Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with ache

Does Norton offer a human anti-virus?

Kippersoft — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:51:36 -0800

My mom has been in constant pain for the past two months (likely from a virus). I'm hoping someone may have a suggestion to help her get back to a normal life. Details to follow... Two months ago my mom (early 50s and always reasonably healthy) began coming down with a fever. It wasn't anything too serious, but it lasted about two weeks before dropping down to a relatively normal temperature. However, during this time, her entire body began to feel sore. It was a aching pain mostly in her arms, shoulders, neck, back, and sometimes spreading (although only faintly) into her legs and sides. This pain continues today and is only showing slight promises of receding -- two months in constant pain is not fun.

Some days are better than others, but many days she is mostly restricted to sitting on the couch the entire day to avoid any unnecessary movement which causes pain. It's not a strong pain, but (from what I can understand) more like a lasting ache or soreness; like you just ran two marathons and lifted weights for 8 hours straight. This lasts 24 hours a day and has made sleeping difficult as well.

She has been to a couple different doctors during these two months, but none know what the problem is. She has had a bunch of blood tests for west nile, flu, arthritis, infections, and others I can't recall, but all came back negative. However, two different doctors believe it might be a virus. This is our best lead right now.

She has also been going to the chiropractor once a week (she has had some back problems throughout her life) which has helped somewhat. The chiropractor has said it is possible that all of this is caused by her neck being out of place (which it was), but it's starting to seem like this is not the main cause.

I hate seeing her just sit around being sore and she hates not being able to get out of the house and do anything. I know you're not a doctor, but any insight or experience with anything similar would be appreciated. Does anyone know of any treatments for a virus? All the doctors have been able to suggest is taking Tylenol and waiting it out. But how long will we be waiting?

(In case it's of any use, she had a fairly routine operation to fix a twisted intestine about 6 months ago which was 100% successful. As far as we [and the doctors] know, the operation should not be a factor here, but it's worth noting.)

What is the nature of my headaches?

raikkohamilonso — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:11:17 -0800

I get headaches that start at the base of the back of my head, then seem to radiate over my brow. Warm compresses almost always help. What is the likely cause of this? I've had this situation since I was a kid, off and on in varying degrees of intensity/re-occurence. I'm trying to determine if it's muscle based, sinus, stress, chemical, etc. The thought that a warm compress almost always helps I find curious and indicative of "something", but "what"?

There once was a time it was so bad that I wouldn't go out of town unless I knew the hotel room I was staying in had a microwave so I could heat up a moist towel....

Psychomatic sinusache?

WCityMike — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 10:18:59 -0800

Slightly weird one: I occasionally get what I think is a psychosomatic sinusache. It seems to be induced by looking at a sharp edge or point, and perhaps happens to me once every one or two weeks. I'm wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this, and/or has any input into what's going on (mentally or physically) and any fixes or things that alleviate what's going on. As always, In such cases, it can severely increase in intensity, making it difficult to continue remaining focused on anything, requiring that I close my eyes, rub the bridge of my nose, and then try to return to staring at the screen. Taking off my glasses and rubbing the bridge of my nose, or blowing my nose, doesn't seem to alter the ache; it seems to quite literally be something changed by mental focus. I don't believe it's eye strain or mucus. I'm not sure if some underlying part of me imagines my eyeball being pierced or something, and the ache is an aversion thing, or if it's related to mental focus, or what. This has been with me for years, but it just occurred to me the other day to inquire with you guys as to whether it was just completely out of left field or was something other people had experienced.

Cashier: 20, M, 130lbs - Why the hell is my hip hurting?

itheearl — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 09:08:00 -0800

Cashier: 20, M, 130lbs - Why the hell is my hip hurting? I've been cashiering this summer, so for the past 2+ months, i've been standing and moving groceries from right to left and into a bag for 30-33 hours a week.
For the first week, my knees hurt. I refused to take over-the-counter pain medicine, because I'm 20 and not overweight - pain is the body's way of telling me that there is a problem. I made efforts to better my posture, and the pain went away.

About a week or so ago, my left hip started hurting. The back of the joint itself - not the muscle as far as i can tell. I pivot on it a lot, but for some reason i was under the impression that i wouldnt be dealing with hip pain until my 60's.

It's not unbearable pain, but it makes me worry that i might be causing some sort of long-term problem. I'm only working there for another week - Another 30 hours at the job isnt going to cause any long-term damage, Right?

Mean green

Anonymous — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 11:32:43 -0800

I think that marijuana may be giving me headaches, but I'm really not sure. My health history: I never get headaches. I never take any type of medication (Tylenol, Advil, etc.), and I am a vegetarian. I also smoke a lot of marijuana.

