WHY DO WE HAVE CRIPPLING HEADACHES

Headache, in general, refers to pain involving the head, which is above the level of the eyes and ears, and may extend to the back of the head (occipital) or involve the upper neck. Headache disorder is a condition wherein a person has recurrent headache episodes. Headache disorders are common, but often ignored and improperly treated with the patients subjecting themselves to self-medication. Timely management and consultation from a Neurologist can not only reduce the disability associated with the headache but also sometimes prevent disastrous consequences. Dr. Prashant Makhija, Renowned Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central talks about headache and how its non-specialist and self-medication treatment leads to "medication overuse headache".

Most of the time, a headache is self-treated, and isn’t properly clinically diagnosed. The resultant delay in diagnosis can complicate the management. In our country, headaches are often underestimated, under-recognized and improperly treated.

There are mostly two types of Headaches:

Primary Headache :

•         Occurs without any brain pathology

•         Accounts for the majority of headaches

•         Common Primary Headaches include stress-related /Tension-type headache and Migraine

•         It may present in an episodic manner or may be chronic, wherein a person has headaches on most days of the month for at least three months.

Secondary Headache :

•          Attributed to an underlying disorder of the brain.

•          May occur due to various brain disorders such as infection (Meningitis), bleeding inside the brain (hemorrhagic stroke) or due to a brain tumour which leads to increased pressure inside the brain.

Common Myths debunked:

•         High blood pressure is a common cause of headache: Hypertension is usually clinically silent, but if there is a sudden surge in blood pressure (accelerated/malignant hypertension), it can result in headache which mostly involves the back side of the head(occipital).

•         Eye power change is a common cause of headache: Refractive error may cause eye fatigue, but is unlikely a common cause of headache in adults.

•         Children do not have Migraine: While Migraine usually starts in adolescence or early adult life, it is not rare in children and as per some studies it may be seen in 9% of children.

•         Caffeine relieves headache: Caffeine in moderation helps, but excess can worsen the pain.

•         Migraine can cause visual impairment: Some Migraine attacks may be preceded by an aura, most likely visual, but is transient.

Treatment of Headache disorder involves evaluation by a Neurologist to determine the type and cause of headache. Management of Primary headache disorder, in general, involves a combination of lifestyle modification and judicious use of analgesics and prophylactic medications if the patient is having frequent Migraine headaches. While management of Secondary headache, apart from symptomatic management with analgesics, is directed towards treating the underlying brain disorder.

 For Appointment :Dr. Prashant Makhija, Renowned Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospital