HEADACHE, MIGRAINE | Why does my head hurt and how to avoid it?

Almost half of Spaniards experience headaches from time to time, which can sometimes be a daily pain and a real nightmare. According to Dr. Lucia Vidorreta Ballesteros, coordinator of the headache department at the Quironsalud San Jose Hospital, this discomfort can sometimes end with some changes in lifestyle habits, as well as a holistic approach and careful attention to each type of headache.

Headaches include tension headache, migraine or migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, Arnold’s neuralgia or occipital neuralgia, continuous or paroxysmal hemicrania, cluster headache, exercise headache, hypnic or nocturnal, post-coital or post-COVID headache.

The vast majority of pain is primary, but in some cases pain is secondary to another pathology (hypertension, vascular malformations, intracranial hemorrhage, trauma, brain tumors, infections). For this reason, a complete history and neurological examination are always necessary, and sometimes also vascular studies (Doppler ultrasound) and/or imaging studies (MRI, cranial-cervical CT).

Why does my head hurt?

There are many myths about headaches, but Dr. Ballesteros assures that “there is clearly a role in lifestyle” because, given the predisposition to headaches, certain factors can act as triggers or aggravate headache attacks, such as: stress, anxiety . , poor night sleep, smoking or drinking alcohol, hormonal imbalance, obesity and painkiller abuse.

Over the years, there have been attempts to link the consumption of several foods/drinks to the occurrence of headache attacks, but more and more scientific evidence is emerging that rejects restrictive diets altogether. What seems more correct is that, in particular, some patients may have certain foods or compounds that contribute to the pain.

Likewise, a calendar or record of headache days can help identify exceptional situations in which food consumed in the 24 hours before the attack may have served as a trigger. Only in these cases can you try to reduce or limit your consumption.

How to avoid headaches

In general terms, the ideal is to promote a balanced and varied diet rich in omega-3s and antioxidants, avoiding excess sugar and fast foods and processed foods.

On the other hand, there is a close relationship between sleep and headaches (particularly migraines, but also tension headaches) as they are complex phenomena in which attacks of pain can be both caused and alleviated by sleep. The expert notes that “there is a delicate balance between both aspects” since “lack of sleep can cause pain the next day and make it chronic over time, but so can too much sleep.”

It is hypothesized that a migraine attack may be an extreme and abnormal compensatory response of this system attempting to restore balance.

“It is clear that maintaining a balanced sleep-wake cycle can reduce pain attacks. Sleep hygiene is important: maintaining a regular schedule, avoiding sleeping late, creating a calm environment for rest, and avoiding irritants (electronic devices, artificial light sources, energy drinks, caffeine) before bed. All of these can promote regular, restful sleep,” says Dr. Ballesteros.

Thus, the expert concludes that “a patient who is aware of his headache type and everything that positively or negatively affects his daily life is an empowered patient who, with the help of a specialist, has many opportunities to clip the wings of his headache.” “.