I have called my doctor’s office and am waiting for a call back - I’m trying to get an appointment next Monday or Tuesday. In the meanwhile, I’m looking for information and also things that might help the doctor when I do get in to see her.
For something like two weeks now, I’ve had daily headaches. I have been getting over that long cough that comes after a cold, and work has been pretty stressful, and I do work in front of a computer screen, but I’ve never had anything like this before, and like I said I think it’s serious enough to see a doctor. I spent some time on the Mayo Clinic’s website and of all the headaches described it seems like tension headaches - centered behind my forehead, a dull, pressure-like feeling, etc. I have to make a conscious effort to untense my brows all the time - my boyfriend says I’m getting frown wrinkles there, and he’s actually kind of right. (Or I’ve been getting frown wrinkles for a long time and just noticing them now.) It’s absolutely exhausting.
So I’ve called for an appointment, but I won’t get in until next week - would it help to be recording anything? I get them every day, no specific time (this morning I woke up with one) and Advil or Excedrin doesn’t help. I’ll be paying attention this weekend to see if I get them the same if I’m not at work (and with work tension and screen viewing.) Should I be keeping a food diary? A cough diary? I’ve been coughing less and less, but the headaches have not abated. Of course I’ll be telling the doctor what I’ve been taking for them - been trying different painkillers to not much effect.
What sort of questions is my doctor going to ask? Is there any good resource to read up on before I go? I’m one of those people who likes to be informed about stuff. Is there any other kind of headache it could be?
This has just been making me really miserable for a long time now, and I want to make sure that when I do get my appointment I get as much out of it as possible. I’m not asking for medical advice, just information on what the doctor’s going to be looking for and how I can provide the most information.
This is something of a guess, but you might want to be able to tell him how much exercise you get, how much stress you’re under, and how you’re sleeping. Oh, and about your menstrual cycle–has it changed, do you have pain, when was your last period, etc.
Hadn’t thought about the eyesight - I had LASIK about eight years ago, last eye exam about a year and a half ago, no vision change. I do wear glasses to drive at night and read subtitles and menus in dark restaurants, but have not noticed a decrease in vision. Haven’t been staring at a screen any more than in the last ten years, either.
I know you didn’t ask for it and IANAD but here’s a suggestion. Have you tried an ice pack or heating pad? Sometimes one or the other of those helps the muscles to relax. If it’s tension headaches, there’s often some muscular stuff going on in the neck/shoulders, IME. Usually what start out as tension headaches lead to migraines for me, and the only thing that helps is migraine meds, but ice at the back of my neck feels good. So you can have combination headaches - what a cheerful thought.
Anyway, back to your question. I know you said they don’t start at any particular time, but can you write it down anyway? It can be a good clue if you’re waking up with them, or if they come on after being at work. I agree with dangermom about sleep cycles, stress, menstrual cycles and exercise. And alcohol, although with all your headaches you probably haven’t felt like drinking it. All of those can be factors, for sure. Hydration is another. Food triggers are usually migraines.
I’ll take suggestions, sure. I have not tried an ice pack or heating pad - honestly, my shoulders and neck have not bothered me, but that doesn’t mean they’re not tense. I’ll try some heat on them tonight.
I get tension headaches and they do come from my shoulders, though the pain is mostly in my head. I find that regular exercise is hugely important to keep them away. I use heating pads, hot showers, and exercise–a good mile walk is great.
Find the painkiller that works the best for them (Advil works best for me) and take one the minute you think you’re getting a headache. I can complete route a three-day headache, if I take an Advil early enough. I usually don’t, though.
You might be suffering from spring – mold and spores and pollen. Allergies that haven’t been problems before can come up. Has it been suddenly nice outside and you’ve been opening your windows? Also something to consider.
Papers due + Not enough time to do them = tension headaches.
But after I finished half my work, I went to get some fruit juice. At the cafe, I noticed I wasn’t tired anymore (I wasn’t sleepy, I was tired - I don’t need sleep, I need rest). I noticed that I wasn’t tired. I didn’t feel like a zombie like the night I stayed up reading, writing, and working with my notes. I asked the barista about it and she said “second wind”.
Several years ago, after a bout with a virus, I had nearly constant headaches with pain ranging from mild to OMG. I’ve had a lot of tension headaches in my life too, but this was definitely different. I finally ended up at a neurologist who told me that it was related to the virus – a lingering aftereffect. I can’t remember the technical term he used or I’d look it up and provide a cite.
The headache you described was a lot like what I felt at that time. It was right behind the eyes and felt like someone was pushing on my eyeballs.
If anybody’s still interested - it’s a massive sinus infection with no other symptoms. It didn’t get worse when I leaned over or anything, just the headaches. I was extremely relieved. (She gave me steroids and antibiotics. The steroids taste seriously nasty. SERIOUSLY. I hope the steroids I had to give my cat for a while didn’t taste bad. I’m sorry, Mr. Eddles.)
