Headache Advice for My Child

Updated on November 12, 2008
C.W. asks from Palmer Lake, CO
16 answers

I have a middle school age daughter who has been diagnosed with viral headache syndrome. This is a result of strep throat or some other virus that has moved to her head area. She is on antibiotics and actually never had a positive strep test so, we are unsure of how she got it. Anyway, the pain is very bad and she is dizzy as well. Tylenol and Motrin do not help. They are starting her on Imitrex which is a migraine medicine. So far, not much luck with that either. Has anyone heard of this or experienced this? I would appreciate any advice or help. BTW, we have been told not to get massages as it might move pockets of the virus around. Thanks.

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So What Happened?

I want to thank everyone for giving me great advice regarding my daughter's headaches. I was really at a loss and all the feedback helped. She is doing just fine. The headaches are almost completely gone and she is nearly back to her old self. The doctors are sure that it was a weird headache virus and that it just needed to pass. All of the ideas for migraine pain and immunity boosting helped get her through the pain. Thank you to everyone! C.

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H.F.

answers from Pocatello on

Boy that is really tough, the only thing I can think of is relaxation techniques adn breathing, ice packs might also help. Good luck!

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T.W.

answers from Provo on

I have had great experience with a good chiropractor. My daughter has scoliosis so she would get bad headaches and dizziness all the time. There was a time that we did cat-scans and other medical tests because we thought it was related to some illnes but found no answers. Once we started seeing a chiropractor she has felt so much better. I know this isn't the same scenerio but I myself have dealt with bad headaches and dizziness until I went to the chiropractor. My son had bad stomachaches for a while, nothing seemed to help until we took him as well. I used to be skeptical, but a reputable chiropractor makes all the difference. I hope this helps.

I am a stay at home mom of 4 children, ages almost 18, 14, 12, & almost 10.

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D.W.

answers from Boise on

Definitely go see a Chiropractor!!!

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J.N.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I'm a bit confused, because strep is not viral but bacterial. And antibiotics are only given to treat bacterial infections - they don't work on viruses.

I am definitely no kind of medical specialist. But I would suggest looking into this some more - at least check out webMD or another reliable source. And maybe get a second opinion.

Until then, try to help her relax in a quiet room when she gets the headaches. Hot or cold pack might also help in relieving the pain (which one depends on the type of headache and the person).

Good luck!

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M.B.

answers from Denver on

Hi C.,
What a bummer for your daughter! As a longtime headache sufferer myself I have found the medication ineffective as well, and imitrex is painkiller, I would be very hestitant to give it to my kids! She is so young, and it sounds a little strange to me! Maybe it is hormonal? Can you get a 2nd opinion? Why is she taking antibiotics if it is viral? What about plain old aspirin? Or any of the other over the counter medication? Good luck, I know it is hard to see your kids in pain!

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K.D.

answers from Denver on

I have had good success treating migraines with mangosteen juice. It boosts the immune system as well, so I would think it would help on two counts. My migraines used to be horrible. I haven't had one since starting the mangosteen juice. If you're interested I can recommend some reliable brands as well as dosing. It usually cost me about $2 per headache to treat.

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J.M.

answers from Grand Junction on

Has she had a cat scan? If not I would definatly get one. The dizziness can be disconcerning. Better to be safe than sorry. If your doctor wont do one get a second opionion. Espeacially, since she has never had a positive strep test. Not to scare you but I would never take head pain lightly.

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S.L.

answers from Pocatello on

Have you tried oregano oil? It is used for treating ailments caused by viruses. You can get it at most health food stores. It does not taste good though! If you can find it,I would use the pill form of it. Another thing you could do would be to take your daughter to a homeopathic doctor. A homeopath focuses more on treating the cause of the ailment rather than the symptoms.

