# Chronic headaches



## Hera (May 6, 2011)

This is not training related in any way but was wondering if anyone has any experience of chronic headaches and managed to resolve them.

For 3 months now I've been having continual headaches; they're sort of all over but mainly around the back of my eyes. It's at the point now where literally seconds after I wake up in the morning, I feel it come on and it stays with me all day. It's quite wearing when trying to focus and get on with things and by the end of the day I just want to go to bed in the hope it'll go away.

Given the frequency and duration of these I can't use painkillers. I'm not sure what to do. My husband thinks it's stress related but I'm not any more stressed than usual. I would put it down to eye strain if it wasn't for the fact that it starts the moment I wake up.

I just know if I go to the GP they'll just say 'oh it's probably stress. Take these painkillers'. Which isn't what I want to do...I want to resolve the cause.

I am going to quit the caffeine just in case that's contributing (although last time I tried that (2 weeks back) nothing changed). I already drink a lot of water in the form of herbal teas so am well hydrated. Not sure else what to try...


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## jim2509 (Dec 30, 2010)

Sounds painful, a mate of mine at work suffers similar headaches, which he says are Migraines. They are bad enough for him to go home when they come on. To be honest if your getting pain behind your eyes go to your docs, he may then send you to get your eyes tested and do other relevant checks. Better to be safe than sorry. As above it maybe withdrawal symptoms. An ex girlfriend of mine was hooked on red bull, about 5 cans a day, she then quit and was in clip for about 2 months after with bad headaches and the shakes.


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## Loveleelady (Jan 3, 2012)

Katy said:


> This is not training related in any way but was wondering if anyone has any experience of chronic headaches and managed to resolve them.
> 
> For 3 months now I've been having continual headaches; they're sort of all over but mainly around the back of my eyes. It's at the point now where literally seconds after I wake up in the morning, I feel it come on and it stays with me all day. It's quite wearing when trying to focus and get on with things and by the end of the day I just want to go to bed in the hope it'll go away.
> 
> ...


have you had your eyes checked recently?

are you spending a lot of time on computer?

are you grinding your teeth in sleep?

has there been a big change in diet?


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

jim2509 said:


> Sounds painful, a mate of mine at work suffers similar headaches, which he says are Migraines. They are bad enough for him to go home when they come on. To be honest if your getting pain behind your eyes go to your docs, he may then send you to get your eyes tested and do other relevant checks. Better to be safe than sorry. As above it maybe withdrawal symptoms. An ex girlfriend of mine was hooked on red bull, about 5 cans a day, she then quit and was in clip for about 2 months after with bad headaches and the shakes.


I don't have that much caffeine though and when I stopped having any for a couple of weeks it had no affect.

The pain isn't severe thankfully, it's more wearing after a while. I have had migraines before and they are awful. But thankfully they are rare for me. I am going to stop caffeine ago though just in case.



Loveleelady said:


> have you had your eyes checked recently?
> 
> are you spending a lot of time on computer?
> 
> ...


I do work at the computer a lot, yeah. However, the headache starts first thing, before I've even used my eyes, and taking a few days away from the screen didn't help either. Diet's the same as always too.

I have been known to grind me teeth though!! I forgot about that...might look into ways to prevent that...just in case  Cheers hun


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## AestheticManlet (Jun 12, 2012)

I suffer from migraines frequently, usually 5 outta 7 days I wake up and go to sleep with them. I got prescribed beta blockers (propranolol) which seem to help a lot (not as intense) though.


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## PrittStick (Oct 23, 2013)

On channel 4's Health Freaks program one lad had constant migraines... he got rid of them by having sex, SERIOUSLY! I'm sure your husband wouldn't mind trying this treatment out.


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## Loveleelady (Jan 3, 2012)

Katy said:


> I don't have that much caffeine though and when I stopped having any for a couple of weeks it had no affect.
> 
> The pain isn't severe thankfully, it's more wearing after a while. I have had migraines before and they are awful. But thankfully they are rare for me. I am going to stop caffeine ago though just in case.
> 
> ...


get those teeth gaurds might help - sounds like process of elimination but could be eyestrain causin it


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

Ross1991 said:


> I suffer from migraines frequently, usually 5 outta 7 days I wake up and go to sleep with them. I got prescribed beta blockers (propranolol) which seem to help a lot (not as intense) though.


Ooo, I've thankfully only had a few migraines. The first time I thought I was having a stroke!

I'll see what a GP says. Although I really don't like the idea of taking medication for it.



