My constant headache

I have been having a constant headache for the past two years now. The pain usually comes from my neck and radiates to the head. I normally use Tramadol drug as a pain reliever but I am afraid of its side effects as well as its expensive cost. Kindly help me out as I live in severe pain and I don’t have money to take care of myself.

Samuel (by E Mail)

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A long standing headache can be caused by many factors ranging from tension, poor eyesight, high Blood Pressure, raised intracranial pressures, brain tumour as well as infections. Since the treatment of your headache lies in its diagnosis, it will be very important for you to subject yourself to a proper medical examination and investigations which will confirm the actual causes of your headache. Meanwhile, it is important for you to get enough sleep. The average adult needs seven to eight hours of sleep a night. It’s best to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. In addition, don’t skip meals. Eat healthy meals at about the same times daily. Avoid food or drinks, such as those containing caffeine, that seem to trigger headaches. Lose weight if you’re obese. Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic physical activity can improve your physical and mental well-being and reduce stress. Reduce stress. Stress is a common trigger of chronic headaches. Get organised. Simplify your schedule. Plan ahead. Stay positive. Try stress-reduction techniques, such as yoga, tai chi or meditation. Reduce caffeine. While some headache medications include caffeine because it can be beneficial in reducing headache pain, it can also aggravate headaches. Try to minimise or eliminate caffeine from your diet