Hello,
I have had a very intense, severe headache for a whole week now. There is not pain in just one area. The whole front of my forehead and face hurts -but then I am also having much pain in the back of my head and neck area. It is even very sore to touch!

I have tried all the usual things - tylenol, advil, heat, etc... I am currently taking Zyrtec for nasal allergies - but have been on it for years, with no adverse reactions.

Is this sinus or stress, or both???
Have any of you experienced this kind of unrelenting pain, and what did you do to make it feel better? I am currently trying to do without taking any pain relievers, since they don't seem to be helping. Nothing helps - and I am so tired of being in pain.

I have to work with younger kids every day, and it has been a real struggle just keeping my composure all week. I go to bed with this pain and I wake up with it. It has been constant since last Friday!

Any suggestions or even positive thoughts would be appreciated. And, yes, I am under a lot of stress right now - but it has never caused me this much pain before...

Help!!
Di

Di: Yikes, that sounds awful. Not to alarm you, but I think you should call your doctor. A headache that lasts a week and is this debilitating deserves medical attention. You might have a bad sinus infection. Pls let us know how you are doing and give your dr. a call in the morning?

I agree with Robin, Di...you should get it checked out. You don't need an untreated infection running rampant through your body. Or it could be viral, which may explain the pain in your neck...I once had a viral migraine...worst headache of my life. It lasted for 5 unrelenting days, I took painkillers, Gravol (anti nausea medication), nothing touched this pain. I couldn't sleep, my head just pounded so hard and so loud...I couldn't move my head, or my eyes....and then poof, it was gone! Never came back. Either way....you should be checked by a doctor, pain the severe that lasts a week is deserving of medical attention.

Thanks Robin and Floater for your input and concern.
ANyway, I did try to call the doctor this AM, and I was told that he "is out of town for the weekend". AARGH! THe receptionist was less than helpful - not that I expected much from her. She told me to take tylenol or advil - Gee, why didn't I think of that??!!

So, I guess I will suffer through this some more. At least I have the weekend coming up, and Monday off for President's Day. ALthough last weekend I was suffering with this, and felt rotten. None of my household chores are getting done. My husband, who already thinks I am psycho most of the time, will not want to be around me at all!

Not helping matters is the fact that I tripped down some stairs yesterday here at school, and fell into a propped open door with the left side of my body. Now my left arm is very sore, swollen, and bruised! OF course, I am left handed! I guess it gives me a new center of pain to think about instead of my pounding head all the time!

ANybody have any more suggestions on what to try for this headache from he**??

Thanks,
Di

Dear Di,

Listen to Robin and Float and off to the doctor you go!

I have headaches frequently but Tylenol usually makes them better. When nothing works, I know the air pressure is very low and I will just have to wait it out. Yes, a doctor once told me that low barometric pressure gives some people awful headaches. I am apparently one of them.

I know how awful you feel. Sometimes I tell my husband that my hair hurts! Please check it out and tell us how you are doing?

I wish you a full and very speedy recovery.

Marcy

A urgent care clinic is a good place to go if you can't see your regular doctor.

I bet it's just hormone related, back in 2006 I had a headache for 6 weeks. After seeing my regular doctor plus 2 trips to the ER and a neurologist, MRI and ct scan>> I chalk it up to a hormone imbalance. It kept coming back through out all of 2006, not as bad but since I was never a headache person it concern me! I called it my headache year!
I still get headache's off and on but so far not like 2006.

Marcy, good point if it is low barometric pressure or sinus >
Di take a ride in your car, first with the window roll up and see if it helps, sometime you may have to roll the window down a inch or so.
This has helped to drain my sinus!

Well, the headache is still here - and now I am having more nasal congestion and drainage into my throat. Like I mentioned before, I do take Zyrtec for nasal allergies - but maybe I need to get something with a decongestant in it?? This explains the pain in my forehead and face, but not really the pain I am having at the back of my head and neck. I am assuming it is from stress?
The most frustrating thing is that nothing seems to relieve the pain, even temporarily
This damp, cold weather is not helping. I tried to run some errands today, and when I left home I felt fairly good. By the time I came home, my head was throbbing and my throat is sore from draining so much.
What a way to spend my 3 day weekend
Hope everyone else is having a good one...
Hugs,
Di