Anyone with effective HA remedies?

[delirium]

I have been getting more and more headaches lately (a few a day), and I'm running out of options.

Imitrex doesn't work, because they aren't migraines.

I've eliminated caffeine, exercising more, taking ibuprofen, recently switched to Ultram, which isn't really helping either. I'm talking pounding, nauseating, really painful frontal/occipital headaches (strangely the temporal area is unaffected).

So if anyone has any miraculous non-narcotic remedies, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks........

[sunnygirl272]

sex.

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

Originally posted by sunnygirl272

sex.

Ahem.

From an email I just received about the benefits of sex:

9. Sex actually relieves headaches. A lovemaking session can release the tension that restricts blood vessels in the brain.

10. A lot of lovemaking can unblock a stuffy nose. Sex is a natural antihistamine. It can help combat asthma and hay fever.

[spot]

I stand corrected. How could I have forgotten such an entirely pleasant remedy?!?!?

[RN-PA, RN]

For headaches that are stress/muscle tension-related (started in tight neck and trapezius muscles, radiating to entire head), I take Ibuprofen 800 mg along with Flexeril-- They come in 10 mg, but I am often helped by just 2.5 to 5 mg (I use a pill-cutter). If that doesn't work (I can usually tell when the H/A settles in on my forehead over one eye), Imitrex has worked. Non-med help at times: a good cry and/or sex.

[Furball]

a sledgehammer dipped in scotch

[Stargazer]

Make sure you're well-hydrated. Nothing gives me an ugly headache faster than being dehydrated.

[meh]

I take excedrin migraine and that usually helps. Are you overly stressed here lately? It could be a number of things. Sometimes if I sleep my H/A's go away. How long since you gave up caffeine? You could be having withdrawals. I went to a Dr. once for H/A's and he recommended I drink a cup of coffee or a soda and that might help. It never really worked for me; might for you.

[longtermcarern]

vicks vaporub, for me the cure all to darn near everything

[Jamesdotter]

For rebound H/A, my MD took me off all pain relievers, and had me take 500 mg of naproxen (generic for ?) at bedtime. It worked, but I find if I take the offending drugs (tylenol, excedrine, etc) for discomfort other than headaches, I end up with a headache. And it's been a couple of years since I took that cure!

[maggie7]

I hate to admit it cause it's my mothers' cure-all for everthing, but as longtermcarern says, Vicks vaporub, especially on the temples and forehead, works wonders.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I am concerned when anyone has headaches of this frequency. I would see a dr and possibly get referral to a neuro. GOOD LUCK I know they can be hell...could be all the stress of nursing school, ya know...or something else. hard to say. Feel better soon, Reb.

[ShandyLynnRN, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by Jamesdotter

For rebound H/A, my MD took me off all pain relievers, and had me take 500 mg of naproxen (generic for ?) at bedtime. It worked, but I find if I take the offending drugs (tylenol, excedrine, etc) for discomfort other than headaches, I end up with a headache. And it's been a couple of years since I took that cure!

are you saying that rebound headaches can occur with ibuprofen or tylenol? I thought they were just from narcotic analgesics for headaches. Maybe that is my problem then! I take ibuprofen or tylenol atleast once a day for headaches!