HEADACHES DEALING WITH

The bad news: headaches are common and lots of people in the UK suffer from them regularly. The good news: they’re often easily treated…

For many, headaches are rare, but for some they’re a fact of life. As with any pain, a headache is your body telling you that something isn’t right, and while the problem may go away on its own, there’s also a chance it may not. If you’re regularly suffering from headaches, you need to take action, as there could be an underlying cause. Besides – why suffer pain when you don’t have to?

TREATMENT & PREVENTION

■ Keep hydrated and avoid skipping meals. Drink two litres of water daily and eat lots of fruit and vegetables.

■ Alcohol dehydrates you so drinking can lead to a nasty headache. When drinking, take it slowly and intersperse

Types Of Headache

There are lots of types, but here are the usual suspects:

Tension Headaches

■ The most common form.

■ Feels like a dull ache with constant pressure on the front, top or side of the head.

■ Caused by stress, excess alcohol, lack of sleep, poor diet, dehydration, anxiety, squinting, inactivity, poor posture, bright sunlight, women having their period and/or depression.

Migraines

■ Less common.

■ Recurrent and disabling.

■ A pounding or throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head.

■ Best treated by avoiding the common triggers, such as cheese, chocolate, coffee/tea, alcohol, soy/ MSG, ice creams, processed meats and artificial sweeteners.

Secondary Headaches

■ Occur because of external influences, such as too much alcohol, suffering a head injury or concussion, having a cold/flu or an allergic reaction.

drinks with lots of water.

■ If you’re stressed, try to identify the trigger. Fixing the underlying cause could save you more headaches.

■ Try to get around eight hours’ sleep. A headache can be a sign that you need more rest.

■ If you think your headaches are due to depression or anxiety, talk to a friend, Student Services or your GP.

■ Migraines can be treated with medication – early treatment helps prevent the headache from escalating.