oh my aching head......

Okay, I have a headache. I have had a headache almost everyday for as long as I can remember. Somedays it's worse than others (like this past week) and somedays I know it's there but it's more like the friend you need to have around so you can keep an eye on him even though that friend makes you batty.

My mum has headaches. I remember her getting up in the morning and popping two Tylenol. That was her normal. In fact, this reminds me, it was so normal for her to pop her pills that one morning she accidentally popped my foster brothers Ritalin instead of her Tylenol. She called me later to tell me what she did. We laughed about it and then I asked her how she felt. She said he'd had a really great day.

Not the point.

I guess my normal is a headache life too. Whatever. It's not cancer so I'll take it. Remember when I had the palsy? I went to the headache clinic because I had such a terrible headache that day and headaches are not a symptom of the palsy. So anyway, I met with a neurologist, who was not Dr. McDreamy by the way, and she said I was prone to headaches when she asked me a million questions that proved to me that I pretty much always have a headache. She said It was my lot in life. It's not brain cancer so, again, I'll take it.

Blah, blah, blah, where is this going, you ask?

Nowhere, apparently.

So I went to WebMD last night to enter my symptoms.

Symptoms:
-headache
-crankiness as a result of headache

The results?

I have a headache.

I know, I'm as shocked as you are.

It seems as though it may be a chronic tension headache. And here are some snippets of what I found: If you have a headache on 15 or more days each month over a 3-month period, you may have chronic tension headaches. This type of headache can lead to stress and depression, which in turn can lead to more headaches.

So that's something to look forward to.

What are the symptoms of a tension headache?

Symptoms of tension headaches include:
A headache that is constant, not throbbing. You usually feel the pain or pressure on both sides of your head.
Pressure that makes you feel like your head is in a vise.
Aching pain at your temples or the back of your head and neck.


Yep, that's me.

Here is some really good news: Pain from a tension headache is usually not severe and does not get in the way of your work or social life. Oh man, what a relief. My social life will remain intact.

Most people can treat their tension headaches with over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or aspirin.

I have a one year supply of Advil Liqugels in my food storage if that's any indication of how many of these I take. That's the good news. Here's the bad.......

But if you take these pain relievers more than 3 times a week, you may get rebound headaches. These are different from tension headaches. Rebound headaches usually start after pain medicine has worn off, which leads you to take another dose. After a while, you get a headache whenever you stop taking the medicine.

More than 3 times a week??? Uh oh, how about 3 times a day? I think this leads to another symptom. I'm a drug addict. A drug addict with a headache.

How can I prevent tension headaches?

Even with treatment, most people still have some headaches. But with treatment, you will probably have them less often. And when you do get them, they probably won't be as bad.

Home treatment may help you avoid headaches. You can:

-Try to reduce stress.
-Make sure you sleep, exercise, and eat on a regular schedule.
-Make sure you practice good posture. Stand and sit up straight.
-Try not to strain your eyes when you use your computer.
-Get treatment for depression or anxiety if you have those health problems.
-Try using a headache diary. Every time you get a headache, write down the date, the time, and what you were doing and feeling before your headache started. This may help you and your doctor find out what is causing your headaches. Then your doctor can use the diary to plan your treatment.


Okay, so here is my new headache treatment plan:
-I'm checking into La La Land, because I hear there is no stress there.
-I'm going to bed immediately, right after I do turbofire and eat some steak.
-I will hereafter sit up tall and stand up even taller. I am no longer 5 feet 3 and a quarter inches. I am 5 feet 10 inches. Ohhh, to dream.....
-I will never use the computer again to avoid all temptation to strain my eyes. In all seriousness though, I am going to get my eyes checked, it's been awhile.
-I have received treatment for anxiety and depression and all I gained from that was a headache. Seriously, the pills made my head throb and I quit them. I'm not depressed. I'm lazy and there is no cure for that. It's terminal.
-If I kept a headache diary. It would read like this:

Dear Diary,

Day one - day infinity.

My head hurts.

Love Me.

So now I feel very well versed in the art of headaching and the treatment thereof.

Thanks WebMD!

I do, however, still have a headache.