Heading Off Headaches

Relaxation Techniques, Exercise and Medication Can Help

"It starts at the back of the head and moves up over the top of the head to the forehead. It feels like your head is being squeezed," says Laurie Kaczmarek, nurse practitioner at Kneibert Clinic.

Kaczmarek is describing one of the symptoms of tension headache.

"The most common headache with women is tension headache," she says.

According to the 2001 World Almanac & Book of Facts, headaches ranked No. 4 of the "Major Reasons Given By Patients For Emergency Room Visits in 1998," following stomach and abdominal pain, chest pain, and fever.

Cut Back the Tension
"When people get tense, they develop muscle tension," Kaczmarek says. "Frequently tension headaches are related to stress. I encourage my patients to try relaxation techniques."

Kaczmarek says she prescribes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin or Vioxx and/or a muscle relaxant on an as-needed basis for tension headache sufferers.

Gary Ward, D.O. at Kneibert Clinic, says sinus headaches are the second most common type of headache treated at the clinic.

"Sinus headaches are associated with sinus congestion and runny nose," he says. "They are usually treated with antibiotics and a decongestant and sometimes cortical steroids.

Ward says cluster and migraine headaches are more severe than sinus and tension-type headaches and that migraine headaches are more common than cluster headaches.

The intensity of pain in migraine and tension headaches, which can last for days, can vary, but the pain of cluster headaches, which often only last two or fewer hours, is always very intense.

According to the March 2000 issue of Prevention Magazine, "Not 'just a headache,' migraine is a complex disease that causes severe and often disabling head pain, usually located on one side of the head, often accompanied by nausea, light and noise sensitivity, dizziness, and other symptoms."

Migraines and Cluster Headaches
The article reports there is no known cure for migraine and states, "You certainly don't have to live with the pain," and urges migraine sufferers to see a doctor. Prevention estimates 28 million Americans -- 13 percent of the population, most of whom are women --suffer from migraines.

"Migraines are the most severe headache," Dr. Ward says. "Migraine headaches are usually one-sided and are associated with nausea and vomiting."

He says he usually prescribes an analgesic for migraine sufferers. He adds that prevention treatment includes beta blockers and calcium channel blockers.

"Cluster headaches frequently reoccur on almost a daily basis and affect men more than women," Dr. Ward says. "They are treated similar to migraine headaches."

Although headache types differ in severity and duration, they are often similar in prevention.

Preventing Headache Pain
According to Prevention Magazine, "Walking, jogging, swimming, or any form of aerobic exercise may help prevent migraine headaches. Exercise stimulates the body to release endorphins, which are brain chemicals that improve mood ... Sticking to a routine helps prevent a migraine ... Stress is one of the most common migraine triggers ... Progressive muscle relaxation can reduce or even stop migraine pain."

The article recommends meditation, yoga and guided imagery or "anything that takes your mind off your worries."

When Should You See a Doctor?
When should you see a doctor for a headache? According to the Nov. 2000 issue of Current Health, you should seek the services of a doctor if you are taking pain medication more than once a week to treat a headache.