@theache

Valium is what works for me, but something else might be more suitable for you. It will make me sleepy.. so I just use it at night so I can sleep through the pain. There are many other relaxants out there. You doctor may know best what will go with any other medications you might take.

I am a bit of a weirdo with some medications.. they will have the complete opposite effect than they are suppose to have. I am also considered chemical sensitive. I have a long list of medications I am either allergic to or have adversed side effects. My family doctor is blaming his hair thinning on all the head scratching I cause him. He is a pretty good problem solver for me though.

In the early 1990s I worked in retail and had to help unload the merchandise from the truck. I would often have a headache as you describe after unloading the merchandise. I would buy a can cola and hold it at the back of my head at the hair/neck line. Take two Anacin with the can of cola and I would be okay within an hour. I had seen my daddy do the same when he had a headache after doing work except he took BC or Stanback headache powders. I can no longer take nsaids.

When I have the headache you describe. If I feel nauseous with the headache I will use a cool compress at the hair/neckline. If no nausea then I use moist heat. I have an electric heat pad with a moist pad insert, but it does not work near as well as a microwave heat pad. I have to be careful with the microwave pad ...especially the times we have had to buy a new microwave. I used to put it in for two minutes.. then had to change to a minute and a half and now this microwave for one minute. After I use the heat pad I do some stretches. If I can remember where I put my play ball (I have no idea how it gets where it is not suppose to be, but it happens) I will roll it up and down the wall a few times using both hands. I also lean against wall with the ball between my back and the wall and roll the ball between my shoulders and up my neck. Any part of the spine can contribute to a headache, but most times it is the neck area.

Being it is such a short time since your surgery.. talk with your surgeon about what physical activity you can and cannot do. You don't want to pull loose any surgical clips or stitches.

ZeeGee