Headache Prevention - Know Your Triggers

Another common issue addressed in primary care is headaches. Today I want to discuss prevention. Once a headache starts, it’s often hard to treat, especially without medication. And the sooner medication is taken, the more effective it is, which means I often recommend erring on the side of treating to prevent a mild headache turning into a migraine. However, to avoid needing to reach for medications and manage their side effects, or develop something called a ‘medication overuse headache,’ it’s worth focusing on headache prevention.

Headaches have very typical triggers, and I suspect those of you out there that are ‘headache people’ will likely identify with one or more of these triggers. Things like stress, lack of sleep, skipping a meal, not drinking enough fluid, and having too much or too little caffeine are all frequent and common triggers of headaches. If you are prone to headaches, it’s essential that each day you make sure you are drinking enough water, eating consistently, managing your stress, and being consistent with your caffeine intake.

Some headache triggers are unavoidable, such as pressure changes associated with weather. My mom and I are both headache people, and we pretty consistently text each other on those very cloudy overcast days to commiserate over our headaches. Various lights, sounds, and even odors can trigger headaches and might be challenging to avoid. Some people are sensitive to foods like chocolate (the horror!) or additives in foods like MSG or aspartame.

With so many possible triggers, I find it helpful for my headache patients to keep a diary. This can help to identify patterns - maybe your headaches are happening with your periods, or when you travel, or when you’ve fallen off your exercise routine. Include foods in your diary, making note of caffeine amount, as well as daily intake of water and hours of sleep. Figuring out what your triggers are is key to avoiding them! Tracking your headache also helps to determine if something has changed, or if you have reached a point where you should discuss prevention medication with your doctor.

And if thinking about the hassle of trying to get an appointment with your doctor is a headache trigger, then consider Direct Access Primary care with SFP!!