How do you manage your headaches

[Antique-white]

Hey 👋 I was wondering what you have done to manage your headaches? Starting to feel like they are never going to go (I had a car accident and concussion three months ago) and trying to find ways of best managing them. Thanks !

[Pairofboots]

Hi, concussion can take a few months to resolve, paracetamol is probably the best pain relief if you stick to the prescribed dosing.

Some may say ibrufen or brufen, but these can irritate the stomach and long term use can increase the risk of stroke. The fall under the type called NSAID, all pose the risk to stomach and head. I know the ads say how brilliant they are, but they would. They are great for joint pain and muscle strain as they are anti-inflammatory. I know that these like paracetamol can be bought over the counter, but NSAID, should really taken with caution.

When it comes to buying medication like this, paracetamol or others, buy the cheapest, they contain the same active ingredients as the big brands. I know neurofen suggest different types for different pain, but they are all the same, and you shouldn't take a dose from one pack for headache, and another dose for knee pain, you will be overdosing.

Also over the counter you can by co-codamal, this is paracetamol plus 8mg codien, but they can cause constipation, and I'd have a headache any day over constipation. The Dr can prescribe higher strength. Because of the codien, these can become addictive.

It is one of the few assaults on the brain that does usually resolve in time. It is worth having a chat with your GP.

[Hidden]

I live on tramadol and rotate them at will with others allowed from my scripts with my Doctors support

[Broken_Doll]

Hi Antique-white,

It's a tricky one, you are still quite early in your concussion recovery and it's unfortunately a tricky symptom to manage.I would second what Pairofboots said and recommend regular paracetamol. I would advise against anything stronger as you can actually experience ”rebound headaches”. I have had these and it made me wish I had the original headaches back. Then there is the risk of becoming physically (and sometimes psychologically) dependent when you take opiates such as tramadol, codeine etc.

There are other things that can help, that are less ”medicinal” and more alternative such as something called ”4head” it's a little twist up stick that you swipe on your forehead that contains an ingredient called levomenthol

4headaches.co.uk/

There's also another range of products that i’ve had recommended to me (but haven't yet tried myself) by the company ”herbs on the hill”

loveherbsonthehill.com/head...

Best wishes

Emma

[Antique-white in reply to Broken_Doll]

Thanks for your message. I appreciate your suggestions and looking at more alternative meds to help. I’ve seen quite a few comments about it being early days - i am getting the impression it takes quite a while to recover from post concussion syndrome?

[Broken_Doll in reply to Antique-white]

You are very welcome!

I hope I didn't seem to be condescending when I said that you were in the early days, it certainly wasn't my intention. 😊

Yes, unfortunately, even ”mild” damage to the brain does take longer than injuries to any other part of your body. I think its also good to be mindful of the fact that despite concussions not showing on scans etc they can sometimes cause long-lasting effects. I hope this isn't the case for you!

It's quite important that you pace yourself (life permitting), reduce stress and also listen to fatigue. Not necessarily give in to fatigue, but the recovering brain does need more rest, definitely!

Rather interestingly fatigue manifests itself in a physical way for me. I will feel nauseous & suffer with a lot more headaches! 6 years on and I still have a nap if I feel the need. They are less frequent now but they are definitely needed from time to time!

[Antique-white in reply to Broken_Doll]

no not at all it’s really helpful as I guess it helps with expectations especially as so far I have been told concussion takes around 2 weeks to resolve itself and then with post concussion I’ve been told within 3 months. I’ve just passed the 3 month date since my car accident.

It is really helpful to hear others experiences and take on advice by experts by their own experiences like yourself as my doctor doesn’t seem to be able to offer much advice or guidance just to monitor my symptoms monthly.

Your suggestion if forehead reminded me of essential oils and other herbal products I have used in the past so I will definitely give them a go. Also your point about physical symptoms being an indication of fatigue - I think this is the case with me unfortunately the symptoms seem to come once it’s too late to prevent them I guess it’s a bit like dehydration - once your thirsty your already dehydrated.

Thanks again and I hope your doing alright x

[sospan in reply to Antique-white]

one rule with a head injury - ignore any advice regarding timelines. Every injury is as different as the person that receives it. Prior medical history, health, age and metabolism all are key factors.

Even then they don't stack up - we have plenty of young, fit mountain bikers on here whom went over the handle bars received a concussion and are still battling symptoms many years on.

Time is the best medicine, coupled with paracetemol, rest and a good diet.

