Hello,
I have been suffering from headaches for a little while now. On a typical day a headache would form behind the eyes at around 10am after I have been up for a few hours. This is before doing anything strenuous such as working. I generally wake up with a very mild headache (feeling not quite right with myself) which develops into a more noticeable headache during the day.
Though more recently (past week or so) I've been getting a dull pain at the back of my head which leads me to believe it could be stress or muscle related?
I'm a graphic designer so I look a computer screen most days for long periods of time. I try to take breaks when I can as the headaches seem to increase when doing intense work on screen. I'm 22 years old, I don't smoke and very rarely drink.
Where as the headaches were once or twice a week, I am now getting them most days. This could be due to work getting busier but I don't know.
Taking paracetamol helps for relief but I don't want to have to take them every day because of the long term effects.
I visited my GP a couple months ago where he believed I was rather tired which could lead to headaches. I had some general 'tiredness' tests which came back fine. Due to this he suggested it is probably down to my lifestyle. I don't exercise a lot at all so he suggested I do this which I have been, though I'm not sure if this is working. Could it be down to diet? I feel I eat and drink quite healthily. I also have a high metabolism and after I have eaten quite a big meal I rarely get headaches and if I had a headache it usually subsides.
In a recent forum post I read briefly about how magnesium can help with headaches though I don't know a lot about this to say either way. Are their benefits from other vitamins?
I understand this isn't the best place to ask for medical advise but perhaps you could offer an insight in to what kind of headache/s I am suffering from?
To recap on a few things:
Frontal headache between the eyes but also forehead.
Recent dull pain in back of head and tense neck/shoulders.
Thanks in advance.
Matt
Have you had an eye test? Tried massage therapy? Made sure that you do something different to screen work after 5.30pm? Exercise? Are you well hydrated?
I've been staring at a computer screen for over 10 hours a day for the last 23 years so I doubt it's actually the evil computer screens especially as 70% of that was using those awful VDUs rather than the eye-friendly LCDs you get today.
I suspect the biggest culprit for your headaches is dehydration so I'd consider having a cup of water by your bed and sipping that when you wake up throughout the night. Also make sure you drink enough throughout the day (the actual type of drink is less relevant than previously thought although for general health purposes, I'd stick to more natural products than fizzy drink if that's your preference).
Even in the morning, your urine shouldn't be golden yellow.
I see a few people in my work who are in front of screens for the majority of the day - check your posture, and that you are not working 'chin forward'.
Good advice above especially drinking plenty of water, getting your eyes tested and checking your working posture (google "computer posture tips" for tips about how to arrange your workspace).
I spent 15 years doing onsite massage working with people in offices. Many of them suffered chronic headaches, especially if they were in front of a screen all day. Exercise is a good idea. I would suggest low impact with lots of stretching. Activity like Yoga/pilates/Tai Chi are all good for unlocking tight muscles and done regularly reduce tension build up in the head, neck and shoulder area which may be causing headaches.
Regular massage can also help. Techniques like onsite and shiatsu are good if you want to avoid traditional oil, getting undressed etc .
Hope that's useful.
I had an eye test as I too suspected it could be this, however it came back fine. I wear contact lenses which I try to rest when I can. So I avoid over use of them but they are generally in Monday-Friday.
I’m not sure if I should call it a strain, but my eyes seem to struggle at focusing when using my computer, this could be down to being too close to it as some of you have stated so I will look into correct posture. Thinking about it I probably do lean into the screen, have a slouched back etc.
I feel I drink enough water throughout the day. What is the general guideline for fluid consumption per day? I will take a bottle to bed at night and drink when wake up.
I’ve been increasing the exercise I do so once in a routine hopefully this will show it’s benefits.
Thanks for all of you replies.
Your urine should be almost clear like water not yellow like cooking oil. 🙂
My urine is usually always clear. This morning it was slightly yellow but nothing too strong. Could this still be a sign of dehydration?
Sounds fine. At least we've ruled out something simple.
Another test is dry skin, mind.
I haven't noticed any dry skin. Now and then I might get a bit of dry skin on my cheeks and arms, but it isn't continuously.
Since none of these simple possibilities seem to apply, I suggest you go back to your GP and tell him/her for how long this has been going on, and that they are more or less constant.
There are many things it could be. Several will need further investigation to uncover.
What kind of tests can they run? As I mentioned I've had the general 'tiredness' tests (what ever that was as he didn't go into specifics).
If it is computer eye strain, would I be waking up with mild headaches as I do now?
My head feels confused and it is difficult to concentrate when I am at my laptop which kind of makes me think its down to eye strain of some sort.
Granted I'm not ruling anything out so will get to the GP when I can.
