Unilateral headaches or what is more commonly known as headaches on one side of the head can affect many people, and in order to combat the pain they resort to taking analgesic pills to relieve the symptoms. Most people usually perceive unilateral headaches as “Migraines” which they are not and this misunderstanding will mean that they will buy over the counter medication which may prove to be harmful as well as have some adverse side effects.
“Most headache sufferers told their doctor that they are having Migraines. Most of them self diagnose and self medicate. And most of them don't have Migraines” says Dr. Utain Boonorana, Neurologist at BNH Hospital.
“It’s really not that easy to have a Migraine, and before jumping to conclusions the best way to determine whether or not you actually have one is to go through a checklist with some simple questions
• Does your headache last over night?
• Does the pain from your headache spread to the back of the neck and shoulders?
• Do you have nausea only when you have a severe headache?
• Are you a person for whom Paracetamol does not help in relieving your headache?
If you answered “Yes” to more than two questions, you may not be suffering from Migraine headaches and none of the questions above are related to Migraine.”
First of all, patients need to understand that most headaches are caused by many factors, but the problem is that patients prefer to self diagnose often incorrectly take the wrong type of medication, and some may use medication for Migraine when they do not have one. More importantly, medication may be a contributory factor in increasing the chances of having Migraines in the future including risks in drug resistance and need to use stronger type of medication to stop the pain.
The type of headache you have can be identified by referring to medical records and asking the right questions. This will allow a specialist to obtain a clear picture based on answers received together with the results from CT scans, MRI or blood tests.
Dr. Utainsaid that most headaches could be treated using analgesics to relieve pain. But if the symptoms persist with rashes, pain and tightness in the neck area, weakness in arms and legs, unclear speech, or any brain dysfunction, it is advisable to visit a doctor for prompt treatment. Treatment approaches start from taking medication, behavioral treatment, physical therapy, local injection, or using technologies in the treatment.
“Most people who suffer with headaches usually ignore the treatment and do not know that chronic headaches and the pain associated with them make their quality of life much worse and can cause brain degeneration when getting older and may lead to an increased chance of suffering from Alzeimer’s in later years.” Dr. Utain added.
For patients with headaches, Migraines, or suspected of having some kind of neurological disorder, the neurology specialists at the Neurology Clinic at BNH Hospital are there to provide expert medical consultation and advice offering treatments options which will alleviate the pain, so that you can remember what it’s like to lead a stress free and normal life again where those troublesome headaches become a thing of the past.
.png){kind=icon}
