Head Ache

[HeartStone20595]

Hello, I am 15 and I suffer through headaches almost on daily bases. My head has been aching since almost two years now, I have been looking through some articles on the internet and I think it's tension headache. I am not sure though, I have been to the doctors several times and every time they say I should reduce drinking coffee, but I can't because I have school, and exams and I need to study, and without coffee I can't stay awake, it's very frustrating. My head aches on the right most and so does the back of my neck, it feels like as if I have a tight band around my head. I want to get over this because it makes it very difficult for me to concentrate in classes and it has been making very dull and lazy lately.

Please help me,
Thankyou,

[HeartStone20595]

hmm, well, I will talk about it with my parents as soon as possible. :)

[AKC_75]

Well, you need to get one cause as I have already said treating migraines is ongoing process. You cant just see a doctor, get meds and be done. They have to be managed. You will be trying this med and that med and the combinations of these meds, etc......until you find what helps. Then the time will come when that no longer works and you need to adjust dosages and even change meds completely.

It is a process. Not a one time fix-all.

[HeartStone20595]

I don't have a family doctor. :/

[AKC_75]

Don't go to the hospital. Make an appt eith your family doctor.

[HeartStone20595]

so if I go to the hospital, which doctor should I go to??

[HeartStone20595]

yeah, I think you are right.

[AKC_75]

Wait a minute. Those are just some things you can do at home o your own. But you can and should see your doctor as there are prescriptions you can take to help prevent them. I did not mean to give you the impressio. that there was nothing you can do. All of my tips, I do in combo with my prescriptons. But let me warn you...treating migraines is a marathon, not a sprint. There are no fast and easy treatments as each person is diff. What works on me may not work on you or vise versa, etc..

[HeartStone20595]

hmm, yes, I guess you are right, I do suffer most of the symptoms. This feels so bad though. :( The fact that there is no cure for it except a few tablets and coffee and the head band.

[AKC_75]

No. That is a classic mistake that almost every person makes and what I cannot get through the heads of my own family! A migraine feels different from a sinus headache or regular headache just like the difference in a stomach ache and menstrual cramps. Two totally different causes AND symptoms!!
When you rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10. You can have a plain ole regular headache that you would rate a 10 and you can have a migraine and rate it a 3. It has nothing to do with the intensity of the pain.
The easiest way for ME to know the difference with mine are typically if it is a migraine, it hurts if I touch my head (forehead). That could be a good place to start with you but don't be fooled into thinking that is the ONLY way to know...cause just like everything else I keep saying, each person is different.
And here's a kicker...you can even have silent migraines. That is where you get other migraine symptom and never develop the pain of one. I'll list a few other migraine symptoms which might also help you tell them apart.

Symptoms of migraine:
Sensitivity to light, noise or odors
Blurred vision
Nausea or vomiting, stomach upset, abdominal pain, diarrhea
Loss of appetite
Sensations of being very warm or cold
Paleness
Fatigue
Dizziness
Fever (rare)
Bright flashing dots or lights, blind spots, wavy or jagged lines (aura)
Memory issues

[HeartStone20595]

ohh, well, okay I will try it. But then I don't think it's migraine, isn't migraine supposed to be really intense amount of pain? I have always thought it is supposed to be very intense, my pain is something a little less then intense, it's just annoying. It aches but if I really have to I can pretend that nothing is wrong.

[AKC_75]

Hi and welcome to the Migraines & Headaches Community.

It sounds to me like cluster headaches/migraines. That's when you get them one after another after another and the relief can be soooooo brief that you probably don't even realize it, making you think it is one constant headache. I have been dealing with them since 2010.

Here are some tips to see if they help you:
1. There are several symptoms of migraines and what causes the pain of a migraine is the blood vessels in your brain become dilated. So, sometimes it helps it you put a bit of pressure on your head. I am sure you have already been doing this unconsciously with your hands from time to time. So, get a bandanna or a cloth headband and wrap it snugly around your head.
2. If you rub Mentholatum across your forehead and on your temples that helps relax those tense muscles. You can do this with or without the wrap, depending on if you like the heat or not.
3. Try either a cold or hot pack, whichever is more comfy to you.
4. The best OTC meds that I have found that works is Excedrin. It is a combo of Aspirin, Tylenol and Caffeine and that happens to be an excellent combo for migraines.
5. I mentioned caffeine before...well, drink coffee, Mt Dew, take Vivirin...sometimes a mega dose of caffeine will stop it in its tracks.
6. If you get nauseous or dizzy get some Meclizine from the pharmacy (the stuff behind the counter) you can take 25mg three times a day as needed. Yes it works on both.

Now, let me make a clarification on the caffeine subject. Caffeine is both a trigger and an aid. So, it is basically a two-edged sword. If you are consuming to much caffeine and to often that will cause migraines. Yet at the same time if you have a migraine, ONE large "dose" of caffeine can end that particular migraine. So, you really do want to try to cut down your caffeine intake as much as possible.

Good luck and keep us posted.