Concern of constant headches

Hey, as you can see i'm a new member but before i describe what i've been going through i'll introduce myself. i'm 18 year old student from the UK.

Okey, here it goes. I've been suffering headches for appoxmately 5 days now. i'll wake up with this headche and have ache in the lower back,shoulders, bit of a dry throat and very tired through out the day The headche grudually builds up during the day and sometimes gets to the point of me feeling like i'm going to collapse. The pain is unbarable sometimes and i've even consulted the doctor concerning this and apparently it's just a virus and that i should just take painkillers. The thing is i've never expiranced anything like this and well the painkillers merely numbs it down a little and i still have a mild headche and when i do wake up the next day it's there.

I guess i'm just a little concerned about it due to the fact i've never had it to this extent and it's affecting my life style, big. If anyone has any recommendations/solutions to this then it would be appreciated.

 

Post Edited (DShaw) : 2/24/2007 5:11:08 AM (GMT-7)

Hi DShaw! Is the pain on one or both sides of your head? Headaches can be caused by a huge variety of things...have you thought of getting a second opinion with another doctor? (I'm a 22 year old student in the UK and you really have to exploit the NHS to get proper healthcare, instead of letting it abuse you). Your GP may have fobbed you off because of your age...at 18 it's very unlikely to be something serious, but plenty of teenagers get migraines or severe tension headaches that need specialist treatment. Even if it IS a virus, you should not be left to suffer alone if OTC medicines aren't working.

Here are some of my thoughts based on my own experiences, but please remember that only a real doctor can give you the right diagnosis and medicine. Since we're both about the same age, I've gone for things that affect young people/students.

- Do you clench or grind your teeth at night? (If you can't remember then does your jaw pop easily or feel stiff?) Teeth grinding is a frequent cause of headaches that appear as soon as you wake up, and it also prevents you from sleeping well which causes tiredness during the day. It's easily triggered by stress, and often gets worse in a 'negative feedback' cycle (the more you're worn down by the headache, the more you grind your teeth). If this is a cause then wearing a small splint in your teeth at night will eliminate the problem completely.

- If you wake up with a tension headache then it's not unusual for it to get worse during the day as you face more tasks and stressful situations. You didn't mention if the pain is one or both sided? One sided pain might be a migraine and OTC painkillers often don't work on those. If you suspect it's a migraine talk to your doctor about getting Sumatriptan...a medicine that works by loosening the blood vessels in your head. It's usually very effective and doesn't have significant side effects. (You can actually get the same medicine under 'Imigran Recovery' over the counter in Boots. It's fairly expensive if you buy it OTC but worthwhile if you're in pain and can't get a GP appointment. If it works then go get a prescription, which is much cheaper).

- If a severe headache lasts more than a week then go to your doctor or A&E. If you're taking lots of painkillers every single day for that long then you're at risk of getting 'rebound' headaches or causing liver damage. If it's a virus then they can possibly give you something stronger to knock it down as a one-off solution...since once it's gone you won't be getting pain anymore. If it's a migraine (or anything that may recur during your life) then they can prescribe preventative medicine which gets you out of the 'pain cycle'.

Good luck!!

Okey, i went to the Doctors again and apparently they want me to wait another week and it's been two weeks now. I've still got the headches and the aching and the lack of sleep, so what now. i'm becoming very fraustrated..

Hi DShaw,

I am sorry you are still going through this. I too am in the UK and maybe at 53 have had a few more years experience of the NHS lol!!! It is very hard to make yourself heard at any age without getting written off as too something or other!!!

In my experience I have been heard when I have produced proof, for example a diary of what I have been going through. Also by repeatedly going back and often in tears - quite genuinely so telling them that I cannot continue suffering in this manner!!!! I have also gone back in the midst of an attack on several occasions - very hard to do but works!!!!

If they think you are making a fuss or detect any arrogance you have lost the fight!!!! Just keep going back, and if necessary before the time alloted if there is absolutley no improvement!!! Unfortunately you often have to keep re-stating your case.

Hang in there, you have good support here! Take care

Ann