Having headaches or migraines may not be as uncommon as you would think.
Almost 16% or a staggering 9 million South Africans suffer from headaches and migraines, research from the Headache Clinic suggests.
“Despite this fact many people still overlook regular headaches as serious health concern. This World Health Day we should focus on headaches and migraines,” says Dr. Elliot Shevel, a South African migraine surgery pioneer and the medical director of The Headache Clinic.
“As a society we do not pay enough attention to headaches and migraines and the impact it has on so many lives. Far too often it is considered to be something frivolous. Research further shows the figures are constant across all races, cultures and income groups. “Migraines do not discriminate,” Dr. Shevel says.
Tips to avoid getting headaches
Although the occurrence of headaches and migraines might be sporadic and out of a person’s control, there are a few things one can do to prevent it from occurring:
- Get enough sleep. Fatigue is a major trigger of headaches as well; aim to sleep seven or eight hours a night.
- Manage your stress. Responsibilities can be demanding, but by planning ahead, cutting out unnecessary stress and taking regular breaks one can decrease the risk of getting a headache.
- Avoid dehydration. The human brain is more than 75% water, and it is very sensitive to the amount of water available to it. Too little water can lead to migraines.
- Keep track of your headaches. This might be an important clue to determine whether you suffer from Chronic Daily Headaches (CDH). Click on this link for a diary to keep track of your headaches. https://www.headacheclinic.co.za/uploads/ftp/Free_assistance_forms/Migraine_Diary.pdf
- Don’t take too much medication. Medication is only appropriate for someone who suffers with headache a few times a month. If you are taking headache medication more than twice a week you are at risk of developing a Medication Overuse Headache. Follow the link to understand more on MOH. https://www.headacheclinic.co.za/pages/48
Getting professional help
“It is crucial that if your headaches persist, you should get to the root of the problem. The longer the headache persists, the more damage will be done to the underlying structures,” says Dr. Shevel.
There are so many different structures in the head, face and neck, all of which can be involved in the migraine process, that no single specialist can have all the knowledge necessary to make a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis and therefore a multi-disciplinary process is needed.
“For those patients who want to have healthier alternatives to medication, there are a number of non-drug breakthrough treatment options. These include bloodless ‘surgery’, minimally evasive arterial surgery, posture modifying technologies, Botox and trigger point therapy to name but a few.”
