HEADACHE – TREATMENT AND PREVENTION

Headache is usually a benign symptom but it can be the manifestation of serious illness such as brain haemorrhage, brain tumour or brain infection. Approximately 5% of patients with headache are found to have a serious underlying neurological disorder.

Warning Symptoms/ When to get CT/MRI Brain

• Acute severe & progressive headache.
• New onset headache in adult life (>40 years)
• Headache associated with fever, nausea, vomiting, vision disturbances, confusion, seizure, neck pain, limb weakness or worsens with posture and movements.
• Nocturnal occurrence or morning awakening.
• Headache not responding to treatment

Migraine: Most common form of headache, more common in females

• Episodic, throbbing
• Unilateral or bilateral
• Nausea, vomiting
• Photophobia, Phonophobia
• Positive family history
• Increased during menses, hunger, lack of sleep, glare, coffee, red wine, perfumes and stress
• Relieved by sleep
• Treatable with very few medicines

Prevention:-

• Visit to neurologist if any above symptoms or warning symptoms.
• Proper hydration.
• Avoid Stress.
• Do not take pain killers/analgesics by your own as it leads to increase in headache frequency.
• Proper treatment of hypertension.

Dr Gourav Jain, MD, DM Neurology (PGI Chandigarh)
Consultant, Neurologist