Do you suffer from headaches on a regular basis? Have you been diagnosed with migraine headaches and put on medication? Do you take over the counter medications to alleviate headache pain? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you should continue reading to learn more.Headaches come in many forms: (tension, migraine, cluster, sinus, etc.) and have many different causes (muscle spasms, nutritional deficiencies, allergies, stress, neck arthritis, etc). There are a variety of over the counter medications that can be taken to alleviate them. However, none of these medications address the actual cause of the headache. In addition, a number of them can have unwanted side effects such as stomach ulceration and bleeding as well as decreased liver and kidney function. Many headache medicines can also cause deficiencies of nutrients likevitamin C, folic acid, and potassium when taken on a regular basis.
Remember that it is important to have headaches evaluated by a professional because they can be symptoms of deeper problems. It is also extremely important to keep in mind that taking pain medications don’t actually address the cause of a headache; they simply cover up the pain. Accurate headache assessment cannot be accomplished in a 10 minute office visit; it takes time for the doctor to be able to ask the right questions as well as assess the history of the patient, and determine what other tests (if any) need to be performed. Dr. Osborne is an expert in headache diagnosis, and Dr Peter Osborne has the diagnostic tools to evaluate your headache properly. Specialized laboratory testing, orthopedic examination, neurological examination, x-rays (when necessary), and effective treatment plans will all be used to make sure your headache doesn’t keep you from living a healthy happy life.
Want to know more?
Read my column on headaches from the Fort Bend Focus.