Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with head

Im getting acne(?) on my arms, whats wrong!

freddymetz — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:36:56 -0800

Im getting acne(?) on my arms, whats wrong! Im 17 years old, and zits on the face aren't a big deal for me. But over the last year or so theyve started spreading out just under my neck, on my shoulders and upper arms (i included a pic to be helpful and more precise :p)

My main question is, what caused this? Im probably looking for a cause like wearing sweaty t shirts or the sort. Could something like that have caused it? Or not enough oxygen to the arms?
I THINK it gets worse in summer but im really not sure.

Does anyone else hear odd noises in their heads when they are hungry?

Xianny — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:50:16 -0800

Does anyone else hear odd noises in their heads when they are hungry? When I get really hungry, as in stomach-growling hunger that makes you feel kind of dizzy, I also hear scritching noises in my head. I'm just curious about whether anyone else experiences this. These noises are kind of high-pitched and sound a bit like crickets chirping. They sound like they're entirely in my head, and they're pretty loud and not very pleasant. They don't really cause any discomfort but I really want to know if anyone else has this!

Mysterious sharp head pain is mysterious.

Memo — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:57:00 -0800

Head-pain-filter: 50 year-old woman suffers from pain both internal and external, in the right side of her head above her ear. The pain feels as a sudden prick that goes from the small circle to the big one.

Externally, the skin in the area feels painful to touch, similar to the oversensitivity after a burn. This dissapears and appears along with the internal pain.

The pain is not permanent. When it happens she can get dizzy if she opens her eyes. There are days when it happens more frequently than others.

She will go to the doctor in the near future, but before she would like to have an idea about what it could be.

How does one get on a headhunter list?

jseven — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:45:44 -0800

How do I get on a headhunter list? I am an executive in a major call center environment and I'm looking for something new. I would like to move on to something where I am responsible for the entire operation.

How does one get on a headhunter list?
Would one want to get on a headhunter list?

Help me sell my gold

mr. remy — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 10:54:42 -0800

I found a 1910 Indian head ten dollar gold coin in my childhood piggy bank. It looks like this. I have seen it listed online for different values between $400 and $1700. I am broke and (regretfully) feel like I need to convert it into cash. How do I do this quickly, fairly, and for maximum profit?

My head is the size of a melon, and it just snowed.

mecran01 — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:34:43 -0800

I have a huge head and need a winter hat. my head is 25 1/2 inches, or about 66cm. That's a wee bit bigger than a men's xxxl hat.

I'm trying to find a warm winter hat or balaclava that will stop the wind, is somewhat water resistant, and will fit. I will be bicycling, hiking, and cross country skiing in Utah with it. My ears protrude like Prince Charles so I have to have ear coverage.

Should I:

1. just get a stretch hat and wear good ear muffs

2. Make my own from Polartec fleece (I have family that can snow)

3. Find a good balaclava and trust that it will stretch to fit

Or something else? My budget is about $30.

head humping cat

ztdavis — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:49:14 -0800

Our new, ten-month old adopted male (but fixed) cat does this (knead, get down on his haunches, and hump). Unlike the previous poster, however, he does this to our heads whenever we lay down. Is there any way to get him to stop? It's not the best way to wake up. See here (illustrative self-link).

Is there anything we could do to convince him to stop? Or should we just resort to sleeping with the bedroom door closed?

What are those model heads called?

CliveDallas — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:21:45 -0800

i want to buy one of those heads made out of pottery that show different bits of the brain; i can't for the life of me find out what they're called, but you see them on telly in doctor's surgeries and they look mighty fine. anyone got any ideas what they're called, despite my rather lame description?

How to Achieve a Clean Face and a Clean Scalp?

WCityMike — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 14:10:09 -0800

I could use some shaving tips, with regards to two specific questions: (i) how to achieve a much closer facial shave; and (ii) tips, anecdotes, etc. on headshaving. First, whenever I shave my face and neck, I always seem to leave a slight stubble behind: enough so that the skin is slightly rough to the touch, and is not colored the same as "normal" skin, but not enough that we're talking outgrown hair. In the area of where a mustache would grow, there sometimes seems to be to be stubble "coloration" without any feeling of stubble. I would instead like to have an utterly clean shave -- in other words, the shaved face resembling the coloration and texture of skin where hair does not grow. How do I go about that?

