Tension Headaches

[People-huv-tae-know]

From mid February I've started to experience tension or swelling headaches that last all day and into the night. It's painful to lay my head on the pillow, the headache surges and feels worse upon bending, bowing my head, lowering my eyes or other physical activity. There is sometimes pain and tension at my temples, jaw, forehead, top of head and back of head. The headaches make me feel dizzy and light headed. This week, I've noticed constant eye strain, headache pain is mostly at my forehead now. There is occasional pain in my left ear. The headaches are still daily and constant. I'm using headache sticks, deep freeze and ice packs to try and mitigate the sensations. Over the counter pain relief doesn’t work.
I've seen the GP, she wants to rule out a brain tumour and has referred me for a CT scan but apparently it can take a while. I'm also to get a blood test for diabetes as I was unusually thirsty in mid February for about 3 to 4 days but that has stopped. I've also seen the optician and had full eye checks. They did not find anything but they said all that means is there nothing in the optical pathway. I've contemplated if Bruxism could be the cause but I'm not sure.
I'm scared, stressed, panicking. What if it is a tumour, I can't see what else could it be? Is there any other condition that could cause the symptoms above? Is there anything else I can do to get some relief from the constant sensation of tension and pain? My GP didn't want to prescribe anything yet as we don't know the cause.

 

[Vidyagaymes]

Try heat on your neck and shoulder muscles. I have also suffered from tension headaches and I found hot water bottles helped a lot! Otherwise it’s the classic paracetamol and ibuprofen mix…

 

[griftalo]

I’m so sorry you’re suffering. When young Harold was suffering with this loads they made him stop taking any pain, eventually it went away, he had a brain mri, and they didn’t find a cause. I can’t obviously predict what yours is, but I wanted to give you an example of it being nothing in the hope you’ll worry less.
Ear pain for me has always had a dental cause, are your teeth okay?

 

[People-huv-tae-know]

Try heat on your neck and shoulder muscles. I have also suffered from tension headaches and I found hot water bottles helped a lot! Otherwise it’s the classic paracetamol and ibuprofen mix…

I've not done heat therapy yet, I will try that. I have been doing the para/ibo combo and it's not helped one bit.
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I’m so sorry you’re suffering. When young Harold was suffering with this loads they made him stop taking any pain, eventually it went away, he had a brain mri, and they didn’t find a cause. I can’t obviously predict what yours is, but I wanted to give you an example of it being nothing in the hope you’ll worry less.
Ear pain for me has always had a dental cause, are your teeth okay?

How awful for him. Did he have dizzy spells and eye strain too? I could definitely stop taking the meds to see if that helps, that's interesting. My teeth are OK but I have neck pain going down into my upper back. I've wondered if that could be related. Thank you for trying to reassure me, it gives me hope to know there might be less scary causes.

 

[FloellaB]

I've not done heat therapy yet, I will try that. I have been doing the para/ibo combo and it's not helped one bit.
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How awful for him. Did he have dizzy spells and eye strain too? I could definitely stop taking the meds to see if that helps, that's interesting. My teeth are OK but I have neck pain going down into my upper back. I've wondered if that could be related. Thank you for trying to reassure me, it gives me hope to know there might be less scary causes.

Do you clench your jaw a lot? If you do it a lot it can cause lots of pain in face and neck. Your dentist can usually tell from your teeth if you grind your teeth or clench your jaw a lot. Have you been lately?
Would it help to lay in back in warm bath and submerge your back, neck and head so just your face is poking out?

 

[griftalo]

I've not done heat therapy yet, I will try that. I have been doing the para/ibo combo and it's not helped one bit.
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How awful for him. Did he have dizzy spells and eye strain too? I could definitely stop taking the meds to see if that helps, that's interesting. My teeth are OK but I have neck pain going down into my upper back. I've wondered if that could be related. Thank you for trying to reassure me, it gives me hope to know there might be less scary causes.

He had it all, he was miserable. I also get tension headaches occasionally but not chronic. Cbd brothers cbd balm is helpful for me, rubbed all over the back of my neck and temples
ETA it took about a week for him to feel a difference with no pain meds iirc

 

[Queenie-the-boss]

I get a lot of headaches and migraines. I've suffered for 30 years with them. I know how exhausted and sick of them you must be. I can deal with any sort of pain but the slightest headache floors me.

