Headache and Migraine

IMG_8459.JPG

 

Headaches are common and affect almost everyone at some point in their life.

In Headache & Migraine Awareness Week, 11-16 September 2017, Headache Australia, a national charitable organisation dedicated to advocacy, research and education, want to develop greater public awareness of headache disorders. Headache Australia, a division of the Brain Foundation (http://headacheaustralia.org.au), is the only Australian organisation that aims to support the more than 5 million Australians affected by headache and migraine.

There are different types of headaches and it is possible for someone to have more than one type of headache. Common types of headaches include:

  •   tension headache - usually affects both sides of the head and may feel like a tight band across the forehead
  •   sinus headache - can make your forehead, eyes and cheeks feel painful and tender due to blocked sinuses (the spaces between the bones of your face)
  •   migraine headache – a severe headache that usually throbs. It often affects only one side of the head, but it can spread to both sides.

Key triggers for headache include:

  •  missing meals
  •  dehydration
  •  stress
  •  alcohol
  •  hormonal changes in women  high blood pressure
  •  caffeine withdrawal
  •  exposure to certain toxins.

Most headaches are harmless and respond to simple treatment measures such as:

  •  waiting for the headache to go away  drinking extra water
  •  rest or sleep
  •  simple painkillers such as paracetamol  ibuprofen
  •  a dark quiet environment.

Occasionally a headache can be a symptom of a serious illness. Doctors and pharmacists can help find the cause of a headache and advise you on treatment options.

Tips for headache prevention:

  • keep hydrated - drink water throughout the day.  Eat a balanced diet with regular meals daily.
  • moderate regular exercise.
  •  get plenty of sleep.
  •  avoid drinking alcohol.
  •  limit caffeine intake to 1–2 cups per day.

Migraines can be hereditary. A migraine may last from 4 to 72 hours. Migraines affect about 1 in 4 women and about 1 in 12 men and commonly start in childhood or during young adulthood.

Common symptoms of migraine include:

  •   nausea
  •   vomiting
  •   sensitivity to light, noise and smell
  •   sometimes an aura (e.g. flashing lights, blurred vision, tingling or numbness) up to an hour before the pain starts.

Migraine triggers are very individual, but common causes include:

  •   fatigue
  •   foods - like chocolate, citrus fruit, red wine, aged
  •  cheese and monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  •   environmental factors - e.g. flickering light, motion, loud sounds, strong odours.

To treat recurring migraine, you may need specific pain-relief medicines which your doctor can prescribe for treatment and prevention.

    In addition if you get headaches or migraines often keep a food and headache diary - to work out what the triggers are, so you know what to avoid. Headache Australia (http://headacheaustralia.org.au) can provide support and links to the headache diary. You can join the National Headache Register if you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines. This gives you access to current headache research and information.

    Your local pharmacy can help as well. Pharmacists are medicines experts.

    If you have a headache that has lasted for a long time or you don’t regularly get headaches, speak to your Jamie, Que or Kae or your doctor.

     

    Gia Cecchele