dorothy Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I have tried different pillows, we have a year-old mattress, the temperature is comfortable. I go to bed around 11:30 and get up at around 7:00. The headache starts while I am sleeping - I dream about the pain. By the time I am ready to get up it is awful. The pain starts at the base of my head/neck in the back and then goes up throught the middle of my head to my forehead. Then, it radiates down the sides. Any idea? I am tired of having Tylenol for breakfast. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elisabeth in IL Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I started wearing a mouth guard and my headaches went away. It turns out that I was clenching and grinding my teeth during the night. I just use a $30 guard that I bought from CVS. I have to replace it every 4 to 6 months. It was a relief when the headaches stopped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I agree teeth grinding might be the culprit and also recommend a mouth guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Also go check with your doctor just in case it is not something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Are you drinking enough water? I get headaches from dehydration. Best wishes Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorothy Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 I probably do not drink enough water. I will work on that today and see if it helps. Regarding the teeth-grinding, wouldn't I know I was doing it? Wouldn't there be some other senssation? I am seeing a doc on Tuesday and will also ask him. Thank you for all of the answers so far. If there are any other ideas, please share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Don't let the doctor talk you into the $xxx mouth gaurd, try the cheaper one first. I have heard that you dont' even need to spend the $25-30 - that they are the same as the football type in the sporting good section at WM! The friends i have had with issues knew they were grinding/clenching when they got headaches. I would think your DH would be able to tell you if you were grinding (he'd hear it), but the clenching wouldn't make noise. Hopefully you can get some answers and out of pain. :hug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elisabeth in IL Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Regarding the teeth-grinding, wouldn't I know I was doing it? Wouldn't there be some other sensation? I didn't know that I was doing it until the dentist and chiropractor told me. I had fun going to the chiropractor though because he prescribed several messages for me. They helped to loosen all my neck and shoulder muscles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Teeth-grinding sounds like a likely culprit, but just in case... Do you by any chance take melatonin? It caused nasty headaches (and nastier nightmares) for me. If you snore, you might also be experiencing sleep apnea, which can cause headaches (lack of oxygen). If this is a possibility for you, your doctor can order an overnight sleep study to diagnose the problem. Finally, if this has come on suddenly, is there something in bloom you could be allergic to? I sometimes get headaches at the back and sides of my head if my ears get clogged due to allergies. Headaches are no fun - hope this gets resolved for you very soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 If you snore, you might also be experiencing sleep apnea, which can cause headaches (lack of oxygen). If this is a possibility for you, your doctor can order an overnight sleep study to diagnose the problem. :iagree: Dh suffered from daily headaches for almost 2 years. His MD attributed them to sinus problems, but nothing dh did seemed to correct the problem. Then I started having trouble sleeping because dh's snoring was getting so much worse. For my own sanity, I pleaded with him to have a sleep study. Turns out he has a minor obstruction, and mild sleep apnea, which we are now keeping under control by keeping him on his side at night. (If it gets any worse, he'll need a CPAP machine, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.) The point to all of my rambling is that dh has been headache free for almost 6 months! Please do see your doctor about this! If it is sleep apnea, the damage it can do goes far beyond headaches! -Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Ds woke up for years with a headache or nausea. He missed more school this way and always felt "fine" by 10 or 11 am. The doctor finally suggested allergies and it turns out he is allergic to several things, including dust mites, tree pollen and goldenrod. The easiest way to test it is by taking Benadryl or Claritin, and a decongestant, for a few days and seeing if it works. Much easier than the allergy tests at the doctors and you don't have to wait 6 months for an appointment! If that is it, it really helps to use the mite-proof pillow covers, a/c instead of fans, and wash sheets much more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 who is also a TMJ specialist who does sleep studies. He said waking up with a headache is the main symptom of sleep apnea (that an individual would know about, since you don't hear yourself snore). Perhaps you could ask dh if you snore, or to watch and see if you have irregular breathing at night, or even consider a sleep study if you think it's necessary. Being as few as 10-15 pounds overweight can aggravate it, I definitely notice a difference in my husband's snoring when he lets his weight creep up.:glare: I was having pain from a bad pillow that didn't work with our new, firmer mattress. Getting a new pillow did the trick for me, but it was much more of a neckache than a headache in my case. Hope you can figure it out, it's no way to start the day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dorothy Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 have the gas company come check we had a leak and it was very bad we did not even smell it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyWImom Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I would check with a doctor. But, I have suffered with migraines as well as migraine/sinus headaches for years, and what FINALLY helped me was using a saline rinse with a neti pot. If you aren't familiar with it CHECK IT OUT!!! I am not kidding, it was like a miracle cure for me. And better yet, no pills. Tammi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in New York Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I use to wake up with terrible headaches and was lethargic throughout the day. It wasn't until I took a hard look at my eating habits and changed them, that I noticed a huge change in my tiredness and the early-morning pounding headaches receded. Minimize: White flour products: bread, cookies, pasta, etc. High -sugar drinks: colas, juices, even the diet ones. NutraSweet is a real killer for my head. Maximize: exercise- walking is great! drink H2O and lots of it. But as the other ladies suggested, make sure you talk to your doctor. ~Melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Just wanted to add my $.02 re: the TMJ. Yes, it is entirely possible to grind at night and never know it. I ground my teeth at night for *years* and woke myself up with it/knew of it only once or twice. (BTW, the noise was horrible.) Turned out that the orthodontic work I had done actually mis-aligned my teeth, and my body was taking care of it by grinding them down to the right place. And yes, I suffered headaches everyday and still can't chew a whole stick of gum without my jaws aching. HTH, Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 ITA with all the advice you've been given. I'm a clencher more than a grinder at night, so I've BTDT. I have a horrible time with mouth guards of any kind (I'm a gagger--you should see me when I brush my teeth!), so I suffered with daily headaches for years until my DH bought me one of these pillows as a Christmas gift. Poof! Instant headache cure. I still clench some, especially when I'm stressed and not getting enough sleep, but this pillow holds my neck and face in better alignment, which decreases the clenching because my jaw isn't sagging while I sleep (some of my clenching seems to be to hold my mouth in alignment--isn't that weird?). Anyway, just one more possible solution for you. I love mine and will never give it up. They're pricy, but you can buy them on eBay for much less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percytruffle Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 All great advice so far. Just a little something more to add. I have also experienced exactly what you have described. Mine seems to be related to eating wheat. When I cut grains from my diet I produce less mucous, my sinus passages are clearer, and I sleep better. When I eat wheat I tend to snore and wake with a headache, possibly sleep apnea related to congestion. Wheat is known to cause you to produce more mucous and it also has inflammatory properties for those with sensitivities to it. Eliminating wheat for a week or two (or all grains to be safer) is a good way to see if there is a link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristavws Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I probably do not drink enough water. I will work on that today and see if it helps. Regarding the teeth-grinding, wouldn't I know I was doing it? Wouldn't there be some other senssation? Probably not. My dh grinds his teeth sometime at night, and doesn't realize it until I poke him :D He also has a guard, but doesn't wear it like he should. Krista Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Do you have a carbon monoxide detector in your house? And, is your house sealed up at night? Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause headaches. I'd check it out, and sleep with a window open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 If you are taking daily pain meds, then you can also be suffering from rebound headaches. Other possibilities are getting dehydrated during the night, migraines (mine almost always start during the night, and often at the base of my head, then radiating forward as you describe), allergies, sleep apnea, or carbon monoxide in your house. Hope you get relief soon! Headaches are the worst! Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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