a curious thing occurred about 4 years bacck. After contracted an illness (minor cold one evening), i awoke the next morning with this tight banding/stiffness sensation that encompassed my entire head. As the weeks progressed the pressure augmented until it tapered off --- I have suffered from this pressure constantly (without exception) for 4 years straight. Accompanying this pressure is mental stupor..i cant understand things that well and can't focus and articulate myself, especially when stressed (this consequently causes the pain to worsen). I also, get burning in the cheeks, nose, sinuses and eye areas. It basically feels like im wearing a mask alll of the time and if a just removed it id feel totally normal again both physicallly and cognitively. My question is: I've seen specialist after specialist and had tons of tests: spinal, eeg, 3 cats, 3 mris, bloodwork and taken a host of medications but nothing solves my problem. So, could this have been a stroke even though it didnt show up on the mri and even though my pain is bilateral and even though, the development of pressure was progressive?

thanks