Should I be worried about my headaches?

Question

I am 16 and get headaches fairly often. They started about 3 years ago with no real explanation as to why. They generally occur around my eyes and my temples. I have TMJ (although I had it a year or so before the headaches) and allergies. I try taking medicines such as excedrine or motrin, and they help for about an hour, but wear off and the headache is back for a few more hours until I can take more meds. I had a close friend moved away a few months before the first one and I moved about a year after that and they got worse. Any ideas as to what might be causing them or suggestions as to a further course of action?

Answer 1

Headaches can be caused by a lot of things. If you have any jaw pain, it might be related to the TMJ; I have mild TMJ as well and wear a mouth guard for it at night (got the mouth guard from the dentist about 2 years ago, it only took two visits and my insurance paid for nearly the whole cost). My headaches lessened a good deal.

Headaches can also be caused by posture. If you sit a lot, make sure that your shoulders are comfortably straight. Don't slouch too much and try to keep your head level as much as possible. Sometimes straining your neck can cause a headaches, backaches, etc.

Headaches can also be caused be stress--school, friends, boys, hormones, etc. If you're feeling stressed out, make sure you have an outlet for the stress--a couple friends to talk to, exercise, acting, whatever works for you. Let your parents know

about your headaches if they don't already--they may have some good advice.

Going to the doctor if you get them frequently would be a very good idea. They might have a simple solution to the problem. I go to a chiropractor at times, and that can help a lot. However, you usually have to keep going back to maintain the result! Good luck!

Answer 2

See your doctor.

These are hormones, stress and/or TMJ related.  They are muscle tension, or vascular as in migraine, or both.

In that case. you should consider a mild prescription such as Inderal, and they will go away.  Then wean yourself, under supervision, after a year or so;  but use them while you are dealing with stress and life changes.  Also, please understand that all people feel certain insecurities and anxiety at certain ages, unless they are pathologically deviant or abnormal, or super rare and perfect?