Headache

[Barquentine]

How long should you put up with a headache before you seek advice about it?
I've now had this mild one (around 5-7/10) for 24 hours; it will not go away.
I've had three lots of Nurofen yesterday which lessened it. It's in the same spot - though it sometime spreads out more along my left side.
I have a low tolerance of headaches anyway, but I have never had one last this long before.
Would you leave it longer or get it checked now since it's so persistent?
Tnanks.

[emmie]

perhaps call NHS direct for advice if you are concerned, if you are in UK, haven't got the number to hand, but you can find it on web, they respond quite quickly. have you done any strenuous exercise lately, pulled a muscle in neck, stressed from work, allergies, sinus problems can also cause headaches, blocked nose, endless things, worrying abou it can make it worse. try NHS direct, sometimes its talking with someone that can alleviate the worry, or point you where to get help.

[emmie]

www.nhsdirect.nhs 0845 4647, check that because i just took a quick look at site.

[Sqad]

Blimey 24hours isn't long.

Providing that you are not vomiting or having visual problems then stick with the painkillers for another day.

My opinion of NHSDirect is well known on this site.

[pink-kittens]

You could try ibuprofen with paracetamol.

I would get it checked if I had it for more than a week or was pregnant

[Barquentine]

Many thanks for your answers. I think Pink-Kittens is right. If it goes on for a week I'll call NHS Direct. I guess I'm lucky never to have had such a long headache before. I'm such a wuss! I understand why GPs have a reputation for lacking sympathy - they see people who really are ill so they know a malingerer when they see one!

[boxtops]

I used to get a lot of headaches barquentine, but if you can find out what's causing it, that's half the battle. I suffered with sinusitis a lot, which is very localised and can be very painful, but nasal sprays + painkillers help - localised pain which lasts can also be migraine, and migraine comes in many different shapes and sizes. I can't take Neurofen as I am sensitive to aspirin - I would myself try an Extra Cocodamol product by now if I had had a headache for more than 24 hours. (Propain used to be the best for me, but it seems to have been withdrawn.)
I wouldn't wait a week, just pop down and see your pharmacist at your local chemist - they're open today, and highly qualified to give over the counter advice (and maybe recommend a suitable analgesic for you to start taking straight away).

[boxtops]

^^ don't malign your GP either - mine was brilliant when I first went to him with a 3-day headache, got to the bottom of it straight away. Headache doesn't equal malingerer!

[Sqad]

boxy

<<<<I used to get a lot of headaches barquentine, but if you can find out what's causing it, that's half the battle>>>

On a practical note, how does one diagnose the cause of a headache which comes on "out of the blue" and of only 24 hours duration.

<<<<see your pharmacist at your local chemist - they're open today, and highly qualified to give over the counter advice (and maybe recommend a suitable analgesic for you to start taking straight away).>>>

I have never understood this concept.......how the devil are they "highly qualified" to diagnose a headache of one weeks duration?....madness.

[jamesnan]

I had a really bad headache for about a day and a half, nothing was shifting it even though I had taken painkillers, and I realised that I had been drinking decaffeinated coffee instead of my usual coffee . A short while after I had a normal cup then my headache started to go. I do not drink a lot of coffee but usually have a small cafetiere of strong coffee in the mornings.

[boxtops]

OK sqad, I understand what you are saying and that pharmacists don't have the diagnostic tools to get to the bottom of a headache in twenty minutes - what I meant to get across was that many people don't realise that a pharmacist in a chemist IS a highly qualified person who is often as much up to speed on medications etc as the doctor (and in some instances, more so). IMO, not enough people consult their pharmacist rather than just carrying on suffering at home....

[scrummyyummy]

James: how strange for you to get headaches from drinking decaff instead of caffeinated coffee! I always thought the cause of headaches was the other way round and drinking strong coffee contributes to headaches?

Boxtops: I didn't realise Propain is discontinued? I used to take that if nothing else worked. I wonder why they've taken it off?

[boxtops]

I don't know, scrummy, it is a real nuisance as it's the one which works for me, and in the UK I'm told there is no other painkiller with exactly the same content. It's been off sale for about three months now when stocks ran out - some chemists still have Propain Plus if they had a stock. I gather it was very popular but the chemists haven't been able to order it for ages - no apparent reason given _ I'm hoping it will come back!

[Sqad]

boxy...medications maybe............but diagnosis?....a dangerous concept.

[boxtops]

OK - simple stuff, I'd go to the pharmacist. I trust my pharmacist. Each to their own, sqad ;-)

[Sqad]

boxy ;-)

[Brenden]

Take soluble painkillers, I use solpradeine but no longer than 3 days as they contain aspirin.

[boxtops]

Solpadeine doesn't contain aspirin... it's paracetamol and codeine, + caffeine. I know, I take it, and I can't take aspirin. Solpadeine Migraine contains Ibuprofen instead of paracetamol.

If you take this, it's much cheaper to buy the store's own brand of soluble CoCodamol - Boots soluble paracetamol and codeine is half the price of Solpadeine.

It's the codeine content which is addictive...

[pink-kittens]

I agree boxtops
I would trust my pharmacist over my GP when it comes to medication (and internet GP's)
Soluble tabs work more quickly as well which is an advantage

[jamesnan]

Scrummy - headache was definite result of lack of caffeine, happened once before few years ago when I stopped drinking any coffee for a few days. I obviously need the boost!