PrittStick said:


> On channel 4's Health Freaks program one lad had constant migraines... he got rid of them by having sex, SERIOUSLY! I'm sure your husband wouldn't mind trying this treatment out.


I can't say I've noticed that it helps with headaches


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## AestheticManlet (Jun 12, 2012)

Could also be diet related, started eating anything new recently since they started? I seem to have a problem with a lot of dairy products, but still eat them anyway. Glutton for punishment  .


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

Ross1991 said:


> Could also be diet related, started eating anything new recently since they started? I seem to have a problem with a lot of dairy products, but still eat them anyway. Glutton for punishment  .


My diet's been the same for ages so I can't put it down to that unfortunately. Would be easy if i could.


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## shauny13 (Sep 24, 2012)

i get it alot Katy with bad sinuses, any trouble there?, mine is aggrevated by the changing weather conditions. Could be your eyes too, i just had mine checked as i spend lots of time on a laptop. Got some reading glasses now with anti glare coating and i've been better lately.


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## 8103 (May 5, 2008)

I get headaches 3-4 times a week, have done since my teens. Unless I get rid of them just as they are coming on, they are unbearable. Nowadays I've learnt when they are coming and a quick cheap paracetomol / iburprofen does the job. However, having pills often isn't a good thing, but I don't know of any alternative.

White Tiger Balm is superb and provides nice relief. Rub on the area and it instantly cools and takes your mind off it. Great for when the headache is coming on, so in your case, first thing in the morning. Go to your local pharmacy / boots and get some.


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## wibble (Feb 11, 2014)

A couple of suggestions. It could be eye strain, my eyes got worse and if I don't put on my glasses or my contacts straight away I often get headaches.

Secondly it took more than 2 weeks to get the caffeine out my system and not drinking it at all has certainly helped.

Being overly tired often affects me, its as much about the quality as the quantity and if I have slept badly I can often have a headache all day.

I am the same as you and hate taking medication.

Good luck getting to the bottom of it


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

shauny13 said:


> i get it alot Katy with bad sinuses, any trouble there?, mine is aggrevated by the changing weather conditions. Could be your eyes too, i just had mine checked as i spend lots of time on a laptop. Got some reading glasses now with anti glare coating and i've been better lately.


My sinuses are ok but I do sometimes need glasses. Using them doesn't seem to help though....I perhaps need a new prescription so am definitely going to get a check up next week


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

@crouchmagic what's tiger balm?

@wibble yeah I want to avoid relying on medication. I take my sleep quite seriously and feel I get enough good quality sleep. But I will revisit the caffeine idea.


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## capo (Jul 24, 2011)

I used to get quite severe headaches many years ago the pain was just above the temple I just literally drank coffee all day,since I began training and started drinking a lot of water they seem to have gone and touch wood not returned ,I would try this drinking more water and see if its any better,tiger balm will help relieve the headaches you can pick this up cheap on ebay.


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

Well, after 3 days working away from a computer, amazingly my headaches have reduced...for the first time in months. This is despite the incredible stress I was under. They gradually decreased over the 3 days until yesterday I realised that I didn't have one and still today, I don't have one! Trouble is, I'm back at the computer screen again now! I'm making an opticians appointment today to check if my eyes are struggling to view the screen...my glasses prescription may be out of date now.

Thank you everyone for your input


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## 8103 (May 5, 2008)

Katy said:


> @crouchmagic what's tiger balm?
> 
> @wibble yeah I want to avoid relying on medication. I take my sleep quite seriously and feel I get enough good quality sleep. But I will revisit the caffeine idea.


It's a little pot of a substance which you rub on an area and it provides a very cooling and soothing sensation which takes your mind of the pain. It can also help get rid of headaches, although I would say this only happens if you apply just as the headache is coming on.


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## Kiwi As (Nov 4, 2013)

Hera said:


> This is not training related in any way but was wondering if anyone has any experience of chronic headaches and managed to resolve them.
> 
> For 3 months now I've been having continual headaches; they're sort of all over but mainly around the back of my eyes. It's at the point now where literally seconds after I wake up in the morning, I feel it come on and it stays with me all day. It's quite wearing when trying to focus and get on with things and by the end of the day I just want to go to bed in the hope it'll go away.
> 
> ...


