Full Question:

Can Are my frequent headaches and stomach pains related?

Hi, I am a 21-year old female who suffers from many headaches. It seems like I have been battling headaches for as long as I remember. When I was younger, I would get such bad headaches that I would cry all night long because I was in so much pain, enough that I wouldn't get any sleep. At that time, my family doctor told me that the cause of my headaches was my lack of vision and that I needed glasses. Now, I have been wearing glasses for over 15 years, and my headaches are still very present. And that's the least of it because I often get very bad migraines as well. They are bad enough that I feel dizzy, nauseous, and basically I am in a lot of pain. Light bothers me, loud noises bother me, and etc. For a 21-year old, I may be wrong, but it doesn't seem right. I shouldn't be getting so many headaches/migraines right? It's almost daily now, and that's not all as well. Now when I get my headaches, I have a lot of neck pain. My neck is always stiff and burning with pain. My doctor tells me that my headaches have to do with my car accident a year ago, as well as my neck pain, but I have been battling headaches a lot longer than that! And besides, it wasn't that bad of an accident.

The reason why I write today is because I can no longer accept hearing that my headaches are probably normal. Probably does not seem good enough any more. I need a definite answer so I stop driving myself crazy. And I know that this might be the only thing that you can tell me too, and if that's the case, than I still appreciate your time. Also, I think I should mention that I get a lot of stomach pain as well. I don't know how to really explain this but the pain only comes when I press on my stomach. I always thought that I just have a weak stomach, but it may be more than that. It really hurts if I accidentally poke myself, when that happens it's like a stabbing pain. A family member told me that my headaches and stomach pain could be related to a liver problem, but I never took it seriously since this person wasn't really a health professional. However, after my accident I started acupuncture and the acupuncturist told me that I may have a liver problem as well because I had such a weak stomach. Again, I didn't know if I should take that seriously. I guess this is the reason why I've also written about my stomach problem. I don't know if the two are connected and I was hoping you can shed some light.

Thank you, Kiran.
 

Answer:

Dear Kiran;

Most people will have occasional headaches. That's "normal," but it is NOT normal to have frequent "headaches." It seems that you don't have a real diagnosis. Are you having headaches or Migraines?

While nausea and perhaps a bit of a stomach ache can be Migraine symptoms, what you describe -- stomach pain that occurs when you press on your stomach -- is not.

If your doctor can't diagnose these issues or is dismissing them, it's time to find a new doctor. Although we'd love to help, it's flat out impossible to tell you more than this via the Internet. Your answers need to come from a doctor who can sit down with you and review your personal and family medical history, go over your symptoms with you, conduct a full examination, and perhaps run some tests. In short, stop accepting non-answers from your doctor. Calmly explain to your doctor that you need answers. Then get them from him or move on. If you would like to consult a headache and Migraine specialist, you can find a link to our directory of patient recommended specialists below.