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What Causes Constant Headaches And Nausea?

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Posted on Wed, 16 Aug 2017
Question: Hi ,

I was having headache and nausea kind of feeling about 3 weeks ago . I went to the doctor , they did my Full blood count , ferritin TSH tests . they all came normal but the headache is not going away .
Its mostly on the left side but sometimes I feel on the other parts of the head as well. Headache is mainly a pressure kind of feeling .

I have been prescribed Naproxen 500 mg twice a day . The Headache is little better but still not completely gone . How long should I expect before it completely takes my headache away .

I got my eyes tested as well , got new glasses. However the optician mentioned that he could see a pale grey pigment on the back of my eye but that's normal and nothing to be worried . It was in the right eye . Could this be causing headache mostly on the left side .

Please advice . I am getting so depressed because of al this.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ornela Ademovi (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Most probably a migraine

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

I understand your concern. The details you give make me think of a migraine, however, migraine headache is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that other conditions or causes need to be ruled out as a cause of headache before deciding on the migraine.

If you were my patient, I would first ask about your medical history, your current symptoms, a possible migraine history in your family. I would go on to perform a physical and neurological exam. I would also order a head MRI or CT scan to rule out possible causes such as tumors, strokes, infections and other neurological conditions.

If all this comes out without anything of concern then I would rule migraine headache in. Fortunately there are a lot of medications to treat and prevent migraine attacks, so I strongly urge you to see your doctor for the above evaluation and the appropriate treatment.

I hope this helps. If you have further questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

Wishing you good health and all the best.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Ornela Ademovi (19 hours later)
Thanks for the answer .

I have an appointment with the doctor next week .

Can I know about the medicine . Does Naproxen 500mg helps treating migraines ?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ornela Ademovi (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Naproxen is ok but not the best choice

Detailed Answer:
Naproxen is a pain reliever but there are much stronger and more effective drugs available for migraine prevention, such as drugs that are usually used for heart and blood pressure disorders, such as Inderal, Lopressor, Betimol, Verelan etc, or drugs used to treat depression such as Effexor, Amitriptiline, or Anti seizure drugs such as Topamax, Depacon. The drugs that are most effective in treating a migraine attack or pain when it has already happened are the Ergots (Migergot, Cafergot), the Triptans (Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig).

You may also give alternative medicine a try. For example, acupuncture has proven to be very effective in many cases of migraine.

These are the options, but ultimately it will be up to you and your doctor to work together on what works best for you.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have further questions.

Wishing you all the best.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Ornela Ademovi (9 minutes later)
Thanks .

One more question - How long should I be taking Naproxen ?

How long would it normally take to treat migraines ?

Thanks,
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ornela Ademovi (4 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Please see as below

Detailed Answer:

Naproxen is a pain killer and is taken when you already have a migraine attack going on. It would normally help reduce the pain in 20 minutes or so. If not, then you clearly need stronger pain medication.

You will also need a prescription for medication to prevent migraine attacks from happening or reduce their frequency.

Migraine is treatable but rarely curable.

I hope this helps.
Wishing you all the best.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Ornela Ademovi

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 725 Questions

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What Causes Constant Headaches And Nausea?

Brief Answer: Most probably a migraine Detailed Answer: Hello, I understand your concern. The details you give make me think of a migraine, however, migraine headache is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that other conditions or causes need to be ruled out as a cause of headache before deciding on the migraine. If you were my patient, I would first ask about your medical history, your current symptoms, a possible migraine history in your family. I would go on to perform a physical and neurological exam. I would also order a head MRI or CT scan to rule out possible causes such as tumors, strokes, infections and other neurological conditions. If all this comes out without anything of concern then I would rule migraine headache in. Fortunately there are a lot of medications to treat and prevent migraine attacks, so I strongly urge you to see your doctor for the above evaluation and the appropriate treatment. I hope this helps. If you have further questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Wishing you good health and all the best.