I also suffer from re-occurring headaches. I feel the pain behind my right eye every time, sometimes mild (I only need to rub my head for a few minutes for pain to disappear) and sometimes so severe I spend the day in bed. I, too, thought it may be eye strain due to spending 10+ hours per day on a computer, however I sometimes wake with the pain as well. Another thing that steers me away from that is I have still had the headaches after taking months off work.

I've considered my back being out of alignment the cause, and visiting chiropractor, who did fix my back but headaches continue. I've tried detoxing from all chemical compounds and eating only fresh organic foods to no avail.

I do not use need to use glasses, I drink 1-1.5 gallons of water per day, I eat 7+ servings of fruits/veg per day. I use a lot of caffeine, although detoxing from caffeine doesn't solve the problem. The doctor also told me to "come and in get some pain meds on prescription when it comes back", which I'm not too happy using all the time.

For me, I can sometimes go months without a headache and then one week it will happen 3-4 times, then go away again. Easier to just deal with it when it happens knowing it won't last forever. From my research (Thanks, Google!) I believe they are called Cluster Headaches, and that the scientific community doesn't yet understand what causes them - lucky me.


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

I've actually been referred to the 'oral and facial surgery unit' to be fitted for a delightful and attractive jaw/mouth guard thingy! I bite down and grind my teeth in my sleep sometimes and it's causing continuous strain on the muscles surrounding my head which in turn can cause headaches. Hopefully it'll work


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## Kiwi As (Nov 4, 2013)

Interesting! Do let us know how it goes


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

stevegomez said:


> Interesting! Do let us know how it goes


will do  When I saw my dentist, she put pressure around various muscles around my jaw and they were tender, which she saw as confirmation of the cause. I am hopeful actually...I can see how it would cause my headaches.


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## *Ryan* (Nov 5, 2013)

I also am having the same problems, after months of doctors throwing tablets at I know what you mean tho, a constant throbbing behind the eyes and a daily battle from morning to night, ive been to anyone I can think of chiropractor, herbalist and accupuncture etc. ive now been reffered to the neurology department, so I can feel your pain when trying to get it solved, Keep us posted


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## Kiwi As (Nov 4, 2013)

Sorry to hear Ryan. Gutz. My problem differs slightly, I didn't have a throbbing pain behind the eyes, more of a sharp stabbing pain.

Great news, too! It came down to being exposed to too much artificial light. I spend my mornings in front of a screen, I go to work and sit on a computer under 3-9 fluro lights depending on desk placement, then come home and chill on my computer. I got them to remove the lights above my desk at work, haven't had a headache in 3-4 weeks.

Edit:

Of course that could be a co-incidence, it may be giving me a break for a while


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## *Ryan* (Nov 5, 2013)

stevegomez said:


> Sorry to hear Ryan. Gutz. My problem differs slightly, I didn't have a throbbing pain behind the eyes, more of a sharp stabbing pain.
> 
> Great news, too! It came down to being exposed to too much artificial light. I spend my mornings in front of a screen, I go to work and sit on a computer under 3-9 fluro lights depending on desk placement, then come home and chill on my computer. I got them to remove the lights above my desk at work, haven't had a headache in 3-4 weeks.
> 
> ...


Sounds very familiar Steve!

Im leaving this job in a few months so mine might be the same case. How did you find out it was the artificial light?

Cheers


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## Kiwi As (Nov 4, 2013)

There were others in the office complaining about the lights, so I jumped on board and said I also wanted mine removed, and so far so good 

Here in NZ the employment laws are top, not as good as Aussie mind you. Not sure how they are in the UK, but here employers have to bend over to keep you safe and comfortable


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## steelicarus (Jul 24, 2011)

hey - this might not help, maybe it will. last year I had numerous sever headaches and couldn't figure out what was causing them. went to dr's, hospitals, ct scans, was convinced I was going to die. Finally figured out it was the huge under armor gym bag what had two sets of kit, five meals and all my work stuff. the strap was cutting into my neck and restricting blood flow. Now I use a backpack = pain B gone


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## Kiwi As (Nov 4, 2013)

steelicarus said:


> hey - this might not help, maybe it will. last year I had numerous sever headaches and couldn't figure out what was causing them. went to dr's, hospitals, ct scans, was convinced I was going to die. Finally figured out it was the huge under armor gym bag what had two sets of kit, five meals and all my work stuff. the strap was cutting into my neck and restricting blood flow. Now I use a backpack = pain B gone


I also use a bag like you've described. Cheers mate


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## Skinny Guy (Jul 24, 2011)

Hera said:


> will do  When I saw my dentist, she put pressure around various muscles around my jaw and they were tender, which she saw as confirmation of the cause. I am hopeful actually...I can see how it would cause my headaches.


