Help my headaches
September 19, 2018 7:38 AM Subscribe
About once every 3-4 weeks, I get a sort of dull mostly-persistent headache. I can't figure out what the trigger might be (other than unspecific stress, I guess), or any reliable way to deal with them except wait it out. I am looking for suggestions on how to deal with them, and perhaps prevent them.
About once every 3-4 weeks, I get a sort of dull mostly-persistent headache. 'Mostly persistent' because it can come and go, but the feeling of pressure remains. This usually lasts all day, and sometimes multiple days. Usually the pain is almost like a pressure, generally one side of the head, sometimes lower down. Right now I can feel it in my cheekbone, for instance. Paracetamol often doesn't do anything. Sometimes tea works to makes it disappear, coffee invariably makes it worse. They are rarely debilitating, and I can work etc, but they do ruin that day and often the next day.
While I have the headache my mouth feels dry. Drinking water doesn't really relieve it, and I find myself peeing completely colorless water reasonably often (though not crazy often). It doesn't seem to be linked to my menstrual cycle, as I am on the Pill and take it consecutively for three months at a time. (Moreover, I recently changed to a different Pill but still get the headaches.)
Do you suffer from such headaches? Aside from dealing like commonly cited factors like work stress, are there any tips or tricks you have used to deal with it? Or if you get similar headaches and they are linked to another condition, what might it be?
Assume that I've already thought about consulting a doctor, unless you have thoughts on something specific to explore.
I am 38, female, normal weight, moderate exercise, not a smoker or drinker, and no health problems otherwise. I drink 2 cups of black tea daily, sometimes 3, and generally follow quite a healthy Mediterranean style diet, with no processed foods. While a parent was lactose intolerant, I don't know of any allergies or intolerances that I might have. I can't think of anything specific that I might eat that triggers it every 3-4 weeks.
About once every 3-4 weeks, I get a sort of dull mostly-persistent headache. 'Mostly persistent' because it can come and go, but the feeling of pressure remains. This usually lasts all day, and sometimes multiple days. Usually the pain is almost like a pressure, generally one side of the head, sometimes lower down. Right now I can feel it in my cheekbone, for instance. Paracetamol often doesn't do anything. Sometimes tea works to makes it disappear, coffee invariably makes it worse. They are rarely debilitating, and I can work etc, but they do ruin that day and often the next day.
While I have the headache my mouth feels dry. Drinking water doesn't really relieve it, and I find myself peeing completely colorless water reasonably often (though not crazy often). It doesn't seem to be linked to my menstrual cycle, as I am on the Pill and take it consecutively for three months at a time. (Moreover, I recently changed to a different Pill but still get the headaches.)
Do you suffer from such headaches? Aside from dealing like commonly cited factors like work stress, are there any tips or tricks you have used to deal with it? Or if you get similar headaches and they are linked to another condition, what might it be?
Assume that I've already thought about consulting a doctor, unless you have thoughts on something specific to explore.
I am 38, female, normal weight, moderate exercise, not a smoker or drinker, and no health problems otherwise. I drink 2 cups of black tea daily, sometimes 3, and generally follow quite a healthy Mediterranean style diet, with no processed foods. While a parent was lactose intolerant, I don't know of any allergies or intolerances that I might have. I can't think of anything specific that I might eat that triggers it every 3-4 weeks.
The thing I'd suggest before consulting a doctor would be to start keeping a headache diary, if you haven't already. Your doctor is likely to ask for that, and it can save a lot of time if you've got it up front. You already know about many of the things you'd want to note for it.
The other thing a doctor is likely to ask about: when was your last eye exam? If you haven't had your vision checked in a while, it's a good idea.
My own headaches are largely triggered by light, noise, and stress. I've arranged the lighting at work and home to be minimally bothersome, and I try to avoid loud or annoying noises. Stress isn't always an easy fix, but wearing a nightguard sometimes has helped (grinding my teeth was not helping my headache problem.) I'm now shelling out for a custom nightguard, which I hope will be more comfortable and useful than the cheap drugstore one I had been using. So: consider seeing a dentist, too. They'd be able to give you some idea whether something like that is a factor for you.
posted by asperity at 7:56 AM on September 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
The other thing a doctor is likely to ask about: when was your last eye exam? If you haven't had your vision checked in a while, it's a good idea.
