Headache Management and Prevention

Headache Management and Prevention

• Stress Management Strategies: Promote techniques to manage stress and recognize triggers for headaches.

• Headache Diary: Encourage use of a headache diary to identify headache type and response to interventions.

• Hand Hygiene: Promote hand hygiene to prevent virus spread (symptoms similar to the common cold).

• Pain Management: Review both over-the-counter medications and herbal remedies for pain relief.

Headache Triggers

• Alcohol and Environmental Allergies: Possible triggers for headaches.

• Intense Odors and Bright Lights: Potential headache triggers.

• Medication Overuse: Excessive use of certain medications can trigger a headache.

• Fatigue, Sleep Deprivation, and Stress: Factors that can cause headaches.

• Emotional or Physical Stress: Stress is a significant headache trigger.

• Hormone Fluctuations: Hormonal changes (menstruation, birth control pills) can trigger headaches.

• Certain Foods: Avoid foods with tyramine, nitrites, or dairy for possible headache triggers.

Migraine Headaches

• Assessment: A thorough assessment considers photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, vomiting, stress, and unilateral pain.

• Health History: Important to investigate personal and family history concerning headache patterns.

• Activity of Daily Living (ADLs): Assess any alterations in ADLs lasting 4–72 hours related to headache.

• Classifications and Stages: Migraines are categorized and staged.

Migraine with Aura

• Prodromal Stage: Symptoms (irritability, cravings) that occur hours or days before the headache.

• Aura Stage: Neurologic symptoms (numbness, tingling, visual disturbances) develop over minutes to an hour.

• Second Stage: Severe, incapacitating throbbing headache, often with nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and vertigo.

• Third Stage: Headache is dull, pain and aura subside, muscle aches, and possible neck stiffness are common.

• Visual Migraine (Older Adults): Potential for aura without pain.

Migraine without Aura

• Characteristics: Pain is worse with physical activity; unilateral, pulsating pain; and/or photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, or vomiting may be present.

• Duration: Usually 4–72 hours. Often occurs in the morning, stressful periods, or premenstrual tension (fluid retention).

Other Migraine Types

• Status Migrainous: Lasts longer than 72 hours.

• Migrainous Infarction: Neurological symptoms persist for 7 days, neuroimaging indicates possible ischemic stroke.

• Atypical/Unclassified: Does not fit other criteria.

This quiz covers essential strategies for managing and preventing headaches, including identifying triggers and effective pain relief methods. Participants will explore stress management techniques, the importance of maintaining a headache diary, and the role of hand hygiene in reducing headache occurrences. A comprehensive understanding of headache triggers and management options will be emphasized.