Very uncomfortable headache for the last 2 - 3 months: Please suggest some advice!
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi,
I am a 17 year old girl who has been experiencing very uncomfortable headaches for the past two to three months. After doing some research I believe they are tension headaches but am not completely sure and would really love some advice on how to relieve these headaches in the short term and prevent them in the long term.
So here are some of the things I have been experiencing...
- Very uncomfortable feeling near the occipital lobe, frontal lobe and around the sides, feels very tight and like a band squeezing my head.
- Pain occasionally continues down the side of my face.
- The headaches may be super bad for one week then be only mild another week.
- They do not stop me from sleeping.
- Pain sometimes gets worse when I look at screens but other times the screens can provide a good distraction from the headache.
The headaches do not stop me from doing physical activity or continuing with my academic goals although they are very uncomfortable and do stop me from reaching my full potential. I do not get stressed about my school work (although I am a high achiever), but I have been experiencing anxiety about my headaches. Does this anxiety make the headaches worse? Are there any particular ways I can deal with it?
Also not sure if these are important as well...
- Two months ago had a swollen lymph node near the ear but swelling has since faded.
- My head gets very hot during the day and heats up.
- If I place a hand to the side of my head I can feel very distinguishable pounding of blood.
I love reading and doing my best and these headaches are stopping me from enjoying these things, as well as participating fully in social and academic actives. If you do have any tips or have experienced these types of headaches before, please provide some relief techniques or the reasons why these headaches are occurring.
Thank you so much for your help!
Gen
0 likes, 15 replies
StevenRose StarryGen
Posted
Firstly headaches are annoying in the least and absolutely excrutiating at the worst, what can help them to start with may not help later, which is the annoying part as well.
Yes, anxiety will make headaches worse for sure and everybody handles stress differently.
In your case it sounds like migraines and you need better treatment for them than maybe what you have been taking so far.
I suggest you go to your Dr and ask about Sumatriptan. This is a tried and tested medicine for all migraines and then talk about a preventative too. The fact that you feel your head getting hot, suggests the blood vessels are too wide and carrying too much blood, this expansion of blood vessels can cause what is known as cluster headache. Do you get sometimes severe pain around one eye and mainly pain on one side of the head?
Keep in touch Gen let us know how you get on.
Best wishes and take care
StarryGen StevenRose
Posted
Thanks so much for your quick response!
I didn't really think that they were migraines only because they are not particularly severe headaches? Could they still be migraines even though they do not stop me from doing all my normal activities?
Yes, occasionally they do continue down the side of my face although this has happened only about two times when the headaches were pretty bad.
Also, I do gymnastics and tend to do lots of flipping and tumbling around. Do you think this physical exercise makes my headaches better or worse?
Anyway, I will head to the doctor soon, just when my everything calms down a little bit.
StevenRose StarryGen
Posted
yes, exercise can bring on headaches and I guess when you do a lot of tumbling it can increase blood vessels in your head.
The fact they happen so often and you said they "can be super bad for a week", this indicates that you need some help.
Good luck at the Drs and let us know how you get on.
Best wishes and take care
StevenRose
Posted
Guest StarryGen
Posted
are we twins? LOL? as i have had headache 6 months and it's the same for me, all of it!!!! I am on 10mg of Propranalol two twice a day- 40mg in total. And Migraleve and Co-codamol for migraines. As you are older, you can probably get something stronger though! Before the headaches did you or do you have any cold or flu symptoms?
Wishing the best! Jemma
StarryGen Guest
Posted
Haha!
No I didn't have any cold and fly symptoms before I got the headaches. It began in the holidays and my parents just thought that it was from anxiety because I didn't have much school work and stuff on.
I haven't actually been on any medication yet, apart from taking something general when they are really annoying and I need to concentrate. Is it good to massage you head or is that bad?
Hoping that your migraines aren't too bad! Gen
Guest StarryGen
Posted
i'm pretty sure it's not bad but my migraines are debilitating and i have to go and lie down but i am gradually returning to school! Did you say you had missed any school/work or not?
StarryGen Guest
Posted
Nah, I haven't missed any school. My headaches don't seem nearly as bad as yours though. Often they get worse on weekends because I am constantly thinking about them while at school I am distracted.
Guest StarryGen
Posted
StarryGen
Posted
Hi everyone,
It really is a miracle. For the past week my headaches have almost completely disappeared with only the occasionally weird feeling in my head. I'm super happy but am trying not to get my hopes up that they have completely disappeared. My mum decided not to take me to the doctor till they get bad again but I'm crossing my fingers that they won't.
Thanks for the indian head massage idea, by the way, it has really helped.
StevenRose StarryGen
Posted
Have you had anymore issues after your gymnastics?
StarryGen StevenRose
Posted
Occasionally after a tumble I get some pain but it doesn't last for too long.
Although I have been taking it easy and do limited tumbling, etc, which I think has probably helped. Anyway, thanks for your support. I have a one month break as well which hopefully will give me time to get back to my normal self.
Good luck with all you headaches.
Gen
StevenRose StarryGen
Posted
Support is always available, I am happy to advise you on this subject as I have had a lot fo exeperience with headaches of several kinds, so any time.
Good luck to you too and best wishes.
Take care
StarryGen StevenRose
Posted
christinajoy69 StarryGen
Posted