Medical profession makes strides in headache treatment

Head pain, in the front of the head, the back of the neck, on one side or the other, or both, sometimes coupled with nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sounds and smells - when these are the symptoms, it's hard to dismiss the condition as "just a headache."
 "Headaches are the number two cause of time lost from work," says pain management specialist Dr. Pam Cunningham.
  The most common types of headaches include tension, migraine and cervicogenic. Any of these types may occur in combination.
  A mild tension headache may be treated with Tylenol or other over-the-counter pain relievers. However, if you are suffering from debilitating headaches, you should seek medical help.     "The longer you have the headaches, the harder they are to treat," Dr. Cunningham explains. "It's unfortunate when a patient doesn't get treatment early on."   Migraine headaches are more common in women than in men and often begin when women are in their 20s. Different factors can trigger migraines including certain foods or drinks such as cheese, chocolate and wine. Certain smells such as perfumes may also trigger migraines. In some women, changes in the menstrual cycle may bring on a migraine. Migraine headaches generally occur on one side of the head, but may also be bilateral.   
 Migraine treatment may include medication to prevent migraine such as beta-blockers, anti-seizure medication or antidepressants. Oral contraceptives may also be effective since hormone fluctuation can be a factor in migraine headaches, according to Dr. Cunningham.
 "The medical profession has made tremendous strides in treating migraines with both newer and older medications," Dr. Cunningham says. One of these medications is Imitrex (sumatriptan), which can be helpful in migraine treatment. Variations on Imitrex are also helpful."
  When other medical treatments fail, botox has been found to significantly relieve migraine symptoms in certain patients.
  Cervicogenic headaches, characterized by pain in the back of the head or neck, may be caused by irritation of nerves or arthritis in the neck area. Physical therapy or steroid injections can be quite helpful in treating this type of head pain, Dr. Cunningham notes.
  A rare but severe form of headache is cluster headache. Cluster headaches occur more often in men than in women. The pain often comes on in the evening, and is characterized by a red, watery eye and a runny nostril on one side of the face.
 "High-dose oxygen therapy is often an effective way to get rid of a cluster headache," Dr. Cunningham says.
 Sometimes, a serious underlying cause may bring on or increase head pain. Extremely high blood pressure, for example, should be treated immediately either in the doctor's office or in an emergency room. Certain less common causes of head pain such as a brain tumor, vascular abnormalities, blood vessel abnormalities and infections can be diagnosed with the use of a brain scan.
  
Dr. Pam Cunningham, a board-certified and fellowship-trained medical doctor specializing in interventional pain management, is located in the Professional Building at 318 N. Alleghaney, Ste. 303. She sees both self-referred and physician-referred patients. For more information, call (432) 331-1234.