June 4th kicks off National Headache Awareness Week. National Headache Awareness Week started back in the late 1980s, but after years of championing to pass legislation making it an official government awareness week, efforts were unsuccessful. That hasn’t stopped The National Headache Foundation from raising awareness each June.
Headaches are part of life, but they can also be warning signs of some chronic health conditions. When your mom has frequent headaches that keep her from her normal routines, should you worry? Here are a few things to consider and how elder care can help.
What Are the Different Types of Headaches?
There are many types of headaches, and some are common and painful but not anything to worry about. Others can be more concerning and get your mom to at least call her doctor.
- Allergy Headaches: Usually seasonal and tied to allergies to pollen from trees, grass, and flowers. They’re usually treated with allergy medications.
- Aneurysms: Cluster headaches and migraines may be how an aneurysm headache begins, followed by a splitting headache, double vision, and neck tension. Seek medical care as they’re often linked to high blood pressure and are best treated before there’s a rupture.
- Caffeine-Withdrawal Headache: A throbbing headache that can last several days after drinking a lot of coffee or other caffeinated beverages. The only treatment is to stop or limit caffeine intake.
- Cervicogenic Headache: Arthritis in the upper spine causes a headache with pain behind the eyes and tension in the neck and shoulders. It can also come with sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and blurred vision. A doctor needs to diagnose this one and offer treatment options that address the arthritis.
- Chronic Headaches: Generalized headaches that occur at least half of the month and can last hours each time. Talking to a doctor can help rule out causes to determine the best treatment plan.
- Chronic Migraine: Like a chronic headache, a chronic migraine occurs more than 15 days per month. To be diagnosed, your mom will need to experience them for at least three months. Medications like Botox are often used for chronic migraines.
- Eyestrain: When your eyes are strained due to uncorrected vision, eyestrain headaches can occur. Going for an eye exam and wearing glasses or contacts to correct your vision stops them.
- Giant Cell Arteritis: This form of headache rarely occurs in people under the age of 50. The headache is noticeable when chewing and is frequently located around the ear. It can be tied to vascular disease and needs medical treatment.
- Hunger Headaches: If your mom is having headaches before meals, it’s likely a hunger headache and is caused by low blood sugar. Eating a meal should help it go away. If she has diabetes, she needs to monitor her blood sugar levels regularly and make sure she’s eating properly.
- Hypertension Headaches: If your mom has high blood pressure, she may experience headaches tied to her blood pressure increasing. Make sure she’s taking her blood pressure medications.
- Tension Headaches: Tension headaches present with dull pain that often appears with a feeling of tightness in the scalp and neck. They’re tied to stress and de-stressing is the best treatment.
Many Headaches Just Require Rest and Over-the-Counter Pain Medications
Most headaches will go away with rest and medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. If you ever have concerns, it’s better to talk to your mom’s doctor for guidance. She may simply need to slow down and have others help with some of her daily tasks.
Elder care services are the best way to support your mom when she gets migraines or headaches that slow her down. Let her elder care aides keep the home clean of dust, dander, and other allergens. Her caregivers can also help her out with meal preparation, errands, and many other services you can arrange by calling a home care agency.
Sources:
https://headaches.org/the-journey-from-headache-week-to-migraine-and-headache-awareness-month/
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Arlington, TX, please contact the caring staff at Clear Path Home Care today. Call (817) 631-7710
Clear Path Home Care provides compassionate, high quality home care in Parker County, Tarrant County, Johnson County, Hood County, Somervell County, Erath County, Bosque County and Hamilton County in Texas.
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