Topics in Healthcare

The following information is provided to assist healthcare consumers in understanding the issues that surround topics of health. It is not the intention of these articles to provide an exhaustive review of the associated material but rather to serve as a general guidepost in developing an overall search for information. All information should be discussed with your physician or other healthcare provider in order to reach treatment decisions.

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Headaches: The Relentless Battle

We all have them. Pounding, tight sensations that may wake one from a sound sleep or worsen over a day full of tension and conflict. Research has found that 50% to 70% of all people have headaches. For most people headaches are a minor problem, but 10% to 12% of those who have headaches seek medical attention. It is estimated that 29 million Americans suffer from severe, disabling headache and that they spend $4 billion a year to alleviate it. Headaches may account for an additional $12 billion annually in such indirect costs as lost workdays, compensation, litigation, and quackery.

Although there are several classes of headache the most common are migraine and tension headaches. Migraine or vascular headaches are usually related to the constriction of small blood vessels in the head during the pre-headache phase followed by vascular dilation during the headache phase. Such headaches involve recurrent attacks of pain that may show a broad spectrum of effects ranging from simple restriction of activity to hospital admission. Muscle contraction or tension headaches are muscular in nature and involve extended tightness or tension in the muscles of the head, neck and shoulders. Usually starting in the back neck region the tightness moves forward to involve the entire head with sensations of a general constriction across the brow.

Individuals affected by migraine headaches may need to avoid foods which can trigger migraines such as: ripened cheeses, chocolate, vinegar, anything fermented, pickled, or marinated, sour cream, yogurt, fresh breads, nuts, peanut butter, onions, citrus foods, bananas, pizza, pork, and excessive tea or coffee. You may find a specific sensitivity to a food and need to remove that item from your diet. In determining such "triggers" keep a diary of foods and, when a headache occurs go back over the last 24 hours and review your diet.

For tension headaches it is critical that you try to attack the problem from both a physical and psychological directions. Loosening the tight muscles is a prime directive and can be accomplished through simple massage, use of vibrators, ice packs or stretching exercises. Simple physical exercise such as walking can greatly relieve tension headaches through muscle activity. From a psychological perspective you might examine the extent to which you focus on negative thought patterns and keep yourself in an aroused state of preparedness. Techniques such as guided imagery and hypnosis have demonstrated significant benefit in reducing both vascular and tension headaches. Biofeedback, particularly EMG and temperature modalities, have been shown to be effective in headache management.

When a headache hits, be flexible in your approach to management. Recognize that you may not be able to "power your way through" the pain. Use pain medication in an appropriate fashion. Overuse of such drugs can actually lead to an increase in headaches through a process known as "rebounding". Develop an manageable physical exercise program and sustain your motivation to remain active. Learn to talk with others about pressures in your life and seek medical attention if the headache has a sudden increase in pain or is more frequent. For more information about biofeedback, guided imagery and hypnosis please contact Dr. Wall by Clicking Here.

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