migraines

Headaches in the Summer

People who have chronic headaches may notice that they can worsen during the summer months, especially for those who suffer from migraines. Researchers still haven’t pinpointed the cause behind migraines, but according to the Migraine Research Foundation, researchers have concluded migraines are neurological disorders that involve nerve pathways and brain chemicals.

You may not suffer from migraine headaches, but if you find that headaches occur more often for you during the summer months, then summer headache triggers could be to blame. Here are some reasons why.

Allergens

Allergens that are present during the summer months pose a threat to persons suffering from headaches. Hay fever is big during summer and can cause headaches as it affects sinus nasal passages. Sinus headaches are characterized by facial pain, throbbing on one-side of the head and are exacerbated by light, especially sunlight. Headaches can originate in the sinus area, however; these types of headaches aren’t always diagnosed as sinus headaches and could be migraines. Seek a family medicine provider for diagnosis and treatment.

Humidity

High humidity can trigger headaches for people who are prone to them. Think ahead. Your local weatherman or weather apps you can download to your phone are great resources for anticipating when you may have a headache brought on by humidity and other weather-related events. This will allow you to take preventative action before the onset of a headache. Ask your family medicine provider about taking an over-the-counter medication before a headache occurs.

Barometric Pressure

As barometric pressure decreases the chance of a headache increases. Even a slight change in atmospheric pressure can trigger headaches, especially when it’s humid and stormy.  Headaches can also be caused by changes in altitude as folks fly away on summer vacation or hike vertically up hills and mountains. Also, there is more storm activity during the summer and this, in turn, can also be a trigger.

Summer Lifestyle

We have a tendency to enjoy a few lifestyle changes during the summer. More people take a vacation and even those who don’t take some time in the sun by the pool, on a summer picnic or at the beach. We also tend to cook outdoors and enjoy the company of friends. Basically, we take advantage of every waking hour of daylight to have as much fun as possible. We may have more fun, but the lifestyle change also affects our bodies. Balance your summer lifestyle to ward off headaches.

Dehydration

Dehydration occurs when the body is losing more fluid than it is taking in. Becoming dehydrated is extremely dangerous. In addition to triggering headaches, dehydration can cause serious problems, even death if not treated. Drinking water or Gatorade will keep dehydration at bay and headaches, too. Water is the best solution for restoring hydration. Never assume that alcoholic drinks can rehydrate you. In fact, they actually leave you dehydrated and cause pause pounding headaches.

Headaches are more common during the summer months, but Advanced Medical Clinic is your resource for good health and patient-centered care during every season. At Advanced Medical in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Florida, we offer a high standard of primary and urgent care. Our comprehensive treatment options are designed to help you achieve a better quality of life through the management of many urgent and non-urgent conditions. As a husband and wife team, internal medicine specialist Dr. Ishan Gunawardene and nurse practitioner Shariffa Gunawardene understand what family health means and its true importance.

Avoid a headache! The friendly staff at Advanced Medical welcomes your call and looks forward to serving you. If you have any questions about our primary care services, please call our office at (561) 434-1935. To schedule an appointment, you can call us or use our secure online appointment request form.

Soothing Migraine Pain

Different types of headache pain, a tension headache being the most common, typically range from mild to severe. Headache pain usually occurs on both sides of your head, specifically in the areas of your temples, or radiating towards the back of the head or neck. Traditional headaches are classified as unpleasant, sometimes persistent or pulsating pains in your head that can cause pressure and aching. We all have experienced headaches in our lifetime, but, it’s important to understand that a headache is not the same thing as a migraine.

Although a migraine and a headache can occur simultaneously, a migraine is more than just an ordinary headache. Having a migraine is classified as a neurological disease, meaning it affects the chemistry of our brain and how we are able to function.

When someone experiences a migraine headache, everyone is different, and therefore symptoms and severity of pain may vary. Symptoms can be similar to intense or severe headaches, that often occur with other co-existing symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, eye pain, sensitivity to light or sound, seeing floating spots, temporary loss of vision, etc.

Migraines will usually only cause pulsating and throbbing pain on one side of an individual’s head, but it is possible that it can radiate, and both sides can be affected. This pain ranges from moderate to severe, depending on the person, but this pain is typically intense, persistent, and throbbing. This makes having migraines extremely difficult to live a normal life, and carry out daily tasks.

There are two main types of migraines, chronic or episodic, that occur with aura or without aura. An “aura” refers to the symptoms or sensations a person experiences before they get a migraine attack. The sensations typically occur anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes before one occurs. Episodic migraines often turn into chronic migraines, which affect about two to three million people, meaning migraines that last 15 or more days per month for more than three months.

Family medicine providers prefer to use the singular form of the condition — migraine, instead of the plural form migraines — because it is a disease that comes on as an attack, often persistent and frequently over time.

According to evidence-based research conducted by the World Health Organization, migraines are found to be one of the ten most disabling diseases throughout the world. Experiencing a migraine can profoundly impact an individual’s ability to carry out everyday activities like going to work, playing sports, and going to school. As a complex neurological condition, migraine headaches are often confused with traditional headaches, or misunderstood completely.

Therefore, if you are one of the 37 million Americans who may suffer from migraines and are looking for desperate answers on how to sooth your migraine pain, and all the other side effects and baggage that come with it, you have come to the right place.

Holistic approaches focus on the patient as a “whole,” meaning mind, body, and spirit. Today, most treatment methods created for migraines just aim at managing an individual’s symptoms, instead of addressing and getting to the bottom of what is actually causing the migraines to occur in the first place.

These causes or risk factors can be due to depression and anxiety, pain and other underlying disorders such as obesity, asthma, stress, head and neck injuries, certain medications, and hormone imbalances.

Today, medical providers are making it their goal to find the root or main cause of a patient’s migraines. Prevention is often the best treatment for someone experiencing frequent migraine headaches. Examples of preventive methods include:

  • Diet changes: eliminating foods known to cause headaches, like alcohol and caffeine.
  • Taking medication: anti-nausea medicine, and pain relievers such as acetaminophen and an anti-inflammatory such as aspirin can all ease the symptoms of migraine headaches.
  • Reducing stress and anxiety is crucial and can be done by exercising regularly and utilizing coping methods.

To learn more about migraines and how to soothe the pain you may be experiencing, call Advanced Medical in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Florida at (561) 434-1935 to request an appointment, or you can request an appointment online.