My own headaches are largely triggered by light, noise, and stress. I've arranged the lighting at work and home to be minimally bothersome, and I try to avoid loud or annoying noises. Stress isn't always an easy fix, but wearing a nightguard sometimes has helped (grinding my teeth was not helping my headache problem.) I'm now shelling out for a custom nightguard, which I hope will be more comfortable and useful than the cheap drugstore one I had been using. So: consider seeing a dentist, too. They'd be able to give you some idea whether something like that is a factor for you.
posted by asperity at 7:56 AM on September 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
FWIW just because you're on the pill doesn't mean they can't be menstrual-cycle or hormone related. The pill regulates hormone levels somewhat differently for every person, and does not reliably eliminate PMS-like symptoms just because you're not having a withdrawal bleed.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 8:05 AM on September 19, 2018 [11 favorites]
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 8:05 AM on September 19, 2018 [11 favorites]
That face/cheekbone/forehead pain is often indicative of sinus pressure. If you are logging the headaches you might go look at weather data to see if the barometric pressure was rising. Alternately, you might be having intermittent sinus irritation from allergens, climate control, pollution levels, something like that. If you have access to pseudoephedrine (if not, the best decongestant you can get your hands on), see if that will end the headache early when it starts.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:12 AM on September 19, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by Lyn Never at 8:12 AM on September 19, 2018 [7 favorites]
Allergies/hayfever/sinus problems. The cheekbone makes me think sinus, that would also explain why they're worse sometimes but not others as the weather can make a huge difference. Hot drinks can help, thus the tea helping and also why paracetamol doesn't really help (you need more an anti inflammatory like an ibuprofen). You might want to try nasal flushing with a neti pot or similar and starting an anti allergy tablet like allegra to see if that helps. A headache diary like asperity mentioned is also a great idea, make sure to track foods, weather allergy index too etc in case they are triggers.
Also for our American friends Paracetamol is Acetaminophen/Tylenol took my pharmacist ages to find that out for me when I moved to the US.
posted by wwax at 8:15 AM on September 19, 2018
Also for our American friends Paracetamol is Acetaminophen/Tylenol took my pharmacist ages to find that out for me when I moved to the US.
posted by wwax at 8:15 AM on September 19, 2018
I get headaches like this, and for years I thought they were from my sinuses, because that is what my doctor told me. Until one day I ate a piece of dark chocolate and within 20 minutes I had a screaming headache. So I get migraines from chocolate. Also cinnamon, heavy fabric softener on pillow cases, not eating regularly, and those nasal sprays for allergies.
There is medication for them, but it has it's own drawbacks. Good luck.
posted by chocolatetiara at 8:44 AM on September 19, 2018
There is medication for them, but it has it's own drawbacks. Good luck.
posted by chocolatetiara at 8:44 AM on September 19, 2018
Seconding that being on the pill doesn’t mean the headaches aren’t related to your menstrual cycle. I’m on the pill and get premenstrual migraines every month.
posted by amro at 8:47 AM on September 19, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by amro at 8:47 AM on September 19, 2018 [3 favorites]
Take two Sudafed (the kind with Pseudoephedrine , accept no substitutes) and see if that eliminates the headache. I bet it will. (This is a very simple, easy way to diagnose this as a sinus issue.)
Otherwise, if you are a person with a uterus, is there a possibility this is related to your cycle?
posted by DarlingBri at 8:48 AM on September 19, 2018
Otherwise, if you are a person with a uterus, is there a possibility this is related to your cycle?
posted by DarlingBri at 8:48 AM on September 19, 2018
I used to get migraines that sounded very like your headaches, and the way I could tell it was a migraine and not a bad tension headache was if over the counter meds didn't work. The one-sidedness is often an indication that it's a migraine. I also got sinus pain with them, thanks to referred pain.
I no longer seem to get the migraines, but I currently get bad tension headaches that also sound very like your headaches, often caused by working out the day before, sleeping with my head wrong on my pillow, or something else that messes with my shoulders/back of neck muscles. The only thing that works for the tension headaches is Excedrin, which is acetaminophin (paracetomal), aspirin, and caffeine. Acetaminophin alone doesn't work. I've also started getting a monthly massage that focuses on the back, shoulders, and head, which seems to help.
posted by telophase at 8:55 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I no longer seem to get the migraines, but I currently get bad tension headaches that also sound very like your headaches, often caused by working out the day before, sleeping with my head wrong on my pillow, or something else that messes with my shoulders/back of neck muscles. The only thing that works for the tension headaches is Excedrin, which is acetaminophin (paracetomal), aspirin, and caffeine. Acetaminophin alone doesn't work. I've also started getting a monthly massage that focuses on the back, shoulders, and head, which seems to help.
posted by telophase at 8:55 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I get all kinds of headaches but when reading about yours, I was thinking migraine.