[WinB]

I awake with headaches so decided to wake up earlier and miss mine ..My way of making you feel better ...Not working ? Seriously I just take 1 paracetamol when I awake and was told still on paracetamol I said "yes 250 a day = I tablet"...that's if I am going out, if indoors I go back to bed and have a snooze and when I awake it has normally gone..Wishing you good luck and hope they slow up and get less and less. My Daughter has migraines so I know what it is like for you as I see her face drain of colour. See Doc and ask him what is best and kindest on tum. Or if in UK Boots the Chemist might be able to help, Hope they go xxxx

[Pairofboots in reply to WinB]

WinB, I'm a bit confused, you say 1tablet =250 a day. What measurement are you working by? 1tablet if paracetamol would be 500mg, for a person over 12yrs then two tablets 500 X 2= 1g would be an effective dose (max 4g in any 24hr period, counted from and including the first dose)

As some have pointed out, with opiate based painkillers, addiction is a risk. With any long term use of painkillers there is a risk of what is known as painkiller headache's. Treatment for this is total omission of all painkillers under medical supervision.

Although you stubb your toe, and you register the pain is in the toe, it is the brain that actually registers the pain and tells the toe it hurts. A but of a crued example.

I won't go into how many brain's the human has, and it is not a trick question 😂

[WinB in reply to Pairofboots]

When I had SAH I could get 250 from Supermarket but they stopped doing them and went up to 500 mg . So if bad headache I take 1 and then see how it goes and if it doesnt take another although they say you can take two times daily I never do xxx Explained lol Sorry I was thinking back to the days when you could get 250's they were issued by Doc in early days but I always take with a yoghurt, bit hard when out though was put on 1,000 mg per day top wack but I take on a bad day a 500mg and again much later but always with a milky drink as I take other pills also

[Warmbeetroot]

Hi,

I had severe headaches front and back 90% of my day.

Here are some things I have done (which is difficult to know which has helped or accumulation of all)

- no processed food/sugar, and a high good day diet

- very careful with alcohol

- min 4 litres water a day

- 5 min cold showers (would rank this no.1)

- meditate x2

- exercise/move A LOT in green outdoors

- Journal to document overload of thoughts

- essential oils and many supplements

- focus on sleep, used to be 5-6 hours, now 8. Difficult with a 2 year old but definitely a focus

The majority of this list may appear woo, but has worked - if I drop off, the headaches come back. I never ever got headaches before the accident, even with hangovers etc quite happy with the list. Just wish I knew which one was THE ONE haha.

I hope this helps, good luck with the recovery!

[Broken_Doll in reply to Warmbeetroot]

Hi Warmbeetroot,

I just wanted to say please be careful if you are consuming 4+ litres of water a day. Drinking water is excellent for health but excess consumption can dilute essential electrolytes and in some circumstances can cause hyponatremia due to low sodium concentration in the blood (which in severe cases can be fatal). You can get symptoms of this from about 3 litres+. I hope this doesnt seem like a criticism,

I just felt the need to inform.

Best wishes

[Warmbeetroot in reply to Broken_Doll]

Great input thanks. I think it's mainly be sure my job is physical exercise and I train a lot physically too. I add minerals and supplements to my nutrition to accompany. The drinking is at minimum at the moment, driven by dehydration, however I will read up on your advice now just to check over things.... thanks again!

[Amber-11]

There is an nhs page about medication overuse headaches caused by painkillers. I did feel better when I cut back on painkillers. I find holland and barret cbd 5%helps with sleep, when I wake in the night I go back to sleep much more quickly.

Q10, B2 and magnesium is a well known combinatio for migraines every day if you have severe headaches might be migraines.( and I used to take fevrfew but seemed to give me a background headache).

I would try and rest as much as possible and take some gentle exercise if it does not make the headaches worse and a healthy diet. I was told to work and then that I was unemployable , it might have been better not to work initially and rest more perhaps.

Good luck I am happy and still enjoy life but I wish I was not so restricted by headaches and migraines. It took awhile, 5 years, to get a clear diagnosis of about the headaches and causation from my RTA.

[Matt2584]

How do I manage my headaches?

Well, I turn to natural, herbal medicine rather than that pharmaceutical shite.

I eat a more plant based diet now which prevents from getting headaches but if I do get the odd headache then I will inhale frankincense essential oil or practise yoga.

[Charlie90]

Or cocodsmol if you need anything stronger regularly four times per day I’m lucky as this works for me and drink 2 litres of water to prevent dehydration this will add to a headache massively and cut down on caffeine regular rest periods of low stimulation throughout the day if posdible

[WinB]

They do say water is good and it is best to keep water by side as already said xxx