The International Headache Society with an initial classification of 13 categories of headaches dating back to 1988 has since evolved to a current mind blowing figure of one 150 diagnostic headache categories. People who suffer from headaches are mostly women but a great number of children and adolescents also suffer, 70% and 20% respectively. Since sufferers are mainly within the age range of 15 to 35 years there is a cause for concern since it takes away productive days from work and school.

In the United States it is estimated that 157 million work days per annum are lost due to headaches.

Hence the question is should we address the health economics of this condition though not life-threatening but negatively impacting on growth and development as a country and more so a family unit?

Generally, when pre-existing medical conditions cause headaches it is referred to as a “secondary” headache for example, headaches due to sinus, hormone, trauma, injury or a tumour. You are encouraged to see a doctor to if you experience headaches due to the latter three (3) conditions which could be serious.

However, with regards to “primary” headaches where there is no underlying condition causing the headaches research shows some link with triggers such as heat, noise, light, strong chemical fragrances, stress and certain foods (cheese, wine, chocolate and some citrus fruits) precipitating this type. This is basically the case for migraine headache but there are tension headache and cluster headache which are other primary headaches.

Tension headache is probably the most common and is due to tension or emotional stress at home, work or school. Additionally other factors which cause a tension headache are skipping meals, poor posture for example when working at the computer, depression and excessive use of medications.

With regards to migraine, research indicates that 60% of candidates for these types of episodes are within the age range of 15 -35 years. About a quarter of these sufferers experience what is called an “aura” which are visual disturbances. Nausea or vomiting or sensitivity to sound may be experienced by those persons who do not experience the aura.

How do you differentiate between migraine and the others?
The table below summarises the differences among migraine, cluster headache and tension headache.

Treatment
Depending on the type of headache the treatment will vary. If the headache is a secondary one then treatment will include medications for the pre-existing condition like anti-histamine for sinus conditions, anti-depressants for depression associated illness, beta blockers or calcium channel blockers which are associated with blood flow, all of which must be prescribed by a doctor.

However, there are over the counter formulations which can be used successfully once the pharmacist asks the appropriate questions. These preparations have a lowered strength of ingredients and hence they are very safe hence the approval by the Food and Drugs Authority as over the counter drugs.

It is NOT recommended that you administer aspirin to children under 12 years of age for any type of pain. Additionally if your child suffers from asthma, has a bleeding disorder or just had or about to have surgery (dental or otherwise) do not administer aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin are brand names) or naproxen (Aleve is the brand name). 

Dietary modifications (avoid those foods which trigger headache such as cheese, wines, and chocolates), relaxation (at least 8 hours of sleep), hydration (6 to 8 glasses of water) and exercise are all in the package for recovery from headache.

Other non medication ways to treat headaches are yoga and some herbal remedy (feverfew), acupuncture and hypnosis.

In conclusion, treating headaches appropriately can have a positive global effect on productivity by reducing days lost from work, school and family since persons affected are within the productive age range. It can also reduce complications and visits to the emergency rooms by stopping inappropriate treatment especially for children. A comprehensive approach including medication and lifestyle modifications is best recommended to dealing with headaches.

For further information please call the pharmacist at Medicine Express located at 223 Camp Street, between Lamaha and New Market Streets. If you have any queries, comments or further information on the above topic kindly forward them to medicine.express@gmail.com or send them to 223 Camp Street, N/burg. Tel #225-5142.