about once a month since my childhood i get an awful, slowly ramping headache that makes it unable for me to think or function. it seems to happen more when i'

about once a month since my childhood i get an awful, slowly ramping headache that makes it unable for me to think or function. it seems to happen more when i'm overweight, making me think it's blood pressure (BP) related, but then doing the valsalva maneuvre, which spikes BP, doesn't cause any problems at all. i've tried acetaminophen, even 1.2g of it, to no avail. it doesn't help. i've also tried every other remedy, such as curcumin, fire/ice locally, hot and cold showers, neck massages, working out muscles that may be involved in it, everything. nothing helps. except for ibuprofen. 400-600mg kills it every time. at least for me, there seems to be a definite difference, as ibuprofen can anecdotally help in some situations that acetaminophen can't. i wonder what exactly it can / can't treat and why.