A pre-stroke headache, often a "thunderclap headache," feels like the sudden, explosive "worst headache of your life," peaking in seconds, potentially with nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, or vision changes, signaling a medical emergency like a hemorrhagic stroke or TIA (mini-stroke). It's distinct from a gradual migraine, often appearing out of nowhere and accompanied by neurological symptoms like weakness or numbness on one side, difficulty speaking, or balance loss, requiring immediate medical attention (call 911/emergency services).
A pulsating headache can be caused by migraines, high blood pressure, and other health conditions. You should see a healthcare provider if the headache is severe, frequent, worsening, or occurs with other symptoms.
Five key signs your brain might be in trouble include significant memory loss (forgetting important things or familiar routines), difficulty with everyday tasks, confusion about time/place, problems with language/communication, and noticeable personality or mood changes, such as increased irritability or loss of interest in hobbies, which signal potential cognitive decline or neurological issues.
Do brain tumors cause brain zaps? Tumors don't cause electric shock-like sensations. Instead, tumors usually cause early symptoms like headaches with nausea and vomiting, mood and behavior changes, seizures, and problems with thinking and speaking.
So, what exactly is this brain surge we're talking about? Imagine a sudden, brief, and often intense sensation originating from within your head. It can feel like a sharp, electric shock, a popping sensation, or even a brief moment of disorientation.
New research led by Harvard Medical School researchers at the VA Boston Healthcare System (VABHS) has identified a specific class of neurons—basal forebrain GABA parvalbumin neurons, or PV neurons—that trigger these waves, acting as neurological conductors that trigger the cortex to hum rhythmically and in tune.
Persons with ADHD, learning disabilities, and head injuries tend to have excess slow waves (usually delta, slow theta, and sometimes alpha). When excess slow wave activity is present in the frontal lobe of the brain, it is difficult to control attention, behaviour, and emotions.
Constantly low blood pressure can be dangerous if it causes signs and symptoms such as:
Drink enough fluids, eat a healthy diet, get enough sleep and manage stress. If your dizziness comes with an upset stomach, try medicine called an antihistamine. Get the kind that's sold without a prescription. Examples include meclizine (Dramamine Less Drowsy) and dimenhydrinate (Dramamine).
Since vertigo is loosely described as feelings of dizziness, it comes with a myriad of causes ranging from viral to age-related. As dehydration also causes feelings of vertigo, it's important to identify the cause behind your dizziness so that you can effectively treat it, whether it's at home or at a doctor's office.
Some of the first signs of a brain tumor may include:
There is no evidence to suggest brain zaps are harmful or damage the brain. However, they can be bothersome, cause feelings of disorientation, and disrupt sleep. There is no medical term for brain zaps, but some experts describe them as a type of sensory disturbance.
Most conditions that cause tingling in the head are not serious and may result from tension headaches, sinus, and ear infections. Abnormal or recurring severe pressure may be a sign of some underlying medical problem, such as a brain tumor or aneurysm in rare cases.
Cognitive Test. Cognitive tests are short, quick tests to check how well your brain is functioning. These tests don't diagnose specific diseases. Instead, they identify a problem with cognition and the need for more in-depth testing.
In general, brain tumor symptoms can include:
What are neurological symptoms that should never be ignored? Key symptoms to watch for include sudden severe headaches, unexplained numbness or tingling, vision changes, cognitive decline, muscle weakness, tremors, balance problems, speech difficulties, and seizures.
“If it ruptures, what it feels like is the worst headache of life, worse than anything you've ever had, like a hammer hitting the back of the head,” says Dr. Patel. Along with a headache, symptoms of a brain aneurysm rupture also include: Confusion or loss of consciousness.
Pulsatile tinnitus creates a thumping or swooshing noise in your head. The noise seems to keep time with your heartbeat. Pulsatile tinnitus may be a symptom of conditions that affect blood flow. Healthcare providers treat this symptom by identifying and treating the cause.
Occipital neuralgia can feel like a sharp, shooting pain in the back of the head, usually on one side. It might be described as a throbbing or burning sensation. It can also cause sensitivity to light, scalp tenderness and pain behind the eye on the affected side.