I've been using, daily, for maybe 4 or 5 months, and it has never interfered with my life negatively, and in fact has been more of a boon than anything, especially in the creative work that I do (we're talking maybe one joint or less per day).

However...

I started getting headaches about two weeks ago, and they have been prolonged, lasting two, three and four days at a time. Now, I feel like I have intermittent headaches throughout the day, with some lasting for the duration of the day. I tried to connect the headaches to something--change in diet, stress, environment--but was unable to detect anything in particular that had changed. Everything has been steady, for months. Sometimes they disappear for a day, only to return the next.

I have no reason to suspect that my marijuana use is causing these headaches--which are more dull, foggy aches rather than full-blown throbbing migranes--but I have to ask myself, is it a factor?

Everyone I know who uses marijuana at the same frequency as me has said that they have never experienced this kind of side-effect.

So, could it be the marijuana? Anecdotal answers are fine, and so are more scientific answers. Also, natural headache remedies would be welcome, too :)

I'll add one other bit here: about one week ago I found out that I have a small cavity, though my teeth are giving me hardly any pain or discomfort at all, and I hardly notice it. I'm having the cavity filled next week. I suppose it could be that, but something seems to indicate otherwise.

Strange Jaw Problem

archagon — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:30:21 -0800

There's something wrong with my jaw: whenever I move it to the left or clench my teeth, I feel something bone-like moving in my ear. For the past week or so, my jaw has been behaving strangely. At first, it just ached every now and then, though enough to cause me trouble while eating. I ignored it, thinking that the pain would pass on its own.

A few days ago, the symptoms changed: not only does my jaw ache more often now, but sometimes (and especially when I move it sharply to the left or clench my teeth) I feel something bone-like moving in my ear. The sensation is extremely uncomfortable and doesn't seem to be going away.

What could be causing this?
Is there any chance that something vital - blood vessels, nerves, my brain - is being compressed?

Flu shot = Arm Ache!

sirion — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:21:37 -0800

Flu shot arm ache: Any way to make it go away? Just got a flu shot and massaged my muscle, because I recall reading somewhere that immediately massaging the arm will help cut the length of the aching-arm feeling. Now my arm hurts like mad. Anything I can do about it? Ice? Warm? Tylenol?

(Side question:Is this hurting because I massaged my arm?)

Oh how my back does ache...

dino terror — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:58:19 -0800

There's sore back muscles, and then there's just back 'ache'. Does anyone know what this is and how it can be prevented? So I am specifically looking for help with the 'aching' phenomenon and not 'pain' such as muscle soreness or sciatica or what have you.
I dont have good posture. My back aches after doing light cleaning, or when I try to sit up straight for very long without using a back rest. The ache is right in the center of my spine.
I have had a lot more muscle mass on my back than I currently do but that didnt help with the aching.

Holy crap my tooth is killing me, ow ow ow!

JonnyRotten — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 18:02:59 -0800

Sinus Infection filter with a dash of god aweful tooth ache.. Who should I go see? The last couple weeks I have been stuffy and mucousey. I know I should have gone to see a Dr. by now, but money has been kinda tight the last couple weeks, and we owe some money to them and blah blah blah. So basically I was waiting for it to clear up on its own..
This morning my back teeth on my right hand side started hurting really bad. Reading up some on the net about it said it can be related to acute maxillary sinusitis. Sounds about what I have been experiencing. Right now the pain is killing me, and I am getting parinoid about the infection creeping from my sinuses to my brain which I know happened to my step dad and has pretty much put him in a vegatative state.

My question is basically this:
Who should I go see, the Doctor, or the dentist? I work third shift so I will be up all night at work, but I can have my wife make an appointment in the morning when she gets up. The pain has been really bad today, to the point where I only got about 3 hours of sleep. My dentist is quite good, but very old school. The only Dr.'s in my area are part of a medical group, and have a tendancy to diagnose you in about 3 minutes without really listening to what you have to say (I've been to the Dr's several times in the last couple years complaining about really bad foot pain that springs up randomly and then goes away in a day or two.. Every time they touch my foot, tell me its arthritis and give me a scrip for meds that don't really do much)

Why do my legs hurt when I'm hung over?

paulrockNJ — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 09:17:59 -0800

Why do my legs hurt when I'm hung over? The day after drinking my legs always ache -- they're not sore like they would be from working out, they just ache like they're tired. Any idea why that is? Something related to dehydration I'm guessing? At first I thought that maybe it was due to prolonged standing at bar all night - but I'm not in that bad of shape. On top of that, it happens even if I get drunk sitting down.