Ice Pick Headaches are headaches that tend to be intensely painful. Most people who suffer from them, report sharp stabbing pain, which tend to accompany the brief headache. The reason they are called Ice Pick Headaches is because the pain comes in intense bursts, as if someone is stabbing that person with an Ice Pick. The areas where they tend to manifest themselves are behind the eyes, around the ears, and in the back of the head.
Most physicians will say that Ice Pick Headaches are not common and that only a small group of people suffer from them. Research is indicating that about 3% of the worldwide population actually suffer occasionally from Ice Pick Headaches. The majority of these people in that group are middle aged or older.
However, research data also shows that approximately 65% of these headaches are actually related to and sufferers are afflicted by migraines. Considering the fact that there are quite a substantial number of people worldwide suffering from Migraine might make you suspect that Ice Pick Headaches actually are more common than they make us believe.
They are classified as a Primary Headache, mainly because they are not in any way related or backed up by any other kind of disease. This might also help explain why it is so difficult for most sufferers to clearly explain to their doctor what it is they are experiencing. That, and the fact that they tend to last just a brief period complicates accurate and immediate diagnosis. And even though they normally last just a short moment, that does not mean that they only occur once in a while. Some people can have multiple Ice Pick Headaches a day, for days in a row. Understandably, this can immobilize them for prolonged times, and create some kind of fear as they can re-occur at any given moment in time, and any given day. Moreover, they can appear out of the blue without any warning signal.
Treatment of Ice Pick Headaches
Treatment for Ice Pick Headaches is still evolving and developing. Correct diagnosis is important, yet confused with migraine, as they tend to be related; some sufferers from migraine also have Ice Pick headaches. Doctors may focus on the migraine, overlooking the real reason causing the stabbing excruciating pains.
Stress is an important factor. That is why Relaxation Techniques are very important and can really provide relief. In is safe to say that in general a healthy lifestyle is a good thing, not just to prevent headaches and migraines. The overall well being and physical state of body and mind benefit a lot from it. So no tobacco, less alcohol, less caffeine, healthy food (vegetables, less fat), and regular exercise are ingredients you best include in your life.
Should natural treatment not provide the desired relief, your doctor my prescribe medications. Some drugs that are used with success are Elavil and Indomethacin. The latter is taken in several doses spread out over time. The results can be pretty good, and leading to disappearing of these headaches altogether.
What might also work is Melatonin. Some people have reported to have been relieved from the Ice Pick Headaches entirely after taking about 1 mg of it every night just before going to bed. However, as with many medications, it does not seem to work for everybody. There is still a lot of research required to better understand what works, and what does not work under certain circumstances. That way doctors can prescribe the best possible medication for to any given sufferer. Talk to your doctor and ask him what the best treatment for you in your situation is.
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