Ask a doctor on the topic of Neurology

headache

January 8, 2015 | 25,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Good morning,

I occasionally suffer from headaches. Lately, for about 2 weeks, I have been experiencing them more frequently. I always blamed it on the weather, but it's starting to become exhausting. I take an Ibuprofen 400 almost every day and I feel like the pills are no longer working properly, so I have to take another one. I have a stressful job and over the holidays I had time off and was hoping to finally relax. However, it was during this vacation that the headaches started.

I'm starting to worry that I might be a hypochondriac. I constantly go to my doctor with other complaints. In November, I had an endoscopy because I've been having symptoms for over a year. They didn't find anything and my doctor is already annoyed with me. I have complaints, tests come back normal, so my doctor always blames everything on stress and psychology and sends me home annoyed.

I would like to go to the doctor for the headaches as well, but I'm scared of not being taken seriously again. A comprehensive blood test was done recently (in November 2014), but my doctor keeps saying that I am perfectly healthy and that I should "just relax"... I have also thought about changing doctors. But you always have to wait so long for appointments.

Since my mother had migraines, I have been considering if that might be the case for me as well. When I have my period, I regularly spend a week lying down with severe headaches, nausea, and sensitivity to light, and can hardly work. At that point, no pills help anymore.

Are there alternatives to Ibuprofen? How can I get this under control? First, the headaches, and generally the constant fear of suffering from serious illnesses like cancer, etc.

Thank you in advance.

I am female and 33 years old.

Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Good day,

Ibuprofen is a poor choice for people with sensitive stomachs, as it irritates the stomach lining. Therefore, you should opt for Paracetamol or Novalgin (prescription only) and try not to take more than 10 tablets per month. Painkillers can actually cause headaches with long-term use!

Migraines are usually on one side of the head and are treated with specific medication (triptans) prescribed by a doctor. Migraines are more likely to occur during your period.

Anxiety can cause headaches, and headaches can cause anxiety. It is advisable to have an EEG done by a neurologist to investigate migraines (and rule out a brain tumor, which is extremely unlikely as you would have already experienced neurological deficits). At the same time, it is important to talk about your fear of cancer.

If your primary care physician does not support you, it may be helpful to consider switching doctors.

Please also see an orthopedist, who can examine your shoulder and neck area. You may benefit from a gym, but definitely from activities like yoga or Chi Gong.

All the best!

Sincerely, Dr. Höllering