A lot of my tension headaches were due to sitting at the desk for too long and not taking enough breaks. I try to get up hourly.

I try not to take top many tablets to avoid medicine induced headaches. So I find neck yoga a really good way to stop them when they start. My go tos are:





If I do need tablets, I'll 2 Anadin and 2 ibuprofen, and then sleep it off. Triptins are good for migrainey heads.

I'm also getting acupuncture and massages, both of which really help.

Unfortunately, it hasn't completely stopped them. I had a 5 week run of at least 50% headaches a week in Jan/Feb. I think I'm just that kind of person.

 

[People-huv-tae-know]

Do you clench your jaw a lot? If you do it a lot it can cause lots of pain in face and neck. Your dentist can usually tell from your teeth if you grind your teeth or clench your jaw a lot. Have you been lately?
Would it help to lay in back in warm bath and submerge your back, neck and head so just your face is poking out?

I do, in my sleep, subconsciously during the day. I like the sound of a bath. I generally have a rapid shower but I'll make time for a bath. I do have a bit of a sore neck, going down into my spine.
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He had it all, he was miserable. I also get tension headaches occasionally but not chronic. Cbd brothers cbd balm is helpful for me, rubbed all over the back of my neck and temples
ETA it took about a week for him to feel a difference with no pain meds iirc

Poor guy, miserable is a good description. I've been using deep freeze, headache stick, and today. I've been using a hot water bottle on my neck. Do you think I should stop those topical aids too? They don't contain any medicine.
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I get a lot of headaches and migraines. I've suffered for 30 years with them. I know how exhausted and sick of them you must be. I can deal with any sort of pain but the slightest headache floors me.

A lot of my tension headaches were due to sitting at the desk for too long and not taking enough breaks. I try to get up hourly.

I try not to take top many tablets to avoid medicine induced headaches. So I find neck yoga a really good way to stop them when they start. My go tos are:





If I do need tablets, I'll 2 Anadin and 2 ibuprofen, and then sleep it off. Triptins are good for migrainey heads.

I'm also getting acupuncture and massages, both of which really help.

Unfortunately, it hasn't completely stopped them. I had a 5 week run of at least 50% headaches a week in Jan/Feb. I think I'm just that kind of person.

Thank you for sharing this. I normally do pilates but it hasn't made much difference. I've never done yoga before but I will give this a try. I will try anything if it reduces or cures the pain. I'm sorry you've had to suffer so long, that's awful.

 

[chickhicks86]

Are your pillows ok? I've had to mess around for ages to get the right ones, but my headaches have reduced loads since I seem to have found the right height. I have to be really conscious not to sleep on my back too, as I'm pretty much guaranteed to get one then.

 

[People-huv-tae-know]

Are your pillows ok? I've had to mess around for ages to get the right ones, but my headaches have reduced loads since I seem to have found the right height. I have to be really conscious not to sleep on my back too, as I'm pretty much guaranteed to get one then.

I think so, I have not been able to sleep on regular pillows for years because I do find them so uncomfortable. I use a latex pillow (Dunlopillow). But lately with the tension I'm having to sleep higher up on the pillow. Normally I have my head on it but now I feel.more comfortable with my neck on it too.

 

[People-huv-tae-know]

I had my blood results back this morning and they are showing mild anemia rather than diabetes. I'm to get another blood test tomorrow for iron levels. Could mild anemia really cause headaches? I've had but not really counted tiredness, cold hands and feet and feeling very out of breath when I climb stairs.
The headaches dulled down on Saturday but came back with a vengeance last night. I'm very dizzy today and have pain in my face from it too, especially over my right eye. It's very dominating today, I hate it.

 

[griftalo]

I had my blood results back this morning and they are showing mild anemia rather than diabetes. I'm to get another blood test tomorrow for iron levels. Could mild anemia really cause headaches? I've had but not really counted tiredness, cold hands and feet and feeling very out of breath when I climb stairs.
The headaches dulled down on Saturday but came back with a vengeance last night. I'm very dizzy today and have pain in my face from it too, especially over my right eye. It's very dominating today, I hate it.

Yes it apparently can. Get some optimised folate as well as iron and take your iron with vit c.