I actually get these dull, achey, feeling bad overall kind of migraines more these days than the classic sharp pain in eye kind.
Read up on migraine symptoms and see if you are suffering any other symptoms - light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, nausea, muscle aches/stiff neck, depressed mood.
You can see if an ice pack or a heating pad helps, as well as reducing light and noise in your environment. I take 50 mg of sumatriptan succinate for these kinds of migraines.
posted by Squeak Attack at 9:32 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I actually get these dull, achey, feeling bad overall kind of migraines more these days than the classic sharp pain in eye kind.
Read up on migraine symptoms and see if you are suffering any other symptoms - light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, nausea, muscle aches/stiff neck, depressed mood.
You can see if an ice pack or a heating pad helps, as well as reducing light and noise in your environment. I take 50 mg of sumatriptan succinate for these kinds of migraines.
posted by Squeak Attack at 9:32 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
That sounds precisely like my PMS related headaches. I have a Mirena and haven't really bled in over 8 years but I still get them from time to time, and when I pay enough attention to calculate it out, it's usually a round number of typical cycle-lengths from the previous time I had one. Caffeine usually helps me.
posted by tchemgrrl at 9:34 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by tchemgrrl at 9:34 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
Try hot compresses on the affected area. I'm suspicious of your cycle like many above.
posted by praemunire at 9:35 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by praemunire at 9:35 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
Chiming in to add to the chorus above, your headaches sound very much like my menstrual migraines. I have no history of migraine and only started getting them a year or so ago, around age 36. Birth control helps, but I still get them occasionally during my withdrawal week. Taking a couple of Excedrin as soon as I feel one coming on and avoiding bright lights helps.
posted by Jemstar at 10:14 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Jemstar at 10:14 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I also think this sounds just like my hormonal migraines. It took me several years to notice the pattern, so it may not be as obvious as you'd think. Excedrin Migraine is the ONLY thing that works... ibuprofen (which works well on my other types of headaches) does literally nothing.
posted by raspberrE at 10:18 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by raspberrE at 10:18 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you are only taking acetaminophen / paracetamol I would try ibuprofen before anything else. Works way better.
posted by pintapicasso at 10:24 AM on September 19, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by pintapicasso at 10:24 AM on September 19, 2018 [3 favorites]
I’m a broken record about this around here, but you might want to try eliminating the caffeine from the daily tea, and see if it makes a difference in the frequency of your headaches. People have a wide range of triggers, granted, but it made a huge difference for me.
posted by umbú at 10:25 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by umbú at 10:25 AM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
It can be hard to differentiate between sinus pressure headache and migraine with referred pain to sinuses, but the one-sidedness makes me think it's a migraine. I had one of these last week, and indeed, no OTC pain meds (NSAIDs or acetaminophen/paracetamol) put much of a dent in it, but sumatriptan knocked the migraine right out. Excedrin Migraine works sometimes, and is worth a shot. When it's purely a tension-induced migraine, I have success taking two acetaminophen, then an hour later, taking 2-3 ibuprofen, plus slathering my tense neck muscles with IcyHot and getting a massage.
I'm still not entirely sure what causes my migraines when they aren't thanks to "you shouldn't have done that with your neck," muscle tension, or barometric pressure changes. I suspect it's hormonal, or just not enough sleep.
posted by yasaman at 10:31 AM on September 19, 2018
I'm still not entirely sure what causes my migraines when they aren't thanks to "you shouldn't have done that with your neck," muscle tension, or barometric pressure changes. I suspect it's hormonal, or just not enough sleep.
posted by yasaman at 10:31 AM on September 19, 2018
Nthing that it sounds hormonal, pill or no pill. Try tracking when they happen in relation to your cycle, or when your cycle would be, and you might be able to work on the symptoms (by resting more, drinking more water, more/less caffeine) in the days before you're "due" to get one.
