Sample of Headache Program Educational Information
YOU MAY HAVE A MIGRAINE WITH AND WITHOUT AURA TYPE OF HEADACHE
Many people get migraine headaches. The pain can be acute or severe. People with migraine feel as if their heads are beating — sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly. Most of the time the headache pain is on one side of the head, but one-third of people who suffer from migraine headaches feel pain on both sides. The pain often gets worse when a person moves around. Many people get sick to their stomachs or vomit. They are equally upset by light, sounds, odors, or touch. Bad migraines can make people want to remain still in a dark and quiet room, and they can keep people from living normal lives.
Some people get a message from their body that a migraine is approaching. It may become difficult for them to see, walk, or talk. Sometimes people feel dizzy or numb before a migraine begins. Doctors call these signs of an approaching migraine headache auras. If you are having these symptoms, tell your doctor right away.
We suggest you go visit a doctor about your headaches.
THINGS THAT MAY CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR HEADACHES
The following may be risk factors for your headaches:
• Computer use greater than four hours a day.
• Use of artificial sweeteners.
• Drinking caffeinated beverages.
• Drinking alcohol.
• Medications you take daily or almost daily.
YOUR OPINION OF WHAT CAUSES YOUR HEADACHES
You thought the following may be the cause(s) of your headaches:
• Food.
Foods like oranges, cheese, smoky, or salty foods, almonds, pickles, peanuts and drinks with alcohol can give you a headache. Some things added to the drinks, like caffeine in coffee and sodas, can sometimes make a headache go away. Using coffee or sodas every day to make your headaches go away may make the headaches come back more often and hurt much worse.
The good news is that if you stop using food or drinks that give you headaches, the headaches may stop. The best way to know if food or drinks give you a headache is to write on a piece of paper what you ate on the days you get a headache. Take this paper to a doctor so the doctor can check if the food or drinks you used make you get headaches.
Source: Schneider WJ, Furth PA, Blalock TH, et al. A pilot study of a headache program in the workplace: The effect of education. J Occup Envir Med 1999; 41:202-209.
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