Headaches the wake me up 3 or 4 times a night everynight!

[jamseefried]

I get headaches every night, they wake me.  I will take tylenol and thats enough to go back to sleep, but then I wake up with another one.  It keeps repeating all night long.  I have tried different pillows, no pillows, nothing works.  I am 28 years old and a female if that helps.  Please help me.

Thanks
Jamie seefried

[21taters]

Hi Jamie!  I was having the same problem everynight for several years (3-4 awakenings per night, and my waking headaches were so SEVERE I could not remain lying down nor sitting).  I would have to get up and pace to get rid of them.  I went to several headache specialists over a 4 year period and finally one of them (after 4 months!) diagnosed them as hypnic headaches (also called alarm-clock headaches, because they occurred at the same times nightly).

They are very rare and can be mild, moderate or severe.  Please google that term and you will find some info.  When I was diagnosed in 2007, there were only 80 case reports in the medical literature (since 1977 when they were first "discovered") and many physicians (even headache specialists) have never heard of them, nor treated them.

I take an anti-inflammatory medication nightly before going to bed to PREVENT the inflmmation that causes the head pain.  I hope you find some relief.  I had many trips to the ER before I was properly diagnoses. Life is now much better.  A few patietns take lithium to prevent them, and some drink 8 cups of coffee before going to bed (caffeine helps prevent the inflammation for some people).

Good luck--please let me know how you are doing now.

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there.  You need to rule out various causes like hypertension, hypoglycemia, stress, trauma, migraines, cluster and tension headaches, referred pain from ear infection, eye causes. Errors of refraction also need to be checked. Consult a physician for a detailed clinical examination and checking you for various possibilities one by one. Hope this helps. Take care.