Second, I have decided I really don't care for where male pattern baldness is taking my hair, and am planning to shave my head clean at some point in the next month. I am wondering if anyone has any advice on this, or any anecdotes. Did you make the same decision? Did you regret it, or did you enjoy it? Good change in your life, or bad? If you decided to "go back," how long did it take you to regrow? How did people react? Minor or major changes in your daily routine? Etc., etc., etc. ... just looking for a primer on the experience, basically.

I'm using a Gillette Mach 3 sport razor and Barbasol aloe shaving cream.

BrainScan filter

bunky — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:46:24 -0800

Is it possible to tell the difference between an old, long-standing injury and a more recent injury to the brain on a brain scan? Would a particular type of brain scan (fMRI as opposed to CAT scan) be better able to reveal the difference between the two? This question would be pertinent to the Peter Braunstein case: earlier in the news coverage, they showed Braunstein's brain scan on television, because the defense claims that the decreased activity shown in the frontal region is consistent with schizophrenia. However, I understand Braunstein hit his head while in custody, and I'm thinking that could cause a similar result on the brain scan. I'm also wondering, could a brain scan show whether he got dropped on his head when he was a baby and/or all three possible conditions and when, approximately, they developed?

Help me find a great neurologist.

sneakin — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:33:15 -0800

Can you please recommend a great neurologist in the New Haven County (Connecticut) area? I need to see a neurologist for a follow-up after an MRI. I really want someone who is whip smart and will pay close attention to me. Having a nice/friendly/warm bedside manner is important, too, but not imperative since I know neurologists aren't known for their cuddliness. Yale affiliation is a plus.

It's my noggin, so, it's pretty important.

Will it stop hurting if I cut the right side of my head off?

ArgentCorvid — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 21:36:18 -0800

So, I'm pretty sure that I'm on the tail end of what fits the definition of a migraine. It hurts a lot less than it did. What do I say when I call the doctor's office? For the past 4 days I have had a pretty bad headache on the right side of my head. Most of that area hurts, but right behind my ear, behind my right eye and the inside of my right nostril hurt worse than anywhere else. The pain has luckily not been enough to put me totally out of commission, but I am definitely operating at much less than full capacity. I didn't get any of the 'aura' that some other people describe, but I did have a few nights of really weird vivid dreams before hand.

During two years of almost constant stress, this happened anywhere from once/month to once/3 months (always in the same areas). I'm not experiencing stress like that now and it has been 10 months since it last happened. As far as I know, I'm not allergic to anything.

So, what do I say when I call up the doctor's office? Do I just make an appointment, and bring a typed list in with me, or will that make me look like a hypochondriac/drug scammer?

What To Do in South Carolina?

Raybun — Wed, 30 May 2007 17:22:51 -0800

I and my SO have to travel to the Sun City, Hilton Head, Florence part of South Carolina. We have a two day block where the person who we are to visit has to attend a conference. Whats to do in this area? Not interested in golf or other sports.

I love my boyfriend, but feel tense near him. Why?

Anonymous — Wed, 09 May 2007 07:30:54 -0800

I love my boyfriend and enjoy his company. He loves me a lot. Why then do I feel on edge when I'm near him? [this will get long long looooooooooooooong...]

My boyfriend and I have been together nearly nine months. He is my first relationship; I'm his third. We've had typical ups and downs, but we've always enjoyed being with each other and we care for each other. We both live on campus and see each other nearly every day (barring holidays). We do enjoyable things together, we're very comfortable with each other (physically, mentally, emotionally, etc), and we respect and support each other.

I have had a history of panic attacks and depression, and lately they have been getting worse. I took BC pills for four days in February (Mercilon) and stopped because they were making a mess of my mind and body. As soon as I stopped, things got better, but the anxiety and depression remain. My boyfriend is SUPER supportive of me: he relaxes me, gets me what I need (usually water), calms me down. He'd wake up in the middle of the night and relax me if things got bad. I have not received this level of support from anyone else and I really appreciate that.

Right about that time I have been having nagging thoughts of breaking up with my boyfriend. They don't seem to have any rational explanation. The closest thing to that is one incident in early February (before the BC) where my boyfriend did something that made me feel very uncomfortable. I don't want to get into details, but suffice to say things nearly ended but we have worked through that and he has been very apologetic, working hard to ensure that it doesn't happen again. We did speak to people about it and they've all agreed that it was a misunderstanding and that he didn't wish me harm.

