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Monday, April 17, 2006

Headache

I have one of the meanest headaches in history right now; it has nothing but cruel intentions toward me. It kinda began last night as I was finishing up at the restaurant, but once I got home, had something to eat, and had a hot shower, it eased up and then I went to bed and my brain felt very happy. But this morning it seems to be pissed, and it's banging against my skull to let me know it.

Usually I can appease an angry, throbbing head with some caffeine (since that is often what it demands in exchange for a pain-free noggin), but the cup of Starbucks did little to ease the discomfort. I have also been drinking water (perhaps I am a little dehydrated), but that seems to have little or no effect as well. Normally, I would just pop a few aspirin and be on my merry way, but I am currently at school and without any aspirin (none in my purse and the department secretary is fresh out). So I have tried squeezing the flesh between thumb and forefinger because I was once told that that pressure point is supposed to relieve a tension headache, but I suck at that. I have half-heartedly rubbed my own shoulders, but it's just not the same, and I have, of course, rubbed my temples.

I've also tried this special breathing I learned in yoga: I cover one nostril with my forefinger and then breathe in deeply through the open nostril, pause with breath held, and then cover that first nostril and exhale through the other nostril (it's supposed to help with headaches and be a good breathing practice for relaxation), and, in general, I think that helped the most but the headache is still there. And the breathing did more to dislodge a booger than it did to help me get rid of the headache. Persistent fucker (headache, not the booger).

I've always been prone to headaches (actually seems to run in my family) because I think I enternalize most of my stress and I ball it all up in my shoulders and neck -- massage therapists always comment about the knots they have to work out of there. Oh well, once I get through teaching my class the 8 basics of the comma (exciting, I know) I can go home and lay down with a couple of aspirin and have Scooter cuddle up next to me.

3 comments:

Iron Jayhawk said...

i hope your headache went away. my dad and sister are prone to migranes and typically end up in the hospital b/c of it.

Liv said...

Agh, I know how frustrating that is. It's always worthwhile to tote around a few aspirin or ibuprofen in your purse for those headache emergencies.

psbowe said...

oooh so sorry to hear about your headache, that really sucks. Maybe just get plenty of sleep or the chiropractor if your back or neck is out.