Health Check: what causes headaches?

[AussieNeil]

I don't know whether headaches are more common with CLL unless it is a side effect from illnesses, particularly respiratory infections to which we may be more prone due to our compromised immunity. Perhaps the stress of living with CLL might be a cause, but according to this article, the "Infrequent episodic Tension Type Headache (TTH) does not appear to be strongly associated with psychological stress, despite this common belief. Chronic TTH has a stronger association with higher psychological distress, but it is unclear whether this is a cause or effect of having long-term disabling headaches."

Michael Vagg, Clinical Senior Lecturer at Deakin University School of Medicine & Pain Specialist at Barwon Health, Melbourne, Australia explains about the three different types of headache, what is thought to cause them and what may help relieve the pain:

theconversation.com/health-...

Neil

Photo: I don't think this rare albino kangaroo is particularly worried about anything and the peacock seems pretty relaxed too!

[DocM]

Well Aussie Neil, I for one was never a headache person prior to diagnosis and that's part of my fun things living with CLL that I deal with now , so add me to the list of "we don't think it is associated with CLL...so it must be psychological." I'm so sick of medical people playing amateur psychologist, that I am seriously thinking of going off W & W before these labels become a problem. That's between you and I...I'd hate to have this labelled depression LOL

[AussieNeil Administrator in reply to DocM]

I had more frequent headaches when I was newly diagnosed - in fact it's one of questions my haematologist asked and my wife responded that I had been having them more often. I now think they were due to my frequent infections back then.