Headaches and Migraines

Headaches and Migraines

https://www.integrativepaininstitute.com/services/migraineheadache

Migraine headaches are all too common in the world today. Statistics show that they affect over 35 million Americans. Additionally, women are much more likely to migraine symptoms than men. Studies estimate that 18 percent of women and six percent of men experience migraine headaches during any given year. The peak age to experience a migraine is 35 to 45, after which your risk of a migraine begins to decline. 

What’s worse – 60 to 70 percent of people with migraines have never been diagnosed. This means that a majority of the people aren’t getting the migraine treatment they need to find relief. This might be because there is no single test to diagnose someone with a migraine. To make the diagnosis, your doctor relies on the description of your symptoms.

When preparing for your visit for migraine symptoms, remember to bring information on the duration of your headache, the location of the headache, any medications you take for migraine pain relief, and what you think your triggers might be for the headaches.

Headaches are a widespread problem across the United States, with over 45 million people claiming to suffer from chronic headaches. In general, most people experience a combination of neck and shoulder pain that spreads throughout the head and face. People with cluster headaches might experience:

• Severe pain
• Sharp and short headaches
• Pain on one side of the face
• Runny nose and watery eyes

However, if a person is experiencing a migraine, they might experience:

• One sided headaches
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to sounds
• Nausea or vomiting

While most headaches aren’t an indication of a serious problem, some can actually be a sign that you have a dangerous medical condition. That’s why it’s so important to see a doctor when your headache doesn’t go away with normal pain medication. There are a number of emergency medical disorders that could be causing a headache, including:

• A brain aneurysm
• Bleeding of the brain
• Trauma
• Infection
• Blood vessel problems
• Encephalitis
• Meningitis
• Tumors
• Structural problems

By performing a CT scan or MRI of the brain we can rule out most causes of dangerous headaches.  Our Doctors are skilled at creating a treatment plan to alleviate pain, restore function and optimize health.  https://www.integrativepaininstitute.com/provider/neil-verma-md.  Schedule an appointment now at 972-290-1507.  

Author

Neil Verma, MD Chief Medical Officer - *The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinions of the author. Information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Should you need medical advice, see your physician.