headaches part2

Cortx

i have recently posted a topic asking for advice about my daily headaches.

My mom swears its the sleeeping pills and bad bad sleeping habits that i have and i wake up with the most horrible headache ever! (i have not been diagnosed with migraines but i do believe i get them, but the waking up with them is something different)

anyway i stoppped taing them 5 days now, i have not really had a headache since, i mean i wake up with one but it goes away, whereas it usually lasts allllll day and doeswnt end.

so i had a thought: do u think smoking cigarettes before bed can make u wake up with them? i am asking bc i think that could be part of the problem. I really dont smoke much, when i do it is always in the middile of the night right before i go to sleep or fprc e myself to sleep beings i have such a hard time sleeping, then i wake up with a head ache so bad i screamed!

its hard to explain but i tried l;ol

4x4n8

I have had migraines all my life. Went to many a headache doc. I dont smoke so I am not sure about that one but just with the whole standard on smoking is not good for you, lol. There are a lot of certain foods i have to avoid (nuts, bananas, coconut to name a couple) and have to make sure I eat every 3/4 hours, dont sleep too much, dont sleep too little, etc. the doc put me on a
strict only sleep 6/7 hours no more no less, no naps . Im off all meds for a while now cuz couldnt be on them while preg, etc. I still get the occasional one here and there but i used to get them 3 times a week, and have to go to ER to get a shot cuz my arm would go numb and face messes up and tongue swelled etc and throwing up. They would think i was having a stroke every single time. For me, exercise truly has helped me soooo much! I rarely get a headache when I exercise 3/5 times per week. Its such a blessing! Sorry to ramble but just wanted to say I can relate and if you need anything let me know i dont mind at all.

eversits

Check your blood pressure! I always got headaches on a daily basis, and I just recently found out that it was because of my increasing blood pressure. It never hurts to check.

gentlebreeze2

Stress can cause headaches as well. There was a 12 yer period of my life when I had a headache so bad I couldn't function. After my divorce, my headaches have been almost nil for 8 years. We live in such a stressed filled world, I think it poisons our system and takes years off our life.

Debtappe

I get migraines and I usually wake up with them. There can be lots of reasons for them. I suggest checking with your doctor AND your dentist. If you clench your teeth at night you can trigger a headache. The migraines have very specific symptoms before they hit so I usually know when one is coming. Other headaches can be the result of dehydration, lack of caffeine, or even allergies such as dust mites.

cmriverside

Some migraines are preciptated with auras as Debtappe says, however some have no precipitating warnings. If you get headaches that cause:

Nausea
Vomiting
Sensitivity to sound and light

Then they could be migraines. As has been stated, there are many triggers for migraines and stress (tension) headaches. I get both, and also get sinus headaches. Start a headache journal. Here are things to consider:

Right before the headache what was happening?
Exercise? Exercise helps some sufferers, and triggers headaches for others.
What did you eat 2-6 hours before the onset?
At what point in your menstrual cycle are you?
Were you under a lot of stress the day you got the headache?
How many hours of sleep did you get the day of the headache?
Have you been well hydrated that day?
Did you have more or less caffeine than you typically do?

This is a bit harder, but can trigger headaches:
List the temperature and whether your barometer is High/Low or rising/falling

I would see a doctor immediately if any headache kept me home from my regular activities.

Keep the journal for three minimum (I kept one for a year). It will help diagnose whether you have migraines, cluster headaches, tension/stress headache, allergies, menstrual/hormone issues, food sensitivities. I wish you luck, it is a process. I've been under doctor's care for many years for migraines. They can become a debilitating problem if not treated properly. Some migraines are caused by serious medical conditions such as a previously undetected heart defect, so stay after your doctors to get answers.

ltlhmom

Have you tried taking melatonin to help you sleep? You can find it in the herbal section.

cmriverside

Keep the journal for three months minimum (I kept one for a year).

Cortx

thanks for all your help.

i really didnt ask what a migraine is or symptoms, the post was about me waking up with headaches.
i know what they are. I have them.

thanks anyway!

cmriverside

thanks for all your help.

i really didnt ask what a migraine is or symptoms, the post was about me waking up with headaches.
i know what they are. I have them.

thanks anyway!

Okay.....sorry for too much information, but you did say this -

(i have not been diagnosed with migraines but i do believe i get them, but the waking up with them is something different)

Lots of people think they have migraines. Unless you've seen a Neurologist, you can't know for sure if they are migraines. The diagnosis is done after a full neurological workup. Migraines are nothing to mess with. Don't self-diagnose. Some migraines can be due to much more serious conditions.


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cmriverside

It is common to wake up with lots of different types of headaches. Do the headache journal. It will help you clarify. Good luck.:flowerforyou:

julie2490

if your headache is only on one side of your head then its a migraine, also it depends on the location of your headache like infront of your eyes is sinus and the back of your neck is stress. you might need to have some bloodwork done, I was diganosed with hypothyroidism and that has helped my migraines. good luck and i hope you find what triggers yours