HEALTH [UNEX] Is it possible that there is a "headache" virus going around?

[Aardaerimus]

Recently, there has been a spate of strange headaches going around - not really anything else - just a mean, day-long headache.

I've noticed this occurring more frequently over the past year or so.

This week I was visiting the in-laws and my SIL was layed out with a gnarly headache. I was discussing this with my FIL who just a day or two before had a brutal headache as well.

I myself felt fine, but the next morning I felt that telling discomfort in my forehead. I could feel one of those irritating low grade headaches coming on and that pressure behind the eye sockets.

I dealt with it all day, and finally it got bad enough by evening that I had to take some ibuprofen. It continued to get worse and I couldn't imagine how it would've been without the pain killer. My shoulders and neck felt a bit tense as well.

I went to bed a couple hours early, and when I awoke in the morning I felt 95% better. There was just a twinge of discomfort, but it never manifested and now I feel fine again.

Thinking back, this same thing has happened several times over the past year or two. A few family members will get a headache, then it'll hit me. It's just like a 24 hour stomach crud, only entirely in the head and neck. There are no flu or cold symptoms.

Anyone else been seeing anything similar? It just feels viral to me, though I suppose it could also be caused by external or celestial factors that could hit us in waves.

 

[KKC]

I have been wrestling with headaches for the two months or so. Nothing supper bad just a dull nagging headache that hurts enough to take something for it and power through. So it’s funny you should bring this up. The only difference is mine aren’t supper bad and they’ve been happening longer than just a day or two.

 

[Mary]

I get cluster headaches during the Spring and Fall Equonox and they are coming earlier this year. I think it's because the weather is so unusual that my body-clock doesn't know what season it is anymore.

A few Advil take it away if it's bad. If not I just deal with it.

Glad you're not getting more of them at least

M

 

[brokenwings]

I have always had to deal with headaches and migraines so I don't know. I do know that my daughter who never had headaches suffers them almost daily now but that could be hereditary.

 

[Milk-maid]

As an earthquake sensitive, I can 100% tell you, many people are sensitive too. They just don't realize it. As things heat up in the earth they experience headaches, but they don't put the clues together.

The earth has barrametric pressures which is increasing with these storms and people suffer all sorts of things from them. It is natural.

What is not natural is people denying there is a correlation between the two.

 

[Chair Warmer]

I was getting bad headaches and leg cramps until I tested low in Potassium and brought my level up to normal, then the headaches went away.

I think headaches can be caused by nutrient deficiencies, dehydration, and environmental contaminents. I'd look into all those. Of course if you are worried about it being viral then it certainly wouldn't hurt to work on boosting your immune system and take some antiviral herbs.

 

[Aardaerimus]

It could definitely be deficiencies, or external influences. I'm sure that it's also difficult for chronic headache sufferers to tell.

I myself am not prone to headaches and normally, when I do get one, I tend to think that it's low blood sugar, nutritive deficiencies, too much caffeine, or something in that arena.

I only recently noticed that the past few headaches of this magnitude came directly after being proximal to others suffering similar headaches.

The "feel" of the headache is much like of an upper sinus pressure headache, where you have a sense of frontal swelling and aching behind the eyes. It's kind of like when you're coming down with a head cold, only without the cold. Over the course of the day it feels like it wraps around, and makes your neck ache.

 

[milkydoo]

I never used to get headaches at all, up until a few year ago. The last couple of years I've had more than I can count, and the last couple of months have been on the heavy side. Mine always seem to be in the left front corner of my forehead, and slightly deep. Sometimes I can ward them off by going to sleep or eating a sizeable meal right away, but once they get past that initial stage and start to balloon, then I'm pretty much in for 12-16-24 hours worth of pain, and that also induces nausea.

Pain pills don't work, unfortunately. ETA: I've missed work a couple of times because of it.

 

[Meemur]

Some additional things to consider:

Are any more chemicals being added to your food or water? For example, I was told (no link) that things like Hamburger Helper (etc) have additional amounts of MSG because it's cheaper than the other flavorings. That's also true of prepared snacks.

If you think that is the case, return to scratch cooking for a bit and see if you don't feel better.

Try bottled water for a bit if you suspect your drinking water.

In other areas, pollen is a problem. Yes, I know it's February, but pollen can travel hundreds of miles. We have people here starting to sniffle in Ohio.

Lastly, if you haven't had your eyes checked, consider that you might be having some trouble with eye strain.

I'm not a doctor or anything, but these are just some things to consider.

 

[Chair Warmer]

I only recently noticed that the past few headaches of this magnitude came directly after being proximal to others suffering similar headaches.

Are there gas lines in the area? Might want to check for leaks.

I heard of a family who lived with a small gas leak and didn't know it until they were all sick, they had headaches too.

I'm not sure if Radon gases or Mold would cause headaches, maybe. But I would look at environmental factors first because that's one thing you all might have in common.