There it is again — the endless pounding, the dull ache, the sharp pain on one side or a debilitating migraine stepping in to ruin your day.
For some, headaches seem to be a regular part of life, a nagging pain they wish would go away. For others, headaches can completely take them out of their daily life — missing school, calling in sick to work or canceling on friends and family while they ache alone.
Here’s the good news: Care for headaches has advanced. Working hand in hand with patients, doctors have shown that a personalized mix of treatments, ranging from simple lifestyle changes to highly personalized medicine regimens, can reduce the number of headaches wreaking havoc in your life. And on-demand care is helping patients find relief sooner.
“While headaches may be common, you don’t have to suffer in silence,” says Dr. Meredith Vinger-Roach, an internal medicine physician and the medical director of the Virtual Headache Care Program at Baylor Scott & White Health. “We can help — and we want to help.”
Types of headaches
While there are many different types of headaches, the four most commonly seen are:
- Sinus headaches: Causing pressure and pain in the forehead, cheeks and around the eyes, these headaches can be brought on by sinus infections and accompanied by a stuffy nose and tenderness of the face.
- Tension headaches: This dull, aching pain is often described as the feeling of having a tight band around your head. These headaches are typically caused by stress, muscle tension, back or neck problems, or poor posture.
- Migraine headaches: These are classified as throbbing pain, usually on one side of the head, that can range from moderate to severe in nature and can also be accompanied by nausea or vomiting and sensitivity to light, sound and smells. The pain can also be aggravated by activity, and these headaches can be triggered by hormonal changes, certain foods and even stress.
- Cluster headaches, or trigeminal autonomic cephalgias: These can include severe, piercing pain, usually around one eye or on one side of the head. Patients may notice redness in the eye, an eyelid drooping, or a feeling of stuffiness or extreme sensitivity on that side of the face.
While the causes of headaches can be different for every person, common headache triggers include stress, what you have had to eat and when, sleep habits, hormonal fluctuations, and even overuse of over-the-counter headache or pain medicines. The person may not even be taking the medicine for their headache; perhaps it’s to deal with knee or back pain, for example. But, overuse of this medication can cause headaches, and it’s important to talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing headaches and regularly taking over-the-counter medicine.
“The first step every person can take is to keep a headache log: Write down when you’re having a headache, when you’ve eaten and what you’ve had to eat or drink that day, and note any particular stressors or triggers. That information can help us develop an individualized management plan,” says Vinger-Roach. “Importantly, if you are experiencing a headache alongside symptoms such as muscle weakness, severe vision disturbances or numbness, these can be signs of a more serious condition. Seek emergency care for these types of symptoms.”
Help for headaches
Help is close at hand: A few simple taps on your phone can lead you to on-demand expertise in managing your headaches.
The new Baylor Scott & White Virtual Headache Program is now offering specialized care for headaches through the MyBSWHealth website and app. No referral is needed to access this service. All you need to do is log on to the app, which is free to download in the App Store or in Google Play, and answer a few questions about your headaches. (Tip: Referring to your headache log will be helpful as you answer the assessment questions.)
Then, through the app, you’ll be connected to a clinician with knowledge of headaches and migraines. Your clinician will work with you to create a care plan based on your condition, symptoms and triggers. You can track your progress and find information using the app’s built-in tools.
If a visit with a neurologist is recommended, you’ll receive information about how to schedule an appointment.
Heading off headaches
Doctors specializing in headache care offer a range of strategies and therapies to help patients with headaches, and many of these therapies are simple lifestyle changes.
For example, screen time can be a headache trigger for some people, notes Dr. Avery Saporito, a participating neurologist with Virtual Headache Care at Baylor Scott & White who also specializes in treating headaches. “It’s not just the light from the screen but also the positioning of the neck that can trigger headaches,” she says. Keeping your screen at eye level so you’re not looking down can help.
“Sleep position can also affect some people, especially if you’re sleeping on your stomach and craning your neck,” Saporito continues. “So it’s important you sleep on your back or side with supportive pillows and that your head is supported in a neutral position during your sleep.”
“There are lots of things patients can do in their day-to-day life that can really have a big impact on reducing the number of headaches they have and improving their quality of life,” adds Vinger-Roach. Other non-medication strategies include:
- Increasing physical activity, raising the heart rate for 30 minutes, at least three times each week
- Meditating
- Practicing yoga
- Staying hydrated
- Managing stress
- Receiving a massage or acupuncture
For patients who do end up needing medicine to treat their ongoing headaches, the dedicated team at Baylor Scott & White’s Virtual Headache Care Program is ready to discuss the treatment therapies and whether they are right for each individual.
Make headaches history
The dedicated doctors, nurses and staff with Baylor Scott & White’s Virtual Headache Care Program are ready to help create a customized solution for each patient living with headaches. Guiding each person through an individual process, they can suggest strategies that can result in more days without headaches.
“Visit us in the Headache Care Program on the MyBSWHealth app,” says Vinger-Roach. “Let us help you get better control of these symptoms and hopefully lead a headache-free life.”
The MyBSWHealth app is free to download on the App Store or in Google Play, or by texting BETTER to 88408.