Headache and migraine - what to do
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from December 1999.
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There still exists societies, as well as individuals, who honestly believe that the endurance of relatively short periods of pain can build character by instilling confidence. There is, however, general agreement that protracted pain destroys the very quality of life.
Headache is the most common cause of discomfort and pain. Most physicians, chiropractors and health care practitioners, will tell you that headache ranks with low back pain, as the most common complaint. Everyone has a headache at one time or another. Most are relatively minor, and can be effectively treated with over-the-counter pain medication.
However an estimated 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches, headaches serious enough to interfere with daily life.
Tension
The headache you describe falls into this category and is the most common type.
Just as you describe it, tension headache usually creates a steady squeezing or pressing on both sides of the head. It feels as if a band is being tightened around your head.
Tension headaches can only occur occasionally or they can be chronic (last a long time or recurring often). They can last from one-half an hour, to several days. They often occur upon waking, the first thing prior to getting ready to go to work.
Migraine
On the other hand, migraine is a quite different type of headache. In the U.S.A. it affects about 20 percent of women and although it has been considered to be limited to women, it does indeed affect as many as about 8 percent of men. Although many people believe that they suffer from migraine, most headaches that people get are not migraine.
Migraine is a severe throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head. It may occur with other symptoms, such as nausea, and sensitivity to light and noise. Migraine attacks occur occasionally - once or twice a week, or sometimes every few years. They do not typically happen every day.
There are two types of migraine headaches - "migraine with aura" and "migraine without aura". An aura is a symptom that usually occurs 10-30 minutes before a migraine attack. During an aura, the person may see lines or flashing lights. They may temporarily lose vision, or have speech problems, or even tingling in the face or the hands.
People who have migraines without aura may have symptoms that include mood changes, fatigue, diarrhoea, increased urination, and nausea.
Headache Triggers
You may recognise that certain factors set off a headache. These include: * Diet - Alcoholic beverages, caffeine and such foods as chocolate, yoghurt, aged cheese, red wine, smoked fish, and MSG as additive.
Eating and Sleeping patters - Fasting or skipping meals, getting too much, or too little sleep, or not drinking enough water.
Emotions stress, anxiety, excitement or anger
Medication especially those used to ameliorate chest pain (angina) and high blood pressure Environment
Things in your workplace and home, including bright lights: noise; eyestrain; and inhaling substances such as petrol, insecticides, or cleaning agents. For women one main trigger, is a change in the body's level of hormones.
Headaches will more often occur around the menstrual periods or during pregnancy. Using oral contraceptives (birth control pills) which change the level of hormones in the body can also be the reason for headaches.
Headaches are at times the result of sinus or dental problems. An Allergy or a cold is often accompanied by headache.
Pain Control
Once you have determined what it is that riggers the headache, control can be achieved by a few lifestyle changes.
Most tension headaches are relieved by taking over-the-counter pain relieves such as Aspirin, Tylenol, or ibuprofen. However, avoid taking the medications daily or even almost every day. Heavy use of such medications will interfere with the body's own system for fighting pain. This can lead to a condition known as "rebound headache".
Migraines can sometimes be relieved with ice packs, or by putting pressure on the temple on the painful side of the head. If over-the-counter medications as recommended by your friendly pharmacist, don't work a visit to your doctor is in order. There has been a breakthrough in the treatment of this disorder, and your physician may prescribe some of the newest medication which can almost immediacy get rid of the headache, and another type of medicine that can often prevent the headache from even occurring.
Finally
Headaches are a common problem and are usually not a sign of a serious medical condition.
Most people get headaches at some stage and are able to treat them with over-the-counter medicine, without prescription. Limiting stress, avoiding triggers as much as possible and very important, getting regular exercise can help keep headaches under control.
If, however, your pain becomes more severe than usual and if you have a stiff neck along with fever, or if you become confused, dizzy and weak, an immediate trip to the Emergency (Casualty) room is in order. "Your Good Health" extends congratulations to an addicted reader of this column, Pam Williams. In a little less than two months she had two (2) holes-in-one. This remarkable feat assures her a well-deserved place in the annals of Golf of the Cayman Islands. She continues to attribute her success to her continued intake of high fibre as recommended by "Your Good Health" Pam, in the words of the immortal Ancient Mariner, we can only hope that "the wind at your back will always be your own." Send your queries to "Your Good Health", P.O. Box 30886 SMB.
