Asthma Headache

[porthos06]

Hello 👋

I recently had my annual bout of freshers' flu from the lovely little dears at work, but managed to avoid prednisolone by upping my Symbicort to 12 doses/day.

I managed to get it down to 6 doses/day but now I can't seem to get back to 4! My symptoms are tight-chestedness but also - weirdly - a cracking headache, which goes away shortly after I've taken the extra Symbicort.

Does anyone else get an asthma headache?

Thanks in advance ☺️

PS - I am midway through changing drs so getting an appointment is tricky at the moment! Not helped that my consultant is off sick and my appointment with their cover was short and sweet!

[Patk1]

I get headaches too which I usually think is associated chronic rhinosinusitis,which gets worse when asthma etc is bad.i have the crackling in head& face too.i do find decongestants help+ I use sterimar when bad x

[Muldrew]

Dear Porthos06

definitely get them too

Down to poor sleep (also due to asthma/COPD) and poor oxygen levels

Also known as COPD headaches (in US literature)

Definitely discuss with GP

Good luck

Muldrew

[RABS1957]

well iam sorry to hear your problems, I sometimes times take 6 goes on it in a day, but 90% of the time 4, 2 morning 2 at night sometimes have headache but I found that I wasn’t washing my mouth out properly and gargling the drink water after to stop it lying in my throat, I do drink alcohol but in moderation and can’t say it’s that or my tablets I take aspirin once a day and a satin, does your heart pound after you take your inhaler, try to drink plenty water did you get headaches when you first started this type of inhaler it’s better than the propellant ones as no gas, try to use it less and less till your back to your proscribed dose, see your GP as asp if it persists good luck👍

[Poobah]

Apparently, asthmatics are more likely to experience tension headaches and migraines. I never linked my headaches to my asthma, but it makes sense that asthma symptoms make the body fight for breath and that involves body tension, especially upper body tension.

We talk about lung inflammation and infections as the symptoms, and occasionally talk about rib and back pain from laboured breathing, but shoulder/neck/back tension is part of the package too and tension often results in headaches.

I carry paracetamol always, and just thought I was prone to headaches. My shoulders are tensing just thinking about this! It will be interesting to see what others have observed and if they've taken steps to address the associated asthma tension.

[Chip_y2kuk]

My asthma headache turned out to be the mother of all folic deficiencies.... that was causing iron binding issues (so effectively I guess I ended up with a type of anemia)

[Jollygood]

I always get a headache when my asthma deteriorates. In fact it’s often my first sign. It’s usually relieved somewhat by taking paracetamol and a few puffs of the blue.