We have a policy of not keeping things in lest they blow up in our faces, so whenever we have issues with each other, we bring them up and discuss them maturely. We both have things to work on, but we ARE working on them and the effort shows. My boyfriend is aware of these nagging thoughts and supports my decision no matter what.

Things got worse a few days ago. We had a pretty good weekend, getting out of college and going around the city. on Monday night he came up to my room and chatted for a while. For some reason, though, the whole time he was talking I had this really strong bad feeling in my heart going "GO AWAY SHUT UP SHOO". I tried to fight it but after a while I relented and told him I was feeling that way. I started to doubt whether I really loved him, and that scared me. It was like I wanted to love him but my heart isn't letting me express that. He still said he supported me, he'll do what he can to help, he doesn't hold this against me.

The next day the feeling wouldn't go away. I went up to his room to snuggle for a bit (like we usually do) and I felt the strong urge to get away. We went to get breakfast and I could barely stand being in the same table. It felt terrible and awful. Here's someone I really love and now I can't stand next to them!

Indeed, that feeling made me so upset I spent the whole day crying and talking to three different counselors about it. (I also talked to my sister the night before.) I had classes that day but could barely concentrate. I wanted to know if it was still possible to love someone if you can't really feel it inside (it felt like something had possessed me), how do you tell you love someone? The common threads that came up are:

a) It could be biochemical - the BC hormones, my general anxiety/depression (I used to be medicated years ago), sleep deprivation, stress (we both go to uni and I'm very very active elsewhere, which is getting me down a little)

b) It could be emotional exhaustion; nothing necessarily wrong with my relationship

c) Around the 6-9months stage, the relationship evolves from twitterpatted bliss to companionship and friendship; not being used to this transition, I may have interpreted this as "relationship gone bad" when really it's "relationship adjusting"

d) Seeing my boyfriend everyday could get tiring on me

e) I'm overthinking things (which I am prone to doing)

Talking to three counselors and crying the whole day didn't make me totally better though. I was dying to get home. By the time I got home, I went to my boyfriend's room and begged for help. I felt very weak, tired, and on the brink of collapsing. He brought me up to my room, got me food and water, and tried his hardest to relax me and calm me down. He let me cry; I haven't cried so hard in a long time. I let out everything I'm feeling. I ask if he's tired of me being like this. He says he's fine, that he supports me. After a while I do relax, and sleep.

This morning I feel a bit better; however that "on edge" feeling I got near him is still there. It's not as strong but it's still there, a little. I'm fine with talking to him on the phone, or being at arm's distance. Even hanging out in his room is great. I feel like I'm in good company, that I'm safe and fine. But when he holds me or is generally very close I felt cagey. I go back to my room all alone and I feel better, but then I worry about whether this can survive, do I really love him if I'm feeling that way around him, blah blah. I can't win either way!! Even with this breakup thing, it's like:

Side A: Break up with him! Relationships shouldn't have pain!
Side B: The only reason it is in pain is because you're so obsessed with breaking up, dumbass. And there's no guarantee breaking up would make the pain go away.
Side A: BREAK UP! Just...because.
Side B: -_-

When I am around him, I am still happy, but I feel split in two. One side is happy and content, and the other side goes "but are you REALLY happy or just tricking yourself, hmm?" I haven't managed to be totally happy in a long time; I'd get pleased over small things but the anxiety sets in again. He's been absolutely wonderful to me, I feel his love for me so strongly, and yet I can't seem to muster the energy to show that love back. It's like the tables are turned; I used to be more effusive with my emotions while he'd hold back, but now he's more open with them and I'm the one unintentionally holding back. I WANT to show them, I just can't seem to bring myself to do so.

One time, in the midst of my anxiety and depression and obsessive thoughts, I asked for a break. AS SOON as I said that, I KNEW it was the wrong choice. I felt terrible the next day and went "ah, fuck it". I'm glad we didn't take that break, but I'm wondering if I need one now. The idea of breaking up with him is heartbreaking though. I can't stand it.