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B.B.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I have never heard of this virus. But i do know a little about migraines, most of my family get a couple a year, and my older sister used to get them to or three times a month. We also tried everything, and all the Meds. Including anti. siezure medication. What got rid of our Migraines was a balanced diet, lots of water, and high doses of vitamin B.

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A.F.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I'm not a medical professional, so definitely ask a doctor before trying anything new or that you're unsure of. But I recently realized that the kind of medication I take for a headache makes all the difference for me. I started getting horrible keep-me-awake-at-night type headaches when I got pregnant. Since I couldn't really take anything for it while pregnant except tylenol, and since I was pregnant for much of the last 5 years (4 kids ages 4 and under), it wasn't until recently that I could start trying new things to see what would knock it out. I noticed that Tylenol and Motrin did absolutely nothing, but when I tried Excedrin, it worked like a charm. I don't know if Excedrin is recommended for your daughter's age, so if you haven't tried it yet, maybe ask her doctor. But if it were me, I would try other medicines until I found something that works because not all medicine works in the same way. Hope that helps a little. Good luck.

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B.M.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Hi C.,
I do not have experience with your daughter's specific condition, however, I suffered from headaches for years. It took four different Doctors to finally get to an answer that worked for me. I was surprised that each Doctor had a very different idea of what was causing my issue. My suggestion is, if she isn't getting relief from what she has been offered buy one Doctor then perhaps it is time for another opinion.
Take care,
B.

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H.W.

answers from Boise on

As much as I don't like medication, I had a dr once prescribe 2 ibuprofen, 4 tylenol (the only two you can mix) taken with a mountain dew. It may not be strong enough for what you need, but that is my 2 cents. Good luck and praying for you!

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S.B.

answers from Denver on

I don't know if this would help in your situation...so just throwing it out there. Do a control diet for a couple of weeks like one would do to test for allergies. My nephews all have migraine since tiny babies. they can't have cinnamon and sylisilates like in catelope and tomatoes. My own son has other issues and can not tolerate chemiclas like BHT, MSG, Hydrogenated oils, and other manufacture processes. we eat an organic, corn, diary, soy free diet and all feel all the better for it. The body often resists these "chemicals" whether they are natural or manufactured. It take 2-4 weeks to get it out of the body.

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H.K.

answers from Grand Junction on

I get migraines and have found that an ice pack on my neck and some caffein are the best cures (most over the counter migrain medication contains caffein). Medication that relieves a headache actually makes migraines worse (A headache is constricted blood vessles while a migraine is expanded blood vessles that are pressing on nerves. Medication for a headache expands the blood vessels further and just makes it worse.) One thing that helped me was recognizing the earliest signs of a migraine (for me: blurred vision, dizziness, slightly slurred speach) then I can get an ice pack, lay down and drink a coke and prevent it in most cases from becoming painfull or making me puke. While pregnant I didn't get any migraines and have since read that a magnesium difficiency may cause them. Maybe the extra magnesium in my pre natal vitamins helped. Since then I have continued to take extra magnesium and have still not had one. Hope this was helpfull. It must be hard to watch your little once deal with this.

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J.L.

answers from Denver on

Seek chiropractic first! Chiropractic is a catalyst for the body to heal itself. It's amazing how many ways chiropractic can help with overall health. I have my little guys in the chiropractic office every week for an adjustment. And if their bodies are already lined up properly then they just get checked at least. Also, my mom got excellent relief from her headache pain once she started seeing a chiropractor. It helps with her sinuses too. You can google a chiropractor in your area.

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A.B.

answers from Denver on

I would recommend talking to the pharmacists at ITC Compounding in Castle Rock. I suffered from hormonal migraines for years that started getting worse and became more frequent. Alan Jolly recommended a detox cleanse and it helped tremendously! In my case, all the different medications that the doctors had me trying in an effort to help my migraines were building up in my system and my liver was on overload which caused more headaches. Anyway, you can talk to them and hopefully they can help your daughter get some relief. Best of luck to you both!

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