View topic - Headaches

It is with some desperation that I post this. For the past several years I have been having an increasing frequency of migraine headaches on camping trips.Typically I turn in feeling fine, then wake up in the early hours with a violent headache.

Usually this can be treated with Imitrex nasal spray, but sometimes not. And, at $22 a pop, this gets a little expensive. Also the side effects leave me a little ill for the rest of the day.

I can get these headaches every day on a 5 day trip, or just the first day, or the second and third... Makes it difficult to pinpoint the trigger.

After some searching on the web it seems that "camping headaches" are not uncommon. Most seem to think they are attributable to changed sleeping conditions, i.e. a harder bed or lack of or smaller pillow. Therefore I have tried various things, including using 2 thermarests and bringing a larger pillow. Not much success in reducing headache frequency.

This is really cutting in to my enjoyment of canoe tripping. It certainly sucks the joy out of almost every morning.

So I am wondering, does anyone else have this problem? If so, has anyone found a solution that works for them? Any other ideas or advice? I am getting desperate..

Thanks,

Kinguq.

Two things come to my mind - mold or food.

Perhaps you've already thought of both. But if not, to determine if it's a mold allergy causing your headaches you could try camping out in your backyard - first with just the tent and your regular household bedlinens, then if no headache, add the sleeping bag etc to try to find the culprit.

Possibly there is some food you are eating on a trip that you don't eat normally e.g. TVP (textured vegetble protein)... i myself get monster headaches from items high in soy protein, wheat protein (e.g. powerbars) and other odd things. Took me more than 3 years to figure it out.

Good luck with the search.

My trip "headache" often occurs on Day 2 (not always and sometimes never at all). I relate it the release of all the stress caused earlier by trip preparations, last minute rushing around, driving to the put-in, anticipation of setting out, etc. It's only by the second day that I finally start to relax and ease into nature's rhythms that I get hit with a migraine headache. It is the stress release which is the trigger.

I try to prevent it by de-stressing and slowing down the activities before the start of the trip. Keeping hydrated is also key.

It sure pisses you off, that when you are finally in a "good place" (camping, paddling etc) that your head decides to go AWOL. After Day 2, I'm usually clear headed for the rest of the trip.

Have you ruled out dehydration and allergies?

The mold question is a good one, especially as mold reactions tend to be pretty strong. The source could be the tent, camping equipment or simply ground cover including leaf litter. Other environmental allergies could be a trigger too. Not all allergic reactions involve a runny nose. Taking Benadryl before bed could be a worthwhile experiment.

What does the Doctor suggest?

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Yep. Me too. Exactly. But, I know it's comin' & as soon as I get to my campsite,(first night), I take 2 Fiornal with 3 oz. of Bourbon.

Then I just sit for a little bit.

Inside of an hour I feel just ducky again, and go on with setting up my stuff.

I take a .5 mg Clonazepam when I turn in, and my stupid head stays perfectly quiet for the rest of my trip (however long that is...).

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I'm not sure if this is the same or not. Years ago I used to get headaches, not necessarily camping, but from any long day outside, usually hiking. It didn't happen all the time, though. Usually it was associated with bright sunny weather. It didn't wake me up; usually, going to sleep (or aspirin) was how I got rid of it.

The condition seemed to go away after I started wearing sunglasses regularly. I have assumed it had something to do with the bright light, or UV light, affecting my eyes.

I would get headaches especially the first day. I think mine were related to dehydration and sunlight. Now I keep well hydrated starting on the drive up to the put-in (little coffee - more water), wear sunglasses and keep sipping on the water while paddling. If you start to feel thirst, you're already dehydrated.

The last drink before bed is water or herbal tea - even though it means I'll probably have a "call of nature" before morning light.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/28115 ... headaches/

I recently needed to re-apply my method with my new driving job. I was coming home with headaches and realized I wasn't staying hydrated enough during work because I was more concerned with finding time/places for washroom breaks. I've got that all sorted out now and no headaches.

I think it will a process of elimination for you with all the tips thus far.