My Questions (FINALLY):

a) Why do I feel on edge when I'm near him? And why the sudden switch from "he relaxes me" to "he tenses me"? It really is like a switch.

b) Do I love my boyfriend less if I want to spend some time alone? How do I show him that I still love him? He says he knows I do, but *I*'m not even sure. Does seeing him nearly every day for nearly a year have a role in this?

c) How do I get these obsessive thoughts away? They've lost all basis and are just bothering me.

d) I've been told that BC hormones take about 6 months to get purged out of the system. The timing fits (The obsessive thoughts came after the BC) but since I only took 4 days' worth, does that matter? I did react very badly to it.

e) I've been told that I may not have totally forgiven for what happened in February. I thought I did, but could that be a concern? I don't think about that incident much, just as something that happened; right now I'm just more worried about these obsessive thoughts.

I may see a counselor again but right now I'm all counselled out. I did sign up for a program that involves regular psychology sessions but I haven't heard anything from them since.

The idea of not wanting to spend time with my boyfriend because my heart's being tense and anxious is just breaking my heart more. I want to spend time with him; I just don't want to feel tense just by being in the same square centimetre with him. If it wasn't for this anxiety, things are going very very well. It's all my self-doing. What can I do?

My left eye is closing and it looks weird.

eve28 — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 03:45:46 -0800

HELP MY EYE!!!! I hope that got your attention, because I have a long explanation about my LEFT EYE.....It has a serious problem where it is constantly closing and it is basically half the size of my right eye. I have no idea what it is and need any information that there is out there. Sorry it's so long :( My left eye started doing this weird thing last year. It started just closing on its own; it comes and goes and lasts for a short moment to a few minutes at most.

It's almost like it gets sleepy. I have big eyes so when it begins to close it is very noticeable; more than half the size of my eye is lost. On Christmas eve I found an eye doctor who was awesome enough to give me a free eye exam. He said there was no growth on my brain, my eyes are the same size, I have good vision, maybe lite reading glasses, but that was it. He also said that I should try to reduce stress. I did. I moved to a great place, found an awesome job. Now my eye is flipping out again.

I'm really worried because it has become worse, much worse; It is closing more and more and now I have started feeling this strange pressure in my head (earlier today and all I wanted to do was pass out.) I had to force my self from not sleeping. The pressure will sometimes turn into this shooting pain from the right side of my brain, and my left eye closes and the right side of my mouth clenches.

I really have no idea what it may be, but I am curious to know if anyone may have some sort of an idea. I do not have health insurance, so I have to wait until the free clinic can fit me in and than refer me to a specialist. But until than I need to know what it may possibly be, any ideas at all. Has anyone ever had this issue.?

Am I turning into a boxing cartoon?

Ash3000 — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 08:39:08 -0800

Y'know how, in cartoons, when one is knocked out, particularly in a boxing match, there'll be stars floating around your head as you lay there? My grandfather said this was based on a real medical condition where boxers would see 'stars' of light in their field of vision after getting knocked out, and I need to know more about this. Details inside. So my grandfather always said (this was years ago) that this was inspired by a real condition where, if you get 'punch-drunk', you'll potentially see little points of light, or 'stars', floating around your field of vision. Recently, I've noticed that I'll sometimes, especially when I've been shaking my head around a lot, see little points of dark light, like the size of lady bugs floating around. Any help on this? Google has yielded nothing for me.

Bring me the head of. . .Hello Kitty?

lannanh — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:51:14 -0800

What would the easiest way to make a huge Hello Kitty head for my Halloween costume? I want it to be mostly proportionate to the actual Hello Kitty Doll so roughly the same width as my shoulders. I'm hoping it's something I can wear over my head like a bonnet and tied on below my chin.

Whaddya think? I was envisioning carved out styrofoam but I don't know where to find a ball that big in time and in SF. Stuffed fabric? (Not thrilled about the prospect of sewing.) Paper Mache? (messy) Any other methods I'm totally overlooking?

Where did I get these images from?

greatgefilte — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 19:08:07 -0800

Where do these images of a 1950's era woman doing head exercises come from? (Pretty SFW, but you might get a few odd looks) I made these animated GIFs a while ago, based on a series of pictures that, I think, depicted suggested head and neck exercises for people to do. The site may have been linked to on the blue, but possible not. I named the GIF HolidayMagic, so that might have something to do with the source...

Thanks, O great brain of the masses!

