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What sort of headache is this?

13 replies

Needtosleep4days · 09/05/2020 01:42

I have had headaches once-twice a year for as long as I remember that get this bad. I have mild ones maybe once a month that paracetamol kicks straight back off.

When I get a bad one. It starts like the mild one. It's my back/neck muscles that get sore. It then feels like it's squeezing something that causes pain to radiate into the base of my skull and often a pounding feeling on the right side of my head. I then feel sick with it. I usually lie down with it at that point. Hopefully to sleep it off.

I've had one all day yesterday and at 2pm went to bed. No joy in sleeping for long as the neighbors were partying. The pain has now been gone 9 hours but I'm still feeling queasy. Ive come downstairs to take more paracetamol and very aware of my tummy.

It doesn't ever seem severe enough to be a migraine. But apparently that causes nausea?

What do you think?

OP posts:
Ilovesausages · 09/05/2020 02:06

Is it just one side? It sounds like a migraine.

Ilovesausages · 09/05/2020 02:07

You should discuss it with your doctor when you can - there are many medications for migraines that you can try.

Milosinthebox · 09/05/2020 02:10

I get these. Thought they were migraines for years, but eventually an oesteopath identified they're caused by nerve pain from muscle tension in my back. If I get one I take Syndol & deep heat rub which helps with the pain, but better to prevent them by doing regular yoga and stretches or release the tension in my back & neck muscles.

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Needtosleep4days · 09/05/2020 08:00

Thanks both of you. I get awful tight muscles in my neck and back. Often crack my back too. I think it's damage from babies and pushing prams etc for the last five years.

Still feel queasy today. So strange!

OP posts:
FLOrenze · 09/05/2020 08:14

These so.und like tension headache. I rub in Deep Heat to:my neck as well as taking painkillers. It may also be mild arthritis. To avoid the queasyness try AlkA Seltzer instead of paracetamol.

FLOrenze · 09/05/2020 08:15

Sorry, a bit missing from my text, if it is mild Arthritis, try rubbing Voltorol into your nick and shoulders

Needtosleep4days · 09/05/2020 08:34

Thanks. It definitely feels like tension but it says they don't usually cause nausea. It's like abit of both. Can I start with arthritis at 31?

OP posts:
FLOrenze · 09/05/2020 12:05

The wrong painkillers can cause headaches , it becomes a vicious circle. Possibly there is a wearing away of discs in your cervical spine.

I had a great osteopath who helped me and gave me exercises. I was also referred to an NHS physio who showed me the correct sitting positions and core exercises.

Before you do anything though, I would ask the GP for a neck X-ray. The professionals can’t really do anything until they see what is inside. This is a good time to get checked out as the hospitals are quiet.

My advice would be to call your surgery and and ask for a telephone appointment with the GP and ask him if he would refer you. I put up with mine for so long, that I had to give up doing lots of things I enjoyed.

With the exercises and the meds I am now fully recovered and rarely rely on painkillers. I

MitziK · 09/05/2020 12:52

It's your neck.

I'm willing to bet that you push your head forward on a day to day basis, thus creating a massive amount of force on your cervical vertebrae, creating the pain at the insertion points on your skull. The dizziness and nausea is likely to be from the strain and tension in the sternocleidomastoid - the muscles that run along the side of your neck to around the back and top of your ears.

Dealing with it:

Immediately - Ice packs. They are a lifesaver.

Have a bath where you attempt to lengthen your neck whilst resting your head against the internal back of the bath - the idea is to try to keep your shoulders as far away from the back of your head as possible. You may have some clicks.

Long term:

Sort your posture out.

An S shaped foam pillow keeps your head and neck aligned, rather than pushed forward on high pillows as you sleep. Mine was incredibly uncomfortable the first night, after the second night, I moved my head slightly, all the joints cracked and the pain almost disappeared.

Gentle, controlled head and neck movements to lengthen the muscles - you might need to do these laying on the floor at first to support your head. Slowly tilt towards each shoulder in turn to feel a gentle stretch. Don't force it, just move until stretching, not pain. Return to the centre each time. Slowly turn your head as though to look along your shoulder and return to centre. Wiggle your shoulders as though you're increasing the distance between them and the back of your head.

As this becomes easier, you can do it sitting up or, at first, standing against a wall.

You can, if you wish, apply a little pinching pressure to the points on your neck where the most tightness appears to come from as you do this.

Check you aren't rounding your shoulders forward - likely with the rubbish non adjustable height on most buggies. Lengthen your neck and move your arms - for want of a better description, out like a T, palms up, trying to make your upper back as flat as the floor.

Then slowly bring them out front like a cartoon Frankenstein's Monster, palms down. If you get a light, fizzy pins and needles feeling in your hand, it's tight muscles across the bit from neck to shoulder restricting - flick your fingers out repeatedly (think actions from Twinkle Twinkle Little Star of going Ka-Pow) and slowly return to the T position.

At the risk of sounding more of a wally than I do already, balancing a book on your head and walking with it really helps you get the idea of where your head and neck should be.

Maintenance.

Keep up those stretches. Use cold packs. Try to stand tall. NO bending your head forward to use your phone - hold your phone up. Make sure your computer screen is as near to directly level with your eyes as possible, boosting it up with books works.

No slumping on the settee or chairs. You need to reset your posture like a Ballet Dancer.

When the world resembles some form of normality, Pilates is the best exercise to keep you functioning well. Yoga is the next.

Been there. Had MRIs, physio, a fuckton of painkillers. What worked was the above. Posture, posture, posture.

WaxOnFeckOff · 09/05/2020 13:09

Could be any of the above but honestly just sounds like a migraine to me. I don't bother with paracetamol as it doesn't help. All that works for me is to hydrate and then sleep it off.

Newnamechangenewstart2020 · 09/05/2020 13:14

Do you get them when you are stressed? If I get too stressed I get exactly what you've described

Needtosleep4days · 09/05/2020 19:35

Thanks everyone. I think it was broken sleep and a toddler squashing me in bed this time. He woke up and wouldn't settle again. I don't feel stressed. Posture is definitely not great. I slouch on the sofa. Legs under me etc. I am guilty of head down when on my phone too. I will look at s shaped pillows. Thanks for the excercise ideas. I've had alot of crunching, clicking and cracking in my neck since my second baby. Presumed it was the pregnancy that changed my back.

OP posts:
WaxOnFeckOff · 09/05/2020 20:10

Lack of sleep is one of my migraine triggers. Hope you feel better soon OP.

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