A stubborn headache

[WenchLadyKate]

What are your favorite solutions?

I woke up at 4am with a pounding headache. The kind that affects both sides of your head and makes you feel as though your brain is trying to escape throught your eye sockets? The kind that is accompanied by nausea and extreme sensitivity to light? How do I make it go away. Aspirin and strait ol' regular coca cola ain't doin' the trick. I'm not usually a complainer about headaches, but Jeezy Creezy!

[Buxom Wench]

What are your favorite solutions?

I woke up at 4am with a pounding headache. The kind that affects both sides of your head and makes you feel as though your brain is trying to escape throught your eye sockets? The kind that is accompanied by nausea and extreme sensitivity to light? How do I make it go away. Aspirin and strait ol' regular coca cola ain't doin' the trick. I'm not usually a complainer about headaches, but Jeezy Creezy!

Sweetie, sounds like you have a mild migraine.
The only thing that works for me is quiet, dark and no movement for a while until it passes.

Healing energy coming your way. ::hug::

[FairieTink]

Here's a topic I totally know about, I suffer from headaches a lot. used to be a daily thing, and I mean migraines not just a headache. What I have found is peppermint oil (the real stuff) works wonders. I rub it across my forhead and in a bit the headache goes away.... here's the deal, straight peppermint oil will 'burn' your skin, as in bright red and itchy where you place it if you do it to often. Myself I deal with that to get rid of the headache, but you can cut it with babyoil to help lessen that effect.

Also if you get headaches often, stop taking over the counter meds, you'll start getting rebound headaches. My dr made me get off all headache meds for 3 months, after the first 3 day headache, I noticed I was getting them less and less, now I am down to one or so ever week to two weeks.

[LadyLaura]

I agree with quiet, dark, lay very still. Sometimes a cool cloth over the eyes feels good. That's a migraine. If it happens often, see your doctor for prescription meds. Impossible to function when one of those hits. Hopefully, it will pass quickly, but you may be sensitive to light and noise for a while afterwards. Wear sunglasses! You may have to wear them INDOORS.

Exedrin migraine used to work for me in the beginning, IF I caught it quick enough. Now I am on Rx meds to prevent the migraines altogether.

::bighug::Hope you feel better soon!

[Saucy Sue]

I feel for you. I get migraines occasionally and I am lucky that Excedrin will usually fix it. Tough ones require darkness and rest along with Excedrin.

My daughter had to see a neurologist for a pineal cyst (it is stable), migraines, and insomnia. We had to follow a restricted diet to help with her headaches. NO: caffeine, yeast or yeast containing products, bananas, citrus fruits, papayas, raisins, red plums, aged/cured meats, bologna, hot dogs, pepperoni, sausage, aged/processed cheese, sour cream, yogurt, onions, chocolate, frozen dinners, garlic, meat tenderizer, MSG, seasoned salt, soy sauce, yeast extracts, Nutra-Sweet, and alcohol.

We also had to restrict sugar and foods that contain sugar, cereal grains (wheat, oats, barley and rye), potatoes, rice, corn, and peanuts.

Doesn't leave much to eat especially when you are a teenager! But it did help. She now only gets a headache once in a while and is able to control it with Advil. She is able to eat "normal" food again. We just have to do things in moderation.

[renren]

Yup, rest,in a dark room, Excedrin Migraine...

[WenchLadyKate]

I can't believe this. I came home, put some peppermint oil on my forhead, Took some aspirin and laid on my bed for a couple hours. No TV, no radio. Just me and the purr of the cat.

I took a nap and woke up feeling like I was going to hork. I sent my mom to the store for some Excedrine Migrane and it helped. I'm feeling much much better, although I've still got a little headache and the sensitivity to light and sound, but the neausa has almost completely gone away and it's better as long as I'm in the quiet and am wearing my Rx sunglasses.

Thanks, I think I'd still be suffering if it hadn't been for you all. I think I'm now going to head off to bed a bit early. I will probably have to shovel tomorrow. Bleah!

[rosefaeries]

I am glad your headache has diminished in intensity. I know how awful it can be to have one of *those* type headaches. (Having endured 6 weeks of having one straight this last fall.)

When did you last have your eyes examined? Getting my new glasses made the headache go away. Also, sometimes having the glasses out of adjustment can set off headaches. Get your glasses adjusted frequently.


Peppermint tea works wonders for nausea. So does York Peppermint patties. lol (And probably more to most people's taste. )

[Gellis Indigo]

Just for future reference, I've found that placing a warm heating pad at the base of my head/neck usually lessens the intensity. I'm not sure if it increases blood flow to the brain or what, but it almost always helps. I also have an eye mask filled with the wheat husks or whatever, that you can put in the microwave to warm it. That in combination with the heating pad on the neck works wonders.
And the face mask thingy is great if you suffer from sinus headaches as well!

[WenchLadyKate]

I am glad your headache has diminished in intensity. I know how awful it can be to have one of *those* type headaches. (Having endured 6 weeks of having one straight this last fall.)

When did you last have your eyes examined? Getting my new glasses made the headache go away. Also, sometimes having the glasses out of adjustment can set off headaches. Get your glasses adjusted frequently.


Peppermint tea works wonders for nausea. So does York Peppermint patties. lol (And probably more to most people's taste. )

Actually, I think the peppermint lavendar tea helped quite a bit I really just wanted the warm and the smell of the mint, but I drank it up and felt better.

And you're right about the eyes. I get my eyes checked between December and January every year. It's important not just for your sight, but when you're eyes are out of whack, it's no good for you. I got one wicked headache this one day and I realized I put my right contact in my left eye. I switched them when nothing helped the headachea and as soon as I did, about 2 hours later, it was just about gone.

[Gemdrite]

I second the heating pad on the base of the neck, and might I suggest Aleve? I used to take Ibuprofun for midgraines, until I was up to 6 at a time. I switched to Excedrin, but for some reason I have a hard time swallowing them. Switched to Aleve, which I absolutely love. Take two, and in less than half an hour I feel wonderful!

[aspen]

I made my own hot pack from a dish towel and a pound of inexpensive rice. I just folded over the towel, cut it to slightly larger than the (unopened) package of rice, sewed it into a bag, opened the package of rice, dumped it in the bag, and sewed the end shut. I put it into the microwave for 1-2 minutes and it keeps my feet warm in the winter and the back of my neck happy when I have a headache. I prefer the rice pack to a heating pad because it can't short out, and I can sleep on it without running the risk of burning myself.

For headaches, I swear by 1-2 Tylenol, 1 Alieve, and a coke. Ibuprofin has absolutely no painkilling effect on me, and Tylenol appears to have synergistic effect with the Alieve. The caffiene in the coke is a vasodilator-- it expands the blood vessels in your head.

If you're taking painkillers several times a week, there's a good chance you are getting rebound headaches. After a while you can tell the difference between a rebound headache and "real" one; for me, rebound headaches are somewhat less intense, and show up about 36 hours after the "real" headache has gone away. For rebound headaches, either take no painkillers, or take a low dose of a different kind of painkiller. The idea is to wean yourself off the painkillers until they become more effective again.

Aspen

[Isabelle Warwicke]

I blend peppermint and lavender essential oils and mix them into a "carrier" oil like almond. I carry one small bottle in my work bag and keep one at home. Asprin and such tends to give me a stomach ache and I love Excedrine for headaches but try to not take it so much as I already drink way too much coffee to begin with.

I take the oil blend and rub it on my temples, behind my ears and at the base of my neck.

I own a "Bucky" too. Hot or cold, it's awesome. Buckwheat hulls in flannel chenille. Good stuff.