posted by lydhre at 11:40 AM on September 19, 2018
posted by lydhre at 11:40 AM on September 19, 2018
How are you doing in getting your vitamins? Dull, persistent headaches are a common symptom of various low-level vitamin deficiencies.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:45 AM on September 19, 2018
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:45 AM on September 19, 2018
(I get headaches like this regularly and only recently realized that it's not just How Life Is for everyone, so following this with enthusiasm!)
posted by the agents of KAOS at 12:51 PM on September 19, 2018
posted by the agents of KAOS at 12:51 PM on September 19, 2018
Me too. My headache triggers seem to have increased as I get older, but in particular: eyestrain (especially when coupled with stress), heat and bright light (I wear sunglasses on very hot sunny days because otherwise it's basically instant headache), and in particular atmospheric pressure changes; keep an eye on days when sunny weather is likely to change to clouds/rain.
I don't have a reliable way of dealing with them other than sleep and Advil, sadly, but the painkillers are much more effective if I take them when I'm first thinking "...oh, I might have something vaguely resembling the beginnings of a headache..." than if I wait until "OW OW OW".
posted by huimangm at 2:37 PM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I don't have a reliable way of dealing with them other than sleep and Advil, sadly, but the painkillers are much more effective if I take them when I'm first thinking "...oh, I might have something vaguely resembling the beginnings of a headache..." than if I wait until "OW OW OW".
posted by huimangm at 2:37 PM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
Does the pain change as you move your neck and head? I am prone to cervicogenic headaches that are completely resistant to painkillers, but they improve a lot when I'm careful about a) better ergonomics (I used to work crouched over my laptop a lot) and b) regular strength training.
posted by Basil Stag Hare at 3:01 PM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Basil Stag Hare at 3:01 PM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
Agreed with others who suspect migraine. If it's once a month fairly regularly, on one side, and doesn't respond to OTC meds, I can anecdotally say That's My Migraine! Also, the dry mouth and peeing are (or can be) my symptoms. Not all migraines are devastatingly painful, and can be located in the sinus/ear/jaw area area (also, me).
Because the pain level isn't too high, I can manage it with the largest dose of ibuprofen I'm allowed, an ice or heat pack, and a nap.
posted by Ink-stained wretch at 3:42 PM on September 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
Because the pain level isn't too high, I can manage it with the largest dose of ibuprofen I'm allowed, an ice or heat pack, and a nap.
posted by Ink-stained wretch at 3:42 PM on September 19, 2018 [2 favorites]
I get migraines that have different symptoms from yours, but I agree with above about them potentially being migraines. I had to do a food/headache diary for about 2 months, but it was worth it because I figured out what my triggers are. I used the MySymptoms app. When I went back over the data, my triggers stood out immediately (soy, chili peppers, artificial sweeteners, FYI).
posted by radioamy at 7:05 PM on September 19, 2018
posted by radioamy at 7:05 PM on September 19, 2018
Hi, these sound a bit like my migraines. the thing that helped me the most is taking a multivitamin with extra B2 and magnesium, recommended by my PCP. I use Headache Free and buy it on Amazon. it has changed my life!!
posted by fairlynearlyready at 9:05 PM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by fairlynearlyready at 9:05 PM on September 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I strongly recommend that this is something you discuss with a medical professional, because some kinds of migraine headaches have safety implications for being prescribed the combined contraceptive pill, and a proper diagnosis and assessment needs to be made that shouldn't be made over ask mefi.
posted by chiquitita at 2:37 AM on September 20, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by chiquitita at 2:37 AM on September 20, 2018 [3 favorites]
Take two Advil gel caps with a cup of coffee. That's the number one headache remedy I've heard, always from migraine sufferers. If it doesn't work, you may want to see a doctor and ask about triptan medications.
posted by Enid Lareg at 10:17 AM on September 20, 2018
posted by Enid Lareg at 10:17 AM on September 20, 2018
I get headaches like this. In fact, I'm starting to feel one now, right on schedule. Recently I came upon "one weird trick" quite by accident that works for my situation. I drink at least 16oz of an electrolyte drink. (Non-sugary, like Propel) Usually this eases the pain to manageable levels, or gets rid of it entirely. Water doesn't do the same thing. It has to be electrolytes for me.
posted by oxisos at 4:35 PM on September 20, 2018
posted by oxisos at 4:35 PM on September 20, 2018
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posted by london explorer girl at 7:51 AM on September 19, 2018