The many questions-not-worth-their-own-thread question thread XIX

[Cutlass]

Alright, a question for you all out there.

As you may have read in the rants thread, since like Saturday I've been getting headaches daily, and they're really getting on my nerves. Up until today, they only appeared at night, but now it decided to pop up in the middle of the day (of course a day full of classes) and it's absolutely killing me. The headaches aren't severe, but enough to annoy me and hamper with my ability to focus and do normal stuff. I've been trying to pinpoint what exactly may be causing this, so I don't have to take time away from my classes to see a doctor (though if they don't go away by Friday I'm seeing a doctor).

So here's my question: Since getting to Iowa, I've walked everywhere. I've never taken the bus, and any place I have to go to I walk there. The furthest I have to walk time-wise is usually 15 to 20 minutes. Now, before Iowa, I was a sloth and minimally exercised. Could this sudden up-tick in daily exercise be causing this onset of daily headaches? Google says that you can get headaches from workouts, but it's not like I'm doing intense running for 30 minutes, just walking for 15 minute stints around twice a day. If this is the cause, is there anything I can do to stop it? Or do I just have to let my body adjust to all the walking I'm now doing?

My first guess would be an allergy. What's in the air around you?

 

[shadowplay]

How's your sleeping arrangements? When I get random headaches it's usually because I slept awkwardly.

I'd also make sure you're hydrating yourself adequately.

 

[cardgame]

Dehydration is the most likely culprit IMO as well. If you're walking around campus a fair bit, you need to intake more water than you may be used to.

 

[Joecoolyo]

My first guess would be an allergy. What's in the air around you?

Yeah, that's what my mom thought as well. And I dunno what's in the air around me, I mean, there's a construction site next door, but other than that just a general city environment.

How's your sleeping arrangements? When I get random headaches it's usually because I slept awkwardly.

I'd also make sure you're hydrating yourself adequately.

Dehydration is the most likely culprit IMO as well. If you're walking around campus a fair bit, you need to intake more water than you may be used to.

I suspected dehydration as well, but drinking myself silly with water hasn't done anything to dent the headaches, let alone explain why I started to get them on the weekend when I barely walked anywhere, and not during the middle of the week.

 

[Farm Boy]

Yeah, that's what my mom thought as well. And I dunno what's in the air around me, I mean, there's a construction site next door, but other than that just a general city environment.

Doesn't really matter if you are in a city environment as much as you think, foliage will differ if you just moved a significant distance. Allergens will be different.

 

[ParkCungHee]

As you may have read in the rants thread, since like Saturday I've been getting headaches daily, and they're really getting on my nerves. Up until today, they only appeared at night, but now it decided to pop up in the middle of the day (of course a day full of classes) and it's absolutely killing me. The headaches aren't severe, but enough to annoy me and hamper with my ability to focus and do normal stuff. I've been trying to pinpoint what exactly may be causing this, so I don't have to take time away from my classes to see a doctor (though if they don't go away by Friday I'm seeing a doctor).

If your doctor doesn't help, don't hesitate to see a Neurologist.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Doesn't really matter if you are in a city environment as much as you think, foliage will differ if you just moved a significant distance. Allergens will be different.

Yeah, it might be allergies. I'm going to pick up some over the counter medicine tomorrow and see if that helps. If not, I guess I'll go to the doctor.

If your doctor doesn't help, don't hesitate to see a Neurologist.

Dunno where I'd find one of those.

 

[_random_]

http://www.healthgrades.com/neurology-directory/ia-iowa/iowa-city

 

[Joecoolyo]

http://www.healthgrades.com/neurology-directory/ia-iowa/iowa-city

I assume those guys cost money.

Being a college student I naturally have none

 

[ParkCungHee]

Dunno where I'd find one of those.

If you have insurance, call them and ask them to tell you who they cover in the area.
If you don't, have your general practioner recommend one, he should be able to.

 

[PlutonianEmpire]

What is that one online database of stars (in astronomy), with an all black background and white text, with numerical details in a sort-of narrow column on the right and text and pictures in a wider column on the left, probably in a table format?

 

[Joecoolyo]

If you have insurance, call them and ask them to tell you who they cover in the area.
If you don't, have your general practioner recommend one, he should be able to.

Yeah, if the doctor says that I should see one, then I'll see what my insurance covers n'stuff.

Though I'm not sure at this point it's that serious.

 

[cardgame]

Yeah, to be honest, my firs thought was "Neurologist for headaches? Hypochondriac much?"

Getting it checked out by a doctor if hydration and aspirin don't help is probably sound though.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Though I'm not sure at this point it's that serious.

Yeah, to be honest, my firs thought was "Neurologist for headaches? Hypochondriac much?"

Just as a precautionary measure. Better to go early and be told it's nothing, you know?

 

[Joecoolyo]

I've also been told by my mom that it might just be mold at the bottom of my reusable water bottle, which might explain why drinking water hasn't done anything. And also I think I may spot little black dots at the bottom of it.

Could mold cause headaches like this?

 

[PlutonianEmpire]

I've also been told by my mom that it might just be mold at the bottom of my reusable water bottle, which might explain why drinking water hasn't done anything. And also I think I may spot little black dots at the bottom of it.

Could mold cause headaches like this?

Throw it away.

Now.

I don't know how much harm the mold and black dots do, but get rid of it.

Like,

Nao.

EDIT: Found this, dunno how helpful it might actually be, but it's a start.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/Mold.htm

 

[cardgame]

I've also been told by my mom that it might just be mold at the bottom of my reusable water bottle, which might explain why drinking water hasn't done anything. And also I think I may spot little black dots at the bottom of it.

Could mold cause headaches like this?

What's stopping you from reusing a plastic water bottle?

 

[GinandTonic]

Eye strain can cause headaches. Get an eye test and tell the optician about the headaches. They'll put the eyedrops in that relax the muscles. I had 20/20 in every cursory test and after the drops i was half blind.

I moved my desk under a window, made an effort to look out the window to shift my focal length and got a pair of reading glasses that I hardly ever use. No more evening headaches after whole days reading and on the laptop.

 

[The_J]

I've also been told by my mom that it might just be mold at the bottom of my reusable water bottle, which might explain why drinking water hasn't done anything. And also I think I may spot little black dots at the bottom of it.

Like said above: Throw it away. ASAP.

Could mold cause headaches like this?

Unless you've already developed an allergy, then normally not.
(if this sounds contradictory to the advice to throw the bottle away: You can get other stuff from molds; most prominently for people who are not already seriously ill: liver cancer)

 

[Farm Boy]

Mold can be nasty crap. Minimize contact. If you are for some reason unreasonably attached to a plastic water bottle, you can dump an 80% water 20% bleach mixture in it and wash the bejeesus out of it. Then rinse the bejeesus out of it. Better be a darned good water bottle tho!