The-Accountant-Jul-Aug-2016

HEALTH
ruptures with bleeding in or around
the brain, medications to treat other
disorders, meningitis, (inflammation of
the membranes and fluid surrounding
your brain and spinal cord)
• Spinal headaches (caused by low
pressure or volume of cerebrospinal
fluid, possibly the result of spontaneous
cerebrospinal fluid leak, spinal tap or
spinal anesthesia)
• Thunderclap headaches (a group of
disorders that involves sudden, severe
headaches with multiple causes)
Meanwhile Tylenol.com says that
with so much going on, it can be difficult
to avoid headaches, but there are a few
common and unexpected things you can
learn to avoid and prevent pain in the
future. Tylenol.com also lists 10 most
common headache triggers as: food
sensitivities, which could include, caffeine,
chocolate, alcohol, cheese and aspartame
among others. Hormones like estrogen
drops, posture, lack of exercise, some
medications. Your eating and sleeping
patterns also have to be right. You should
try to have calming and gentle music.
Also avoid glare, from the sun, computers,
overhead lights, etc, Avoid anxiety as
stress can take a toll on you. They advise
that you breathe, relax and take a stroll.
Most importantly, it is important to know
what works for you and what does not.
This can help you avoid headaches in the
future. In order to determine what works
for you, you need to experiment.
Who is at Risk? MeMD explains that
tension headaches are caused by muscle
contractions brought on by a variety
of factors, especially stress, anxiety and
depression. Other variables include
excessive alcohol, caffeine or tobacco use,
cold or flu, nasal or sinus congestion and
strained eyes. Risk factors for migraines
include family history, age, gender (women
are more likely to be migraine sufferers)
and hormonal variations. Women are also
more likely to suffer tension headaches
than men. While cluster headaches affect
only a small percentage of the population,
most cluster-headache sufferers are men,
and smoking, alcohol use and specific
foods can trigger a cluster headache.
How often do headaches
occur?
Pub med reveals that 14.2% of US adults
18 or older reported having migraine
or severe headache in the previous 3
months in the 2012 NHIS. The overall
age-adjusted 3-month
prevalence of migraine
in females was 19.1%
and in males 9.0%, but
varied substantially
depending on age. The
prevalence of migraine
was highest in females
18-44, where the
3-month prevalence
of migraine or severe
headache was 23.5%.
The 3-month prevalence
of migraine or severe
headache has remained
relatively stable over
the period of 2005-
2012, with an average
prevalence of 20.2%
in females, 9.4% in
males, and 14.9% overall
[corrected].During
this time, the average
female to male sex ratio
for migraine or severe
headache was 2.17.
Key facts from
WHO
• Headache disorders are
among the most common
disorders of the nervous
system.
• It has been estimated
that almost half of the
adult population have had
a headache at least once
within the last year.
• Headache disorders,
which are characterized
by recurrent headache, are
associated with personal
and societal burdens of pain,
disability, damaged quality
of life, and financial cost.
• Worldwide, a minority
of people with headache
disorders are diagnosed
appropriately by a healthcare
provider.
• Headache has been
underestimated, underrecognized
and undertreated
throughout the
world.
To deal with headache, Wiki
advises the following;
Health Tips
Know when to seek medical
assistance immediately; Use
caffeine carefully - it can be
a double-edged sword; Drink
plenty of water; Find a quiet, dark
place to take a break; Practice
progressive muscle relaxation;
Use a cool compress; massage
your face and scalp; Massage
your neck and shoulders; Do
neck exercises; Use acupressure
techniques; Practice relaxation
techniques; Use breathing
exercises; Get plenty of sleep.
Having good “sleep hygiene”
getting plenty of good quality
sleep can help you feel better
generally and can reduce
headache occurrences. Adults
should get at least 7-8 hours
of sleep each night. If you have
trouble sleeping, try some of
the following techniques: Limit
your “screen time” before bed,
only use your bed for sleep
and intimacy, limit caffeine
consumption in the later part
of the day and begin dimming
the lights and giving yourself
time to “wind down” before
preparing for bed. Change your
diet; although this won’t alleviate
your headache straight away,
making dietary changes in the
longer term can potentially
remove a source of headaches
for you in the future. If you don’t
know where to begin, see your
doctor or a dietician/nutritionist.
Quit smoking, Prevent an allergy
or food-induced headache by
knowing your triggers. Prevent
other headaches by changing
your personal care routine.
42 JULY - AUGUST 2016