Wednesday, December 5, 2012

...On Headaches

I have been suffering from recurring headaches lately. They range in severity from pretty minor to tension headache to migraine. I have a variety of medications to try to deal with them at their various stages, but sometimes I just need to lie down and sleep them away. They really are pretty miserable to deal with. I think I have become more susceptible to headaches since the concussion I suffered in 2009. Regardless, they seem to be part of my life now and I'm dealing with them.

My point in writing this post is to ask people who don't suffer from regular or chronic headaches to be patient and supportive of anyone you know that does suffer from regular or chronic headaches. While the pain may get taken care of by pain relievers, that does not mean that the pressure or disorientation has gone away. When someone is dealing with pain and pressure, the center of your world becomes the area just behind your forehead (or whatever part of your head hurts the most). Everything you see is through a lens made foggy by pain and pressure. Often times when a headache gets really bad, thinking is a painful activity.

So, please, please, please...if you know someone who suffers from chronic headaches as a result of tension, concussion, or any other reasons, be patient and supportive of that person. The pain they are trying to work or live through may or may not be "bad" but regardless it's constant. The continuity of the pain wears down that person's spirit and coats every concern and task with a veneer of frustration. Understand that and you are a step closer to helping them get better or, at least, get through the moment.