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"Nature used to surround us, now we surround nature and the change hasn't necessarily been for the better."
Margaret Atwood

Glad to see I'm not the only one who suffers from this. I can usually count on a wicked headache with nausea within the first couple of days of a trip. When i did the lower French a couple of years ago, I was violently ill for the first afternoon. We had to make camp early and by dinner time I was feeling fine. Not sure what causes it. I get the odd migraine at home every so often (but not for a while) but I can almost count on one during a trip. The minute I wake up in the middle of the night with that sharp pain in my forehead, I pop a couple of Liquid Advil's and they usually work within the hour. But I am a little concerned that they are beginning to loss their effectiveness. I might be looking for something new.

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Dehydration and general heat exhaustion can hurt me.

I also use NUUN tablets in my water to help out.
Now I hide from the sun.

Canoeheadted.

Something else I just thought of is to consider the tripping food you eat in regards to nitrates in processed meats and MSG that is in many convenience items like flavoured rice/noodles and sauce mixes.

When my kids were little we noticed my son complained of chest pains after either Chinese take-out or the convenience foods that we used on canoe trips. Doc tested him and ruled out health issues and agreed with my suspicion of MSG sensitivity. That started me on dehydrating own our foods for tripping. My daughter in her teens developed migraines and one trigger is MSG.

It's not fun to get out there and not be able to fully enjoy it. You have a new project to work on, I wish you luck in tracking down what triggers your headaches.

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"Nature used to surround us, now we surround nature and the change hasn't necessarily been for the better."
Margaret Atwood

Another thought. The physical stress of a new activity maybe giving your back/neck grief.
The actions of paddling,carrying canoes,packs,a well getting the usual stress ready for a trip may contribute to your headaches.
Hugh

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Count me in for decompression headaches. As soon as the stress is off, BOOM. The chiropractor was able to help a bit, so I go just before we leave. I have also learned to recognize the signs, and get the Fiorinal in ASAP. I make sure I am hydrated, and a bit of chocolate and or mint helps keep the queasiness down. I have found that if I can take a day to slow down before leaving, it makes a difference. You have my sympathes.

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Present: Slip, Slap and Slop, hide from the sun! Past: Get some colour in those cheeks! Paddle Naked!

This is probably not the problem, but years ago on back packing trips, I would get headaches on the second day. I figured out later that the problem was that I drank coffee or tea at home, but didn't take it on trips - thus caffeine withdrawal. Now I never leave home without sufficient caffeine for a trip

That's a good one Fritz. Even cutting back can be a problem.

I didn't find out that I was a "regular" coffee drinker until my kids started playing hockey. I had slipped into a 'cup a morning' during the week but nothing on the weekend. Then when my oldest started playing hockey and we were on the ice as early as 7am on Saturday morning I added the Saturday cup of coffee. It took me a loonnngggg time to figure out that the reason I was getting a splitting headache by noon on Sunday was that I was having caffeine withdrawal.

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Thanks to everyone for the good and thoughtful advice contributed so far.

Of the things mentioned:

Mould- a possibility I guess, as I tend to keep equipment forever and it is therefore quite old. I could try another sleeping bag and see if that helps.

Food- seems unlikely, as I dry my own food and don't eat anything terribly unusual while camping.

Allergies- I suffered from severe hay fever when young, hardly at all now. But taking an antihistamine before bed is worth a shot.

Dehydration- I am aware of this and try to prevent it, but probably do get dehydrated. I will make a point of consuming lots of water next time to see if that makes a difference.

Activity- To me this is a likely cause- activities like paddling and portaging that put different strains on the neck and back. As evidence for this I woke with a headache the morning after returning home from a trip, after a pretty hard day of portaging. Not sure what can be done about this as activity is really the name of the game. Maybe just getting into better physical shape or portaging around town for excercise?

Sun- another possibility, although I always wear a hat and full coverage clothing. I also always wear sunglasses. I get these headaches on winter trips too, when sun on snow can be very bright. Again, not sure what more I can do about this- maybe take a parasol?

Coffee/caffein- This can be a problem for me. I am a two cup per day drinker at home, and I sometimes drink less on a trip. I know this can lead to headaches. Maybe I will start taking a thermos so I can be sure to get my afternoon fix.

Great, lots to think about and some things to try. I hope something works as I was beginning to lose hope. I have been canoeing/ski touring/hiking since I was a youngster and I would hate to have to give it up. But after my last trip I was beginning to think it was in the cards...

Thanks again,

Kinguq.