Headache!!!!

[annie0000]

A friend of mine has had a headache constantly for 2 weeks. He has tried all the usual painkillers and they haven't done more than touch the edges. He was diagnosed with high blood pressure a wee while ago and is on medication for that but still the headache persists. he is about 40 - anyone any suggestions other than telling him to go to the docs??

[beckersjay]

I had a constant really bad headache for several weeks and had tried most things with little result. Eventually I went to a chiropractor who diagnosed a problem in my neck and cleared it up in 2/3 treatments.

[Eve]

Any possible triggers? I found the Dianette (not likely in his case mind!) and artificial sweetners gave me constant headaches.

Could high blood pressure cause headaches? Or the medication?

[annie0000]

beckers, you could be right, he was complaining hat he had a sore neck too - told him to try putting a cold compress on it to see if that helped.

jenna - yes, I am sure that high blood pressure can cause headaches but the medication for that has brought his BP down so he says but the headache remains.

[flump1]

Hi annie, if your friend can pop to the pharmacist on Saturday, they might be able to offer advice without going to the GP at this stage. I have read before that certain strong painkillers can exacerbate headaches so not a good idea to continue taking them without advice for such a long period . If he is able to have a massage at any time to relieve pressure in his neck muscles, that might help.

[grasscarp]

Is he drinking enough water. Dehydration can cause headaches.

[annie0000]

Hi flump - I think he thought the same about the painkillers so stopped taking them on Tuesday but still has the headache - i'll suggest that he goes to pharmacy, good idea.

[mandy22]

just a thought but have gas appliances been serviced regularly? was thinking of carbon monoxide poisoning, that can cause headaches etc and is very dangerous. dont want to scare your friend but its worth considering,

[Arksided]

A educated professional is always the best way to go if someone has a bad headache.

[annie0000]

hi grass - yup - I was sitting next to him at work this week and he had bottles and cups of water on his desk - I sometimes get those so it crossed my mind too.

mandy I don't think it can be that as he was travelling this week so was staying in his house for the first week, travelling for 4 days and staying in a hotel and is home again now - so has been in a mixture of environments.

[jamesnan]

I had a terrible headache for a few days, and realised that my husband had been giving me decaffeinated coffee, instead of my normal strong one. A couple of cups of normal coffee, and my headache had gone. This has happened twice, both with headaches as the result, so may be worth checking it is not caffeine withdrawal.

[annie0000]

Hmmm worth asking jamesnan - I've never seen him drink tea or coffee though.

[Alpacca]

eat bananas for the zinc

[LoftyLottie]

High blood pressure rarely causes headaches unless it is extremely high. High blood pressure rarely causes any symptoms actually.

A constant headache for two weeks needs a professional opinion. It could be due to loads of things and nobody on this site can possibly know what the problem is.

[annie0000]

high lofty - I think it was extremely high and I think he thought that was what kicked it off but despite being prescibed medication for the high BP, he still has the headache - he has to go for an ecg next week so sure he will speak to the doctor. I wasn't looking for diagnosis as such, just for any ideas on how to relieve the headache in the meantime.

thanks alpaca, i'll tell him to try that.

[starone]

Stress can cause headaches too annie, but to have it for several weeks is not good. He should go to the docs, although I know you said not to recommend this.

[annie0000]

sorry starbuck, i didn't mean that you shouldn't recommend that he goes to the docs, just that he has already been told to do that and he will :o) he was asking in the office for some ideas to relieve the pain yesterday and he has posted on FB tonight saying that he still has the headache so I thought i'd ask the good people here for ideas.

[Caran]

A month or so back my daughter had very bad headaches for a day or so, she also had painful neck. Eventually went to the doctors, he diagnosed viral menigitis, she was hospitalised immediately. Please get your friend to go to the doctors, just to be on the safe side.

[starone]

It would drive me mad to have constant pain. I am sure he must be feeling the same way.

[annie0000]

carandog - i'm hoping he will sooner rather than later :o)

yeah starbuck me too. I sometimes get a headache for a few days at a time, but it is usually hormonal with me - i did suggest that to him too :o)

[Sqad]

I am interested in the suggestion of mandy 22...a clever thought mandy, particularly if he does a lot of driving with a cr@p exhaust pipe.

Meningitis is out of the question.

There are so many possibilities, and without knowing type of headache, where it is, medication taken, underlying medical conditions, then diagnosis is out of the question here.

See his GP.