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Does anyone experience a headache or migraine that starts at night?

I am a 42 yr-old male, and have been having either a headache or migraine that starts at night, and wakes me up from sleep either at 3 or 4 am. It is a dull headache, that does not hamper my daily activities, and lasts anywhere from a few hours to a few days Does anyone else have this issue?

I am not sure if this is a migraine or headache. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen is the only OTC medication I have attempted and it does not help. Rizatriptan was prescribed, and seemed to help a little.

  1. Hey there , Thanks so much for your question. While we cannot provide you with medical advice and/or say whether what you are experiencing is a migraine or not, as you wait for members to possibly share their experience, I wanted to pass along this article which discusses possible causes for nighttime headaches - https://migraine.com/living-migraine/nighttime-headaches-after-age-50/. Take good care. -Joanna (Migraine.com Team)

    1. I definately have this issue. Its like I go to sleep and get recharged and I slowly get drained though out the day by nighttime I feel ok to terrible and start going into a migraine with sound and light sensitivity. Then I just get some sleep and usally feel better in the morning. Some times it's because I ate some foods that triggered me or I'm upset and overworked. Advil or any OTC medication does nothing to touch my head aches either. If you can find a sleep aid that will help keep you asleep so you can get adequate rest that helps me a lot and make sure to stay really really hydrated all day. Good luck!

      1. How do you know if it’s migraines or headaches that you are having? Your idea of a hydration and sleep aid is a good one although I don’t want to try something for fear of side effects or habit forming. Have you been able to figure out what foods may be causing them?

    2. My migraines usually start in the afternoons or evenings and wear me out. I’ll sleep for some hours, then wake up from the pain, and it feels like a hangover but worse. I drink loads of water, too.

      The only things I can use to make me sleep are a small glass of red wine, or TheraFlu. I haven’t tried melatonin, but sister swears by it. I’m not brave enough to try it.

      1. Hangover is probably how I would describe my headaches too. Have doctors ever prescribed anything to ease the pain?

      2. Sorry for the late response! I am taking fiorocet as my emergency, but midrin worked too. It's just too expensive because only a few pharmacies can make it (at least that's what was explained to me).

    3. This is exactly the way my migraines always started. I would wake up with a dull headache about 3 am. I would always take an imitrex immediately . But sometimes I could not get on
      top of it and so it would progress to a more severe headache and nausea that wouldn't quit. In searching this site I came across one fellow's "Cure" - I checked with my neurologist and he let me take the same meds-
      Here is what I now take- a combination of nortryptyline and propranolol every day. I have
      taken both of these meds independently , to no effect. Somehow, taking them both, each day does the trick! I haven't had a migraine in 5 months of starting this regimen. I have never gone more than 2 weeks without a migraine before. It has been life changing.

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