I have a headache kinda starting the minute I lay my head on the pillow every nite. Some nites I can actually feel my blood vessels in the back of my head start to throb and pulse right away. Its strange because I can be totally fine all the day and the minute I have alittle pressure on the back of my head/neck it starts. This is every nite unless I am taking some kind of meds that knock me out. I have imtrex if really bad but you can't take it every nite and that would help me to start sleep but I would still wake in the middle of the night really bad. Anyone???? I have looked here about people waking with headaches but not just because they're head hit the pillow???? Strange? I am worn out, so any help would be great. I have had an MRI and it looked ok, so I am told and my neuro just gives me more meds but this just doens't seem right to me?

I also get headaches when I lay down. I can not lay on the right side of my head and the right back of my head, I will instantly get a headache. I went to a neurologist and then had a Mri OF THE BRAIN, TURNED OUT o.K. After months of going to the doctor, he finally had X-Rays of my neck and cervical spine, then another Mri OF THE NECK AND CERVICAL SPINE. tHIS TIME IT SHOWED THAT I HAVE ARTHRITIS OF THE NECK AND CERVICAL SPINE. The only thing that helped with the headaches was Ibuprofen 800MG. Now I am on Cymbalta and Neurontin and also I still take the ibuprofen when I need too. The combination of these meds has helped a lot, but has not completely taken the headaches away. I don't get them on a regular basis anymore and now live a much better quality of life. I know what you are going thru, it took me 8 years of trying to find out what the problem is. Also, I have fibromyalgia, which does not help, but I don't think that that was the cause of the headaches, I am sure it is the arthritis of the cervical spine and neck.

You described my syptoms EXACTLY. Do not know what to do as "quality of life" is getting dimmer since sleep is regularly disturbed. I would sincerely appreciate any good advice you receive.