bad bad headache!!!

[ms china doll]

i have this girlfriend, who is suffering from headaches everyday for the last 1 1/2 years and i just feel sorry for her!!

she has been on different medications, alternative medicines, acupunctures, been going to chiropractors and you name it,  she just about tried it!  

has anyone ever had this sort of migraines on a long term basis and how did you get cured or how did you managed to control it???  i just feel so sorry with her coz she is not enjoying life at all, and she has 2 small kids that really are in constant need of her attention.

anyone can help?

thanks,

[achey head]

has she tried cutting out certain types of food?  my friend suffered from migranes and discovered it was chocolate which was setting them off.  I believe caffeine can also trigger them in some people.

Another thing which is usuall suggested is to have an eye test, as eye strain can sometimes cause them.

[H/ache too]

I always get a headache due to the air-con and when outside it's too hot. So maybe it's the switch from hot and cold and vice-versa which is affecting.

[Badgurl]

she's a homemaker? maybe she's stressed out. i used to have horrible migranes like that. was on medication for at least three months each time it got so bad. things usually improved after that, but it did came back whenever i'm stressed out, but only a couple of times a week- an improvement and i was able to control it now. i tried head reflexology and it does help. perhaps your friend can try that, and try to relax. yoga and meditation might help too.

[...]

Dehydration is the number 1 cause of asymptomatic headaches in the world.  Water, and lots of it.

[Has she tried ...]

... getting her eyes tested?  Or perhaps she has a fringe that is constantly getting in her eyes?

[larissab]

I agree with all of the above, plus will second the food suggestion.  A year and a half ago, I discovered that my daily migraines were caused by wheat and excessive dairy.  The few occasions that I've had a piece of pizza or some noodles, I've ended up with a raging migraine within an hour.

It's definitely worth checking it out from a food standpoint.  Can she keep a food diary for a few weeks?  All she would need to do is write down everything she eats each day (example: breakfast 7am - strawberry yogurt, melon), plus log any changes in mood or health (example: 9:30am - headache).  After a week or two, she might find that a definite pattern is emerging.