h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've got a poorly head.

I've had almost constant headaches for a couple of weeks. Wake up with them in the morning, they'll ease off for a while during the day and then I go back to bed with them at night.

It's not the first time I've had them. First time was two years ago, they started in November and eventually went away by themself in December.

Last year I had them around the same time again. That time the doctor told me to take ibuprofen three times a day. Eventually they stopped after about six weeks. So I'm not sure if it was the tablets that stopped them or if they had just run their course.

I thought I'd escaped getting them again this year as I'd got through November and December without a twinge. But they came back two weeks ago.

They start with a twinge right at the back of my head, just to the right of my spine. That part of the headache feels like a metal spike has been lodged into my head. Those twinges aren't there all the time, but they cause a normal headache all around the right side of my head.

I pulled a muscle in my neck years ago, so I'm wondering whether it's something to do with that. Or maybe it's something that belongs in the X Files. Maybe I didn't swallow that fountain pen and it's shot up into my head.

Anyway, I went to the pharmacists today to stock up on ibuprofen. They told me to take a couple of ibuprofen in the morning, then co-codomol for the rest of the day until they bugger off again.

This journal entry is pointless. I'm just feeling sorry for my poorly head.

you're having such a nasty for so long. I think you should ask another gp, it's irresponsiblwe to just tell you to take three iuprofen a day- imagine which damage this might cause for your liver There must be a reason for it, and the doctor should try to find it

I didn't like the idea of taking them all the time either. I've been trying not take take any tablets at all, figuring that they've gone off by themselves in the past so they will do again soon. By the looks of it, another two or three weeks.

It's rare that I will go to the doctors, they always tell me the same thing. Take paracetamol until it goes away.

Poor Footbacon It sounds like it could be your neck to me. I had problems with mine last year, and there's a nerve in there that shoots pain up to the back of your head if it's inflamed. A combination of an osteopath and a very expensive Tempur pillow sorted me out.

I had to really push my GP to refer me to an osteopath in the first place though, but well worth it cos it must have saved me hundreds of pounds.

that's incredible, do they know that it takes several weeks to go away ? I once had a terrile pain -all over the left side of my face. Went to the dentist's,asked her to do an x-ray, and she said she wouldn't see anything anyway. Swallowed ibuprof, paracetamol, aspirin for a few weeks in an amount I#D never swallowed before in all my life. Turned out that after a few weeks, I eventually could localise the tooth that caused it.

or even locate

I reckon it is something to do with the muscle I pulled. As I always get them in Winter, maybe it's something to do with tensing up against the cold that's aggravating it.

If it doesn't ease off in the next few weeks then I'll probably try the doctor again.

When I went last year I told them about having it before for weeks and he just said to start a course of ibuprofen.

Your dentist sounds about as useless as my doctor.

Go pester him. If this has already been going on for a couple of weeks, then that's long enough - and if he just tells you what he always tells you, then tell him that's what he always tells you and you'd like to hear something else.

*Makes mental note to send round a couple of GPs for a 'friendly word' with the gp*

(Number Six is right - they do need 'nudging')

I might see if I can get in this week.

When I originally hurt my neck, I eventually got the doctor to get me some physio. The appointment was so many weeks away that when the time to see the physioterapist came, the pain had stopped all by itself.

(I bet that the doctor tells me the pain is due to all these frozen peas in my chin-hole)

(You might want to wear some sort of nonchinveil. Or get someone who comes up to your nonchin to stand in front of you in the surgery. Stack of acrobat flants would do nicely).

Yes, go and poke your GP Unfortunately, many doctors seem to be like yours, if you don't insist, they'll just prescribe something to get rid of you. I'm not very good at insisting on something, which makes things difficult.

(There's a fish tank in the surgery. I could take revenge of the doctor by stealing it and fashioning my own transparent fish-filled chin. Or see if Flants can swim while I'm waiting.)

Me neither, B'El. Maybe someone could write me a note to take with me?

Another thing to "ask" (read: nudge) your doctor about is an MRI. That might show any physical damage that may be in that area of your neck.

Of course anyone who's read my journal over the last year or so knows how well an MRI worked out for me when I was having headaches. It really was a good thing I did.

An MRI will definitely show dislodged chinpeas as well.

Bojangles is superb at writing notes, you should wait for her

I don't think they have that kind of technology in Footbaconland. When I went for an X ray they used crayons and graph paper.

Oh, wait. No. That's it. I got bored of waiting for the X ray, so got a kid to diagnose me in the waiting room.

Did the kid charge you ?

Two strawberry lollipops.

Swine. They were my last two.

Now, any headache that continues for longer than a few days needs investigation, as does a recurring headache. There are allsorts of possibilities as to what might be causing it, minor and major. But, as everyone else has pointed out, first step back to the Dr and ‘insist’ on further investigation.

If it’s muscular or skeletal problems that are causing it, then I’d recommend you go to an osteopath rather than a physio, they’re more skilled, knowledgeable and effective on such thingys. Let me know if so and I can help with some info and possible recommendations.

But, first things first…Doctors appointment to be made tomorrow!