Headache – Something That You Shouldn’t Ignore!

Headache is a common clinical presentation in the neurological OPD. It can be a result of various reasons – stress lifestyle, pregnancy, poor eyesight, etc. When we have a patient with predominant symptoms of headache we first take the detailed history and then a focused neurological examination. However we have also observed that headache is one of the most common issues for which patients resort to self medication. They often ignore prolonged headaches and consult specialists when the situation becomes a lifestyle issue.

Points that you should consider:

If you are experiencing throbbing pain light or sound sensitivity you should be aware that you might be suffering from a type of secondary or primary headache complication. Study the following and pay attention o the following aspects:

• Headache Severity,
• Duration of the Headache
• Reasons for the headache according
• Character and location of pain
• Associated symptoms and pattern of headache

It is also recommended that you maintain a headache diary recording and documenting the above mentioned.

Situations when you should be careful:

If you are in any of the following situations, it is advised that you consult a specialist – A Neurologist – at the earliest. The common situations are:

• Headaches during pregnancy: They could be because of the hormonal changes in your body. They are a manifestation of tension type headaches. Don’t self medicate with heavy over the counter medication.
• Headaches due to stress: This is due to stress, tension and mental pressure. It is important that you meet a neurologist and a psychologist to help you calm yourself don in trigger situations.
• Headaches & sight doubling: If you are experiencing the same then you should not ignore your symptoms. A double vision could be because of an eye sight issue or a complicated situation such as a brain tumour.
• Headaches & insomnia: If you can’t sleep due to the throbbing pain in your head and are facing concentration issues, it’s best you discuss your situation with a specialist.

Prevention is best! Hence the take home message is to consult specialists at the right time, assist in early detection and timely treatment.