The most common initial symptom of a cavernous sinus thrombosis is a headache. This usually develops as a sharp pain, located behind or around the eyes, that steadily gets worse over time.
Occasionally, some people get what is known as a thunderclap headache, which is a sudden severe headache that comes out of nowhere.
It can be several days or even weeks before additional symptoms develop after the headache starts.
The eyes
Normally the eyes are the first to be affected by additional symptoms following the headache.
You may experience:
- Swelling of the white sections of your eyes. The swelling normally starts in one eye and then spreads to the other eye within 24-48 hours.
- Redness of the eyes.
- Eye pain and an uncomfortable feeling of your eyes being heavy and full.
- Problems with your vision, such as double vision.
- Difficulty controlling the movement of your eyes.
- Enlarged pupils (the hole in the centre of the eye).
- Drooping of your lower or upper eyelid.
Other symptoms
If cavernous sinus thrombosis is left untreated then the pressure inside the skull can increase. If the condition is caused by a bacterial infection, the infection can spread throughout the body.
This can trigger a range of symptoms, such as:
- A high temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or above.
- Seizures (fits).
- Changes in your mental state, such as feeling very confused or like you can’t be bothered to do anything (apathetic).
- Weakness on one or both sides of the body. This is caused by damage to the nerves you use to control the body rather than a weakness in your muscles.
- Problems with speech. Most people who develop this symptom can speak normally but their words make no sense. The medical term for this is aphasia.
Without treatment most people with cavernous sinus thrombosis will become increasingly drowsy and then fall into a coma.
When to seek medical advice
You should always contact your GP if you are experiencing a persistent and severe headache that you have never had before.
While it is highly unlikely to be the result of a cavernous sinus thrombosis, a persistent headache is a symptom that usually requires further investigation.
You should also contact your GP if you develop any of the symptoms affecting the eyes that are described above.
