Headaches

[Sally4x]

Hi,

I have had headaches almost daily for the past five weeks. They started after an eye test followed by waking up with a cricked neck the following day. After the first week I saw the doctor. He examined me and thought they were tension headaches and told me to take paracetamol.

They haven't cleared up. They can be all over my head or just at the back, or side. My neck does hurt to move but I think it always does. Anyway, the thoughts won't go away that I have a brain tumour or an aneurysm. How can a tension headache go on for so long and at times be quite bad?

Any thoughts on this?

Sally

[meche]

Hi Sally - I know exactly what you are thinking and why you are thinking it but believe me when I say it is all due to tension and anxiety. I too had the same fears as you and my headaches went on for alot longer than 5 weeks. Even to this day when my anxiety is no longer a huge issue I can still get twinges in my neck which can cause one sided headaches and eye pain. A doctor wouldn't tell you it was tension headaches if it wasn't - a tumour or anuerysm is something they can't afford to miss and you would certainly know about it by now. Paracetomal didn't really help me. I found doing neck stretches and learning to relax my shoulders more (I hold myself very tensely when I'm anxious) helped hugely. I really hope you feel better soon.

Michelle
xx

[Sally4x]

Hi Michelle,

Thanks so much. I have never really been someone who has headaches. I had them about fourteen years ago and had a scan that was normal. I just can't get rid of these thoughts that it is something serious that they have missed and I will die.

Sally

[meche]

Snap! I was exactly the same. You will not die but you won't get rid of the thoughts until you accept it really is anxiety causing you to think that way. That isn't easy and something I can tell you just to do. It will come in time. The most effective thing I ever did was to carry on as normal - not always easy but I stuck with it. In time I began to think 'hey - that tumour/anuerysm/stroke thing I had last week/month hasn't got any worse'! Symptoms of something so serious do not come & go. Keep telling yourself that and you'll be absolutely fine honey. Big hugs. xx

[AlexandriaUK]

I am up to 11 weeks of daily headaches and still doc says its tension, I also have a bad neck which I am having an MRI next week for that, so hope its that LOL would we still be walking around if it was a tumor don't think we would, and if it was an aneurysm I know we wouldn't they just pop LOL if Dr says its Tension then I would say it is, they dare not make mistakes now a days as we would sue the pants of them.
They are the experts, and how much time do you spend on here that's the main reason for headaches now a days, and lack of water.