August 2005

HEADS UP! - NEWS ABOUT HEADACHES

Headaches are a serious problem and a legitimate medical disorder.

When you get a headache, you're not the only one to suffer. Your headache pain can not only make life miserable for you, but it also can influence your interactions with your family, friends and coworkers.

Preventing and managing headache pain are important health goals.

A good place to start is by educating yourself about the type, or types, of headaches you may have and the factors that may contribute to their onset.


Headache Emergencies

Call your doctor if you have:

• A very sudden "thunderclap" headache.

• A sudden, severe headache unlike any you have had before.

• Headache with stiff neck, fever, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness or confusion.

• Headache with weakness, paralysis, numbness, visual disturbances, slurred speech, confusion, behavior changes or seizures.

• Headaches following a recent fall or blow to the head.

• Headaches with severe eye pain.

Source: Healthwise Handbook, a Self-Care
Guide For You. (If you are a BCBS
member, you can receive a free copy of
this book by calling 1-800-775-BLUE.)		  

TENSION-TYPE HEADACHES ARE THE MOST COMMON

This type of headache may be experienced by as many as 90 percent of adult, and may also be known as muscle contraction or stress headaches. They are usually associated with a dull, aching pain that affects both sides of the head.

Signs and Symptoms

 Tension headaches are most often characterized by a steady, not throbbing, pain affecting both sides of the head and tend to be mild to moderate in intensity. This headache may be accompanied by neck and shoulder pain, and often begins gradually, usually near midday. It may last anywhere from 30 minutes to several days, and may be accompanied by irritability, trouble concentrating, and sensitivity to noise and/or light.

Common triggers include stress, anxiety, depression or fatigue.

MIGRANE HEADACHES ARE LESS COMMON

 Affecting nearly 28 million Americans, migraines are the second most common type of headache. Women are affected three times as often as men, and the condition is most prevalent in individuals in their 30s or 40s. According to the Institute for Health and Productivity Management, migraine suffers cost employers more than $13 billion per year due to absence and lost productivity on the job. The vast majority (91 percent) of those who suffer from migraines report interference with their activities of daily living.

Signs and Symptoms

 fMigraines are usually characterized by moderate to severe pain, sometimes throbbing, often affecting only one side of the head. These headaches are usually accompanied by one or more of the following:
  • Blurred vision
  • Nausea, vomiting and upset stomach
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Extreme sensitivity to light and/or sound
Common triggers of migraine headache include stress at home or work, hormonal fluctuations, changes in sleep patterns/fatigue, certain foods or ingredients in foods and weather changes.

CLUSTER HEADACHES CAN BE THE MOST SEVERE

Fortunately, cluster headaches are relatively rare, affecting less than 1 percent of the U.S. population. They are most common in men. Cluster headaches occur in cyclical patterns or "clusters" – hence the name. Cluster periods may last from weeks to months, and the average sufferer has one or two cluster periods a year. During remission, no headaches may occur for months – or even years.

Signs and Symptoms

 Cluster headaches can strike quickly, without warning. Within minutes, excruciating pain can occur. The pain is usually described as sharp, penetrating or burning, and is most often one-sided, developing typically on the same side of the head throughout a cluster period. This headache type usually produces a response from the autonomic nervous system, sometimes causing additional symptoms including:
  • Stuffy or runny nose on the affected side of the face
  • Red, flushed face
  • Swelling around the eye on the affected side
  • Reduced pupil size
  • Drooping eyelid
Unlike tension or migraine headaches, cluster headaches generally aren't associated with triggers, such as foods, hormonal changes or stress. Some people with cluster headaches, however, are heavy drinkers, heavy cigarette smokers or individuals who also suffer from sleep apnea (a condition in which the walls of a person’s throat collapse momentarily, obstructing the sleepers breathing repeatedly during the night).

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF HEADACHES

 You should see your physician to accurately diagnose and suggest treatment for your headaches. Fortunately, during the last twenty years, medical research has identified new insights into prevention and pain management. This new understanding has led to advances in treatment, and relief for longtime headache sufferers.

You may also want to consider:
  • Taking steps to reduce emotional stress
  • Keeping a headache diary
  • Reducing physical stress by improving your sleep habits and by doing stretching exercises throughout the day
  • Exercising regularly

The information contained in this newsletter is not intended to replace the advice of your healthcare provider. If you have any questions about managing your health and/or seeking medical care, please contact a medical professional.
Read our privacy policy. ™, ® Kellogg Company, ©2005 Kellogg Company. Legal notices.