The Packers might not yet know all the proper solutions to wide receiver Terry Glenn's recent ailments, but thanks to his trip to New York Tuesday, they at least feel comfortable that they have pinpointed the problem.
After meeting with a neurologist, Glenn has been diagnosed with "post-traumatic migraines," Packers GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman explained to the media Wednesday, meaning that Glenn's symptoms of migraine headaches and nausea are likely the result of an earlier head trauma.
While the exact event of that head trauma cannot be determined with any certainty, Glenn's symptoms date back to the season opener, September 8, when he took a hard blow to the head after a catch.
"He's had headaches since the Atlanta game," Sherman said. "He has not mentioned them to us until last week, however. He's just been dealing with them, but then they got to the point where he had a hard time dealing."
Last week Glenn was held out of team practices and then managed only to play the first half of Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. He made a 17-yard reception on the Packers' opening scoring drive, but did not return to the field after complaining of migraines at halftime.
Earlier this week Sherman said he wanted to exercise caution when dealing with any head injury. Glenn's visit with the specialist gave both player and coach peace of mind.
"What going to New York did, it put him at ease and me at ease," Sherman said. "About Monday (Glenn) said, 'I just want to practice. I'm just going to put it behind me and deal with it.'
"We sat down as a staff and decided that's not the best thing. Let's get some finality at least to the diagnosis and make sure that what we're saying is accurate. We sent him to the best (specialist) that we could find and feel confident (in the diagnosis).
"I think it's a relief to (Glenn) also, to know that an outside opinion validated what we were doing."
Glenn has been prescribed several anti-migraine medications and is medically cleared to participate as his health allows. Wednesday he was back at practice, but is listed as questionable on the team's injury report, meaning there is a 50-50 chance he will play against the Chicago Bears next Monday night.
"I'm not going to say that he's back just yet," Sherman said. "I think it's going to take a little bit of time before the headaches dissipate to the point where we don't have to worry about them."
Glenn has had a history of injury troubles over his career, and there was speculation during his days in New England that he didn't make enough of an effort to play through pain. Regardless of past allegations, Sherman said he had no doubts about the validity of Glenn's current ailments.
"I don't think this has anything to do with anything in the past," Sherman said. "He has legitimate migraine headaches. They are debilitating to say the least . . .
"It's not the headache you have after a couple Miller Lites, this is a headache that you might have if someone hit you over the head with a sledgehammer. It's a little bit different.
"I don't know, unless you've head that type of headache, how sympathetic you can be toward that situation."
Glenn said his headaches come and go. At their worst, he said the migraines make him feel as if his head is going to "crack open."
Although he experienced some dizziness in practice Wednesday, Glenn indicated that he's already feeling some positive affects from the medication and that he hopes to be able to play against the Bears.
"I'm going to give it all I've got and hopefully I'll be out there," he said. "I don't want to miss anything."
