For The Past Few Months I Have Been Getting Headaches

Brief Answer:
Eye strain and other mechanical factors related to headaches

Detailed Answer:
Good morning.

The headache you refer above the eyebrows for the past few months is consistent with what we call a TENSION TYPE HEADACHE. It is the most frequent classification of headache that occurs above the eyes as well as in people who also suffer from dry eyes or who refer issues of eye strain. Working on computers for 8 hrs. daily certainly could qualify you to be undergoing eye strain, however, if you have not an eye examination in the past 1-2 years then, a trip to your friendly local optometrist would be most helpful.

I have found in my headache patients that as many as 25-30% of those complaining of the same symptoms working in jobs where their attention is focused on a computer or illuminated screen or those who do a lot of reading of books, numbers (e.g. accountants, attorneys, etc) end up having eye strain which is corrected by prescription lenses or a change to their prescription lenses. If that is not the case then, certainly a problem of dry eyes could be part of other ocular problems which lead to headaches and can be screened for by an ophthalmologist such as glaucoma, xerophthalmia, or sicca syndrome. Based upon your description of what's going I really don't believe any of those processes are going on but that might be for an ophthalmologist to deal with during their examination should you decide to see one.

The fact that the headache seems worse or better when opening or closing the eyes may be more of what seems to be causing more irritation to the trigeminal sensory nerves located in and about the eyes, the orbital ridge, and your forehead. Closing them tightly clearly highly stimulates the trigeminal nerve sensors and likely puts excess pressure against the eyeball or other orbital structures and result in headaches. Easy solution..."don't close the eyes so tightly!" Again, all these things are best evaluated in an ophthalmology evaluation where the doctor can ask you to do certain things and then, measure responses or actually visualize things using the slit lamp microscope, etc.

For now, I would recommend using artificial fears for the eyes if they are particularly dry in the mornings. That will help soothe them and may actually reduce headaches if you can keep the globes moist. Get an eye exam if you've not had one recently and make sure you're using the proper lenses. If you wear contacts make sure you are correctly caring for them at night and not leaving them in since that is a very common source of ocular irritation that can translate into headaches.

The other thing to do is keep track of these headaches over the past months and see how they respond or evolve. For now, they are when you get up and you've only noticed them in the mornings upon awakening. You can use a diary tracker through an app or good old paper and pencil to look at things such as intensity of pain, localization of the headache, things that make it better, and things that make it worse.

If you are using OTC medications to treat these headaches please be sure not to OVERUSE these medications. There are strict limits that we please on the use of analgesics when it comes to headache management since OVERUSE syndromes can occur and cause even more or worsening headaches when people go overboard with Tylenol, Motrin, or Advil....and the same holds for prescription medications.

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You can always reach me at the above address for this and other questions. I wish you the best with everything and hope our discussion has aided in your understanding of a few concepts related to your concerns.

CHEERS!

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