When I had a phase of unexplained headaches, my GP sent me for a CTScan to rule out any nasties. Once nothing was found, I went and got my eyes tested, and was told that I was experiencing 'ocular migraines', and was given specs which helped - even with just a low diopter correction for my left eye, which was causing the problem; it made a difference. I also went for acupuncture, and have never experienced a migraine since (I stopped wearing the specs after about 5 months).
I had an eye test a few months back after complaining of headaches, they did a few extra eye tests things than normal but nothing came up that seemed to be of issue.
I've somewhat rested my eyes by wearing my glasses the past few days instead of my contact lenses. This morning however I woke up, put my lenses in, had breakfast and then could notice a slight headache/mind fog/confusion - not sure how to describe it really which is why it's difficult to find a possible remedy/cause.
Perhaps I need to catch up on sleep. I usually get about 8 which I expect would be enough, but maybe it's not?
There are natural ways that can treat your headache quickly and easily.For one, drink plenty of water. Dehydration can often lead to a headache. It is also best to cut out processed foods, practice good posture, consider relaxation techniques and exercise regularly.
If headaches are persistent you need to speak to your Dr about it.
Have you been to the dentist recently and had your teeth checked, is there any evidence that you are clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth in your sleep, if there is a mouth splint may be useful for stopping you clenching your jaw which may relieve the headaches.
Try keeping a food diary logging everything to see if there are any triggers in your diet. Check environmental factors also, if you can move desks to a window, it can sometimes help to have more natural sunlight. One of my triggers is the fluorescent strip lighting. Put a screen filter on your PC, make sure you are sitting at your desk with the correct posture. Check air-conditioning isn't causing sinus issues. What are your stress levels like?
If your Dr does a thorough check and finds nothing of significance and you don't find any particular triggers from your diary and adjusting your environment etc then your Dr can prescribe prophylactic medications which will stop the headaches or give you painkillers/wafers to stop a headache as it begins.
Eight hours sleep is enough.
I wish 8 hours sleep was enough for me, I need 9 and a half or I'm a grouch bag.
I wish 8 hours sleep was enough for me, I need 9 and a half or I'm a grouch bag.
That suggests something else might need looking at.
I've been that way my whole life, so I'm not overly worried by my need to sleep
Headaches can be caused by too much irregularity in sleep patterns like getting up early during the week and sleeping in late at weekends. It's better to get up at the same time each day and try to go to bed at around the same time. This is particularly hard for me because I become most creative late at night.
Sorry for my absence of replies. Quite interestingly I woke up with a pretty bad headache this morning which I can only pin on a large milkshake I had the night before. More regularly now I have a glass of milk shake in the morning so could this be a possible cause? I've eaten dairy my entire life with no noticeable affect such as what I experience now, but could the extra milk consumption push my body over the edge hence causing headaches? (if that makes sense).
Additionally I've been looking at a kind of glasses which claim to reduce headaches, dry eyes, blurred and eye strain which is quite interesting and may be worth a test.
Hi again, not sure if this thread still gets looked at but thought it would be best to carry it on rather than post a new one.
I have another theory I would like some advice on. Since January of last year (2014) I have had a blocked nose as well as experiencing the symptoms listed in this thread (headaches, difficulty concentrating, brain fog etc) and i'm leaning more to the belief that perhaps these symptoms are causing by the blocked nose/sinus issues?
I've read online that sinus issues can cause headaches, diziness and lack of concentration as well as the typical, blocked & runny nose, eye itchiness etc.
My blocked nose started happening as stated a year ago, this was when I moved bedrooms in my house and also the time my brother and sister-in-law brought some house guinea pigs (most likely the cause). I'm thinking of visiting the doctor to discuss all of this and see if an allergy test should be taken and what else he can do. What are your thoughts?
I can only echo what has been said. My first thought is absolutely to ensure you aren't dehydrated, the night is a long time to not drink and that can result in morning headaches. Secondly, check your posture and working position.
Dairy can be a migraine trigger - if it's migraine not headache.. it can come on suddenly after many years without. By trial and error you can work out if it's that. Other migraine triggers include alcohol (specially red wine), cheese, chinese food (MSG), bananas, caffeine and citrus foods, although this can vary.
I can only echo what has been said. My first thought is absolutely to ensure you aren't dehydrated, the night is a long time to not drink and that can result in morning headaches. Secondly, check your posture and working position.
Dairy can be a migraine trigger - if it's migraine not headache.. it can come on suddenly after many years without. By trial and error you can work out if it's that. Other migraine triggers include alcohol (specially red wine), cheese, chinese food (MSG), bananas, caffeine and citrus foods, although this can vary.
A kinesiologist can perform allergy testing, some doctors will also.
Hi, sorry again for my absence in reply, I did consider starting a new thread but let's see if this gets some replies.
I've come to the conclusion that is something to do with my eye sight/contact lenses as I experience the symptoms immediately after putting my contact lenses in.
I had a contact lens and sight test about a month ago because I have been experiencing headaches, eye strain, difficulty concentrating etc when wearing my contact lenses. As soon as I put them in my eyes I feel a kind of strain to them.