Any updates?


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

Skinny Guy said:


> Any updates?


Yep  I've got a hospital appointment a week Tuesday to get fitted for a night time mouth guard...sexy!! :laugh: My headaches have actually reduced the past month but I did have a migraine for the first time in years and have noticed that my jaw jdoes tend to tense up. I frequently wake up biting down and in the day, find that my jaw is tense...almost gritting my teeth! So I'm hopeful this will make a difference. The guard would not only help with headaches in the short term but in the long term will prevent damage caused to my jaw and teeth 

I have also significantly reduced my use of tablets. I work at the computer throughout the day (with breaks) and rarely use my tablet except to briefly check mail. I think this has helped with eye strain.


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## Lotte (Feb 10, 2014)

Well I arrived to this topic late, reading through I was going to suggest TMJ (http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/temporomandibular-disorders), so it's great news that your docs got there in the end!

I had constant headaches for about 5 months (stress at work and jaw clenching even during the day because of it), it was my dentist that identified the problem in the end as he could hardly get a needle in to give me anaesthetic for some work I was getting done! The muscles were totally in spasm and I had ended up with a chain of tight muscles from jaw to shoulders. I wore the little mouth guard with a ramp for about 4 months (sometimes during the day if I noticed myself clenching) and it never came back as bad.


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

Lotte said:


> Well I arrived to this topic late, reading through I was going to suggest TMJ (http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/temporomandibular-disorders), so it's great news that your docs got there in the end!
> 
> I had constant headaches for about 5 months (stress at work and jaw clenching even during the day because of it), it was my dentist that identified the problem in the end as he could hardly get a needle in to give me anaesthetic for some work I was getting done! The muscles were totally in spasm and I had ended up with a chain of tight muscles from jaw to shoulders. I wore the little mouth guard with a ramp for about 4 months (sometimes during the day if I noticed myself clenching) and it never came back as bad.


It was my dentist who spotted it too. GP's just said 'stress' and 'take these 'painkillers'  During a period of ill health I'd actually worn down one of my canines and very slightly chipped a tooth (not noticeable but I can feel it). So at my check up I told her and so she investigated my jaw and surrounding muscles. She then referred me to the NHS oral department.

When working I sometimes realise that my jaw is quite tense; gritting my teeth together, so it does seem that my jaw tightens quite a lot without me knowing. I now Lorian hears me grind my teeth sometimes when I'm asleep. I'm quite glad I've found the problem that I can now fix before longer term problems emerge


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## mr small (Apr 18, 2005)

My bro suffers bad headache when he eats dairy products to the point where cheeses is no longer an option lol it sounds funny but it really isn't for him


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

mr small said:


> My bro suffers bad headache when he eats dairy products to the point where cheeses is no longer an option lol it sounds funny but it really isn't for him


I'm the same if I eat wheat  I think some people just sometimes don't get on with certain foods.


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## mr small (Apr 18, 2005)

Hera said:


> I'm the same if I eat wheat  I think some people just sometimes don't get on with certain foods.


Really , it's crazy how one food source can have drastic consequences for certain people.where you born with this intolerance ?


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

mr small said:


> Really , it's crazy how one food source can have drastic consequences for certain people.where you born with this intolerance ?


Not really no. As a kid I never had headaches and could eat whatever I wanted. It's weird really. I removed wheat and grains from diet a while back for weight loss reasons and now if I do have some, I get a headache. I suppose it acts as quite a good deterrent from cake and bread! :laugh:


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

I had my consultation at the hospital this morning in advance of having a mouth piece fitted. They took a scan and showed me where my jaw has been worn down. I was really quite surprised that I have actually been damaging my jaw quite significantly.

The doctor said I was fortunate to have help now before severe pain and clicking. He said that it is undoubtedly contributing to headaches from the tension caused around my head and jaw muscles both throughout night and the day. Best treatment in his opinion is to become more aware of when I'm tensing my jaw and to stop myself; work on relaxing those muscles more. I can't do this in my sleep though of course which is why I need a mouth thingy.

Fingers crossed this will solve my headaches


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## Raw meat 1984 (Sep 17, 2008)

how much water do you consume on a daily basis roughly?


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## Hera (May 6, 2011)

Raw meat 1984 said:


> how much water do you consume on a daily basis roughly?


I lose count  I live off fruit teas out of massive mugs


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