I've had migraines for about 5 years - fortunately Imitrex works well for them, but I found a better solution for me last year. A friend recommended this book to me, and it was the best $20 I ever spent:

http://triggerpointbook.com/

The theory here is that a great deal of pain (of all kinds) is "referred pain", originating in the muscles. I discovered that in my case, my headaches are caused by a little knot in my shoulder, and that quite often, I can simply massage them away - I did so this morning, in fact. I was absolutely stunned the first time it worked. And recently, I had a stiff neck for several days, so I finally cracked open the book, found the spot that was likely to cause it, and got rid of it within minutes.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book - in an age of outrageous medical costs, it is a blessing to have something that you can at least try, for free.

Headaches can be caused by many things...dental problems are another symptom.
In my case not a headache but upper back. Got a tagalong in my right lung thats growing, constant (not bad but nagging) pain.
Thats what ya gets for smoking.

Thanks for the suggestion - I just ordered the book from Amazon.

I suffer from migraines 3-4 times a week. Imitrex quit working for me so now I'm on Relpax.

Hope it works for you, Klaus! I get stretches like that where I'll have them 4-5 days in a row, and it gets depressing. I tried Relpax too, and it worked, but seemed to have a nastier effect (those drugs always make it worse before it gets better). It really bugs me that those drugs are so ridiculously expensive, and not available over the counter. They're not addictive, and nobody in their right mind would take them if they didn't need to. And the drugs just treat the symptoms, never solving whatever is causing them in the first place.

I used to get migraines. Imitrex worked but left me feeling totally wiped out for a day or more afterwards. My doctor kept pushing stress related. My ex wife used to fight with me prettymuch daily, but I had no idea it was stressing me out. After 5 years I ended up divorced. Now after 2 more years I'm remarried. Migraines tapered off and are completely gone now. Proof of how happy I am in life now.

As a side note, I could have purchased Imitrex for everyone on this forum for life and it would have been way cheaper than my divorce!!!

I told my wife she might have to pack her bags - LOL! Too bad, it woulda been 32 years in April

I successfully thwarted another headache this morning. It always gives me a sense of freedom if I don't have to use the drugs. I have a general distrust of doctors after several bad experiences, and the system seems to favor keeping you medicated rather than solving your problems - it's a cash cow. I had a good doctor for several years, but she got fed up with the system and quit practicing to go into research.

I put up with them for 30 years. They were so bad i would throw up and be completely useless for 2 days. Finally went to an orthodontist, worebraces on front 8 upper teeth for 8 months and happy to say i havent had one in over 3 years. Something for you to look into .

Good info, thanks for posting it. Some 30 years ago I did go through a period where I had headaches that I believe were severe enough to be considered migraines, but blessedly none since. Now when I get one that is more than an annoyance, I can generally blame it on not knowing when to stop the night before. Thankfully experience has taught me not to do that very often either.
I have a little bit of neck damage and the remnants of a rather severe broken shoulder, both from a motorcycle wreck back in 1981. They sometimes cause a muscle tightness and a resulting headache. Usually it's brought on by more than average stress and/or long drives in the car. But when I'm able to take the Vette on long trips, either it doesn't occur or if it does, it's very mild. I think it's a combination of both the wonderful seats in the car and the fact that a long drive in the Vette is not drudgery, but instead an enjoyable and relaxing experience that I always look forward to.

Migraines!

I hate to hear the word. 15 years of daily skull busters!

I tried many different remedies. But there were two that really worked and when you stop to think about it, it makes sense.

1. Bio-feedback and accu-pressure. A system of relaxing the body both through mental control and the use of deep massage techniques.

2. Healthy diet of proper foods and Chinese medicine.

Once I got myself squared up, the headaches faded away. One Saturday morning I woke up and there was no pain!!!!! Its an unbelievable feeling.

PM me if you need references...

Mygraines.

I had severe mygraines since I was 18. The kind that put you in bed for several days.

In the last couple of years, they've gotten so bad that I lose the vision in my left eye for hours, not the complete vision, but rather a "dazzle" in one part of the eye, where everything is blurred and its really hard to see out of that eye.

Its really hard to drive when that happens, but its only happened once by myself on a 300 mile trip.

Most of the time I can see the onset of the mygraine, when my vision starts to blurr ever so slightly. I stop whatever I doing and sit down in a hour or two my vision clears up and theres no headache.

I went to the quacks and they said it was a sinus infection. And they said take a antimistmine. So I did benydryl. Big mistake it triggered the worst mygraine of my life. Extreme pain for 2 weeks. The two weeks were spent in bed with no lights and no food.

Now I can't any allergy meds with antihistamines.

Lately since I lost my last job, and I take a bayer aspirin everyday for my normal everyday headaches I don't get the kick you in balls mygraines.

I still lose my vision but thats the least of it, the hammer in head at close range is gone.

You might try that Bayer aspirin for low doseages.

I usta think that mygranes were the pitts, but my new challenge (last ten years) is even worse. Heartburn and stomache gas.

I used to be Tums' best customer, and was on Prilosec for a while. I started taking probiotics a few years ago, and my stomach is waaaaaaaaaay better. Also, heartburn can be caused by not having enough acid in your stomach - your stomach goes into overdrive to produce it. A little vinegar can help if that is the case. Of course, no doctor will prescribe vinegar, since there is no money in it.

I used to get headaches from a type of hair gel I was using, not sure if it was the chemicals or the fumes, quit using it. (Actually I'm such a cheap ass I still used the rest of the jar.)

Also when wearing tight sunglasses sometimes.

And sometimes when drinking heavily, I can't figure out how to solve that one.

I've had travelling pains before, but not causing headaches. Migranes suck. I've had a few so bad I was getting spotty vision.

Pianoguy, I'll try that. THANKS.

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Good luck! I used to panic if I didn't have Tums in my jacket pocket, or glove compartment, or desk drawer, etc. Every once in a while I still need to reach for one, but at least it isn't a multiple-times-daily event. I take these:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/Produc ... 1&saleCatalogId=10051

They're just bacteria - helps you digest your food better. From what I understand, if you ever have to take antibiotics, that can throw your system out of whack, since they kill the good bacteria, too.

Good info, anything in there about Sciatic?? nerve pain?

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Yes, there are a number of references to trigger points that can cause symptoms of sciatica. Here's a brief online portion:

http://www.triggerpointbook.com/sciatica.htm

The "ah-ha" moment with regard to this book is if you find a very sore spot in the trigger point area for whatever pain you are having. In my case, I had just received the book a couple of days prior to getting a monster headache. I hadn't had a chance to read it yet, but I was desperate, so in the middle of the night I cracked it open and searched with one eye (my other one felt like it had a spear going through it) the section on head pain. I found my exact pain described, and started feeling along the shoulder muscle that they indicated was the area where the trigger point would be located. Voila, I found a very tender spot that I had been completely unaware of, and within a few minutes of massaging it as they instructed, my headache started to literally evaporate. I was giddy, to say the least.

Here is what i use, seems to do the job quite well:



[web]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a185/Casethecorvetteman/Scotch1.jpg[/web]

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