My contact lens check was fine and it was concluded that the lenses fit perfectly and were the correct strength. So I am at a loss as what might be causing this? The optician also performed a ‘dry eyes’ check (with the orange dye) and one of my eyes was slightly dry where the eye lids meet as they close but nothing significant that the optician was worried about - he could not really pinpoint the issue. I’ve rested my eyes by wearing my glasses for a while but now that I try my lenses in again I am met with the same problem as before.
I have a strong prescription in both eyes which vary slightly between them. They are toric lenses to correct my astigmatism. I'm a graphic designer so spend a lot of time in front of screens. Wearing glasses are usually fine and don't create this issue. Especially as I notice symptoms as soon as I put my contacts in.
I did think it might be because my lenses were too strong but tests proved that they were fine, so I really don't know what to do about this now.
Hello,
I have been suffering from headaches for a little while now. On a typical day a headache would form behind the eyes at around 10am after I have been up for a few hours. This is before doing anything strenuous such as working. I generally wake up with a very mild headache (feeling not quite right with myself) which develops into a more noticeable headache during the day.
Though more recently (past week or so) I've been getting a dull pain at the back of my head which leads me to believe it could be stress or muscle related?
I'm a graphic designer so I look a computer screen most days for long periods of time. I try to take breaks when I can as the headaches seem to increase when doing intense work on screen. I'm 22 years old, I don't smoke and very rarely drink.
Where as the headaches were once or twice a week, I am now getting them most days. This could be due to work getting busier but I don't know.
Taking paracetamol helps for relief but I don't want to have to take them every day because of the long term effects.
I visited my GP a couple months ago where he believed I was rather tired which could lead to headaches. I had some general 'tiredness' tests which came back fine. Due to this he suggested it is probably down to my lifestyle. I don't exercise a lot at all so he suggested I do this which I have been, though I'm not sure if this is working. Could it be down to diet? I feel I eat and drink quite healthily. I also have a high metabolism and after I have eaten quite a big meal I rarely get headaches and if I had a headache it usually subsides.
In a recent forum post I read briefly about how magnesium can help with headaches though I don't know a lot about this to say either way. Are their benefits from other vitamins?
I understand this isn't the best place to ask for medical advise but perhaps you could offer an insight in to what kind of headache/s I am suffering from?
To recap on a few things:
Frontal headache between the eyes but also forehead.
Recent dull pain in back of head and tense neck/shoulders.Thanks in advance.
Matt
or you could just look at simple anatomy. optical nerve comes from the back of the neck and swoops over the head into the eyes (i know crap design). if it is getting 'trapped' then it will cause undue pressure around the nerve causing it to feel 'pain'.
id be surprised if it is water problems.....are you thirsty? if not it isnt water.
why would magnesium help, someone may be able to enlighten me?
he has given the reason why his head hurts. he is a graphic designer. lots of computer work.
do you spend 6 hours a day at the pc? if you do this 5 days a week thats 30 hours of NO MOVING. sounds more like a nervy issue and its getting choked. a good osteo/chiro will do you wonders.
note though....a good one.
or you could just look at simple anatomy. optical nerve comes from the back of the neck and swoops over the head into the eyes (i know crap design). if it is getting 'trapped' then it will cause undue pressure around the nerve causing it to feel 'pain'.
id be surprised if it is water problems.....are you thirsty? if not it isnt water.
why would magnesium help, someone may be able to enlighten me?
he has given the reason why his head hurts. he is a graphic designer. lots of computer work.
do you spend 6 hours a day at the pc? if you do this 5 days a week thats 30 hours of NO MOVING. sounds more like a nervy issue and its getting choked. a good osteo/chiro will do you wonders.
note though....a good one.
So are you suggesting that lack of movement/exercising during the day would cause this? Rather than the staring at a computer itself. I appreciate they both sit hand in hand.
Hi Duck, if you're in the UK (I wasn't sure) you might try the National Migraine Centre - my partner had a really good experience with them. They're a charity (but ask for donations to cover costs) and we found them much more helpful than our local Doc
Best of luck
Dehydration does seem like a notable factor, and it can be easy to ignore the signals such as dizziness and nausea. As others have also mentioned, if you're spending extended periods at a computer, this could be a major contributor to your condition. It's important to ensure you take a break from extended computer work every half hour or so to move your body around and get the blood flowing again.
Something else that could help is massage therapy; whether that's professional sessions or you investing in a massager yourself. I would recommend a personal massager with therapeutic benefits, as well as a good sports massager such as this:
They can be used anywhere, and in my experience can provide suitable relief through therapy of the neck, back, and other muscles. It's importunate that you use it everyday, especially after sitting at a desk looking at a screen for 6 - 7 hours.
I guess it depends on the number of hours you use to sleep