Headaches

[debbsi]

Does anyone else get lots of headaches?
Its not something that I am worried about (for a change) as I have had headaches all my adult life. I am sick of reaching for a painkiller when I get one!! Could it be an anxiety thing? I wonder if its tension in my neck, but if it is how on earth can I control it without taking paracetamol??

[joannap]

hi debs

it is unusual if i DON'T have a headache! I used to be under the headache/pain clinic at york years ago when they were at their worst - now - i can go several weeks without taking painkillers but always feel slightly headachey but recently i have been taking painkillers every day/every other day. I have a lot of tension in my neck/shoulders and try to remember not to continually hunch my shoulders etc. I also drink lots of water and use a wheat bag. x

[debbsi]

just been googling - i know i shouldnt but as i am not worried i thought - wth!
so looks like its a tension headache - which makes sense!
i really think its coming from my neck and shoulders too xx

[debbsi]

just done some more reading - i think it may be 'Medication-Overuse' headache. I tend to take paracetamol and apparantly if you take this for more than 15 days in a month for a headache than your body can become used to the medication and on the days where you dont take it - your body suffers with withdrawel symptoms - therefore another headache = more painkillers!!!!
So I think I will have to be brave and stop taking the paracetamol!

[joannap]

hi - i was warned of this but i can go several weeks at a time when i don't take painkillers after taking them every day for a while so try not to worry too much. do you take the full dose when you have a headache? i try to only take 2 syndol (they are paracetamol/caffeine/codine and a muscle relaxant) and then if it doesnt go i use a headache stick/cold gel on my head for the rest of the day.

by the way - if you are on the pill - they can make headaches much worse. i came off the pill for 6 months last year and hardly suffered with headaches x

[racdun]

A few rounds of massage works wonders for these headaches. The muscles at the back of my neck get tensed up and I start getting daily headaches. After one or two massage sessions I'm good to go for another few months.
Rachael

[lajjj]

do you ever find if sometimes you forget about it, it goes away? i suffer from really bad tension headaches to the point where i cant think straight and my head feels as if its in a vice like grip , i get scared sometimes that i will pass out so i tend to be zoned into it... but i have noticed when my mind is truly taken off it , it seems to melt away only problem is i 'check in' alot (to see if its still there)and as soon as i do that bam!! its back x

[randomworry]

can control headaches by doing loads of exercise

[debbsi]

well i've decided to abandon any painkillers! I had a really bad headache all weekend and too some painkillers on saturday, I didnt take any yesterday and this morning i have woken clear headed!!
Strange thing is I seem to be able to bring one on just by thinking about it - I think it is coming from muscle tension - i really need to learn how to relax

[randomworry]

hey debbsi try and calm down your dancing cat thing too..........why is it sooo fast looool!!

[debbsi]

hahaha :) I tried but cant work out how to do it!! :D