Talking disembodied head movie--for kids

chippie — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 22:11:16 -0800

Did you happen to see a kids' movie on TV in the 1970s about a brother and sister who carried a Spanish-speaking disembodied head around in a box? Yeah, well, so did I. What was it called? It freaked me out and I still remember it a little bit lo these 25+ years later. It really was made for kids! The only other details I can remember are that it may have been broadcast on a Sunday morning, and this would have been in the greater Chicagoland area. And maybe the head didn't speak Spanish, but spoke with a Spanish accent. That's all I got to go on.

Help me find a hat for my big head.

the jam — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 13:17:08 -0800

I'm looking for a hat for my large (25in) head. Specifically, I'm looking for a hat like my treasured Goorin hat which doesn't seem to be in production anymore. It's more poofy than this, less poofy than this. Help a big-headed brother out.

Help me to evaluate a neurologist

bleary — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 08:35:01 -0800

Help me to evaluate a neurologist Earlier I asked if these symptoms were to be expected from a head injury. Thanks for the replies.

Mom was able to press the nurse enough (who first said she wasn't going to send my dad to a neurologist for a headache) to finally get my dad an appointment with a neurologist.

She's given me the name of the doctor they'll be visiting, and wants to know if I can find out anything about him. e.g. is he good? I would like to find resources for evaluating doctors so they can know more about the neurologist they will be seeing.

Are these symptoms normal during recovery?

bleary — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 10:12:47 -0800

Is brain pressure a normal symptom during the months of recovery after a head injury? My dad had an accident at work earlier this year and is still feeling the effects from the skull fracture and small hematoma. I don't know if all of them should be expected, or not. I'm concerned that the medical staff aren't giving them as much attention as they should.

Mom tells me that they have to go through one person to okay any tests or office visits having to do with this. She's called the person a few times to let her know that dad has been feeling dizzy, vomitting, has headaches, and has been feeling a pressure on the side of the head where the brain hit (opposite the site of the skull fracture).

It seems reasonable to expect headaches and dizzyness for a long time after a concussion, but I'm alarmed about the sense of pressure he describes.

I know that it is easy for me to be critical of the care he is getting when I'm not there to get the whole story, and I'm trying to keep that in mind.

ScifiBookFilter: My uncle has been trying to figure out this novel he read around the 70s.

Lockeownzj00 — Mon, 22 May 2006 17:54:13 -0800

ScifiBookFilter: My uncle has been trying to figure out this novel he read around the 70s. It's a sci-fi book that centers around this brilliant guy whose intelligence is being used for some goal (apparently evil), and somehow by the end of the book he figures out that he's just a disembodied head. Ring any bells?

Head Weight

mammary16 — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 17:41:50 -0800

How can I measure the weight of my head without cutting it off? It's really important.

My head itches

FortyT-wo — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 02:32:24 -0800

My scalp itches terribly in one spot. I'm not sure how to tell wether it's dandruff, dry scalp, an allergy or some silly nervous condition that makes me scratch it. Basically, there is a large spot behind my right ear, down by the neckline, that itches. It has for, I'd say, several years. When I scratch it, usually vigirously, flakes fall out onto my right shoulder, though I suspect these are just skin cells. I scratch it until I come up with red beneath my fingernails on a regular basis.

Info that may or may not be relevant... I've never noticed flakes or itching in other areas of my head. I've been told a few times by different hair cutters that I have unusually thick hair down in that area between my ears. It's difficult to see much of the scalp by parting the hair there. Also, a few years ago, I became suddenly allergic to something in makeup, don't know if whatever that was could be in shampoo too. The weird thing is that any sudden stressful, nervous, anxious situation will cause the area to itch overwhelmingly, and pretty much if I become stressed, I am immediately vigorously scratching this spot on my head. I'm right handed and this is the most convenient spot on my head to reach.

If I'm scratching it when I'm nervous, does that mean there's nothing really wrong and that it's irritated because I'm scratching it, not the other way around? If that's the case, I'm worried there's nothing to help it. It's very hard not to scratch an itch.

Over the years, I've tried dandruff shampoos, dry scalp shampoos, hypoallergenic shampoos, tea tree oil, deep cleaning, deap conditioning, etc., with no improvement. I pay very special attention to rinsing this area, since it's more difficult than the top of my head, to make sure that there isn't a buildup of stuff happening there.

Also, I'm not really sure who has domain over your scalp. Does a dermatologist deal with hair issues? Would I be laughed out of the office and told to go get selsun blue? Can they help at all if it's a nervous condition?