What you should know before you go to a Private Headache Clinic

Attending a Private Headache Clinic is a sensible decision if you suffer severe headaches.

If you do attend a headache specialist, preparation can save you time and money. Your specialist could then spend more time giving you advice instead of just gathering information.

The information that is helpful for you to share includes:

1. When you first ever took headaches (even if not as severe as the ones you have now). Also, what did those previous headaches felt like?
2. When you started to get a severe headache problem, and what these headaches feel like
3. What treatments you have tried and which ones you felt helped, and which ones were limited by side-effects
4. Any previous investigations or consultations you have had about your headaches

Before rushing to see a headache specialist, or paying for an appointment at a migraine clinic, you should remember that almost every case can be managed by your general practitioner or primary care physician.

A family doctor will be able to deal with about 97% of all headache complaints, as the majority of these are migraine.

If you think you are not getting your headache under control, you must discuss any problem with your family doctor. If they are stuck they can usually guide you as to whether a headache specialist is likely to help.

By far the most common reason for ongoing severe headaches is a form of migraine called chronic migraine.

Chronic Migraine that is not helped by a Headache Friendly Lifestyle or a trial of at least two migraine prevention medications should be referred for specialist advice, especially if Botox for Migraine is being considered.

The most common reasons for failing to achieve headache control relate to

• Lifestyle
• Inadequate doses of medication
• Incorrect timing in use of medications

Live a Headache-Friendly-Lifestyle Instead

It can take many weeks and months to achieve a reduction in headaches using lifestyle, but the long term benefits include better overall health - not just less headaches.

Sometimes, despite living a very healthy lifestyle and enjoying proper sleep, you still have frequent headaches.

If you implement lifestyle changes, you can reduce headaches by up to 75%, and that's without taking medication for migraine, or needing to attend a private headache clinic.

People who do not respond to a lifestyle overhaul may well require medications.

If a Headache Friendly Lifestyle Fails...

If the diagnosis is correct, it may be time to step up a gear and try some specific medication for your headache condition.

This is particularly true if your diagnosis is migraine.

It is important that medication, if used, is built up to a sufficient dose and used for a sufficient length of time.

Timing of medication, especially in migraine, is very important.

For example - if you take the painkiller too late in a migraine attack they may not be fully effective. Anti-migraine medications work best if taken just as the pain is starting to build, not once you have full-blown attack.

When is Specialist Advice Required?

Another common reason for seeking advice from a headache expert would be to try more powerful medications, of which a primary care physician or GP may have limited experience.

This includes drugs such as Dihydroergotamine or Botox.

If your family doctor and you reach a dead-end in terms of diagnosis or treatment then consultation with a headache specialist (usually a neurologist) can be helpful.

Even then, the long term management will usually be overseen by the family physician or GP.

The other common reason for requesting a referral is to try and get a brain scan to "make sure there is nothing else going on".

Many clinics, including some private headache clinics, may offer a brain scanning service, but you should be wary of going for a scan without first talking to your own doctor about your symptoms.

If you have one of the 6 most common headaches (tension-type, migraine, cervicogenic, ice-pick, chronic tension-type, chronic migraine) then the probability of having a serious problem on a brain scan is very, very small.

It is probably more important to have a headache diagnosis than to have a scan.

Spending money on a scan will not help you get a diagnosis, although knowing that the scan is normal can provide a period of reassurance.

Knowing the correct headache diagnosis will assist in getting best information about your headaches and will help tailor medications to your own particular headache type.

Some people make appointments to attend a private headache clinic as way of getting confirmation that what they have been told already is correct - this is another way, albeit costly, of getting reassurance.

So should I go to Private Headache Clinic?

For most people, this step is not required.

Advice from a neurologist to help you improve headache control is only needed in about 2% of headache cases seen by a primary care physician.

However, in many parts of the world, with state insured health systems (like the HPSS in Northern Ireland and the NHS in the rest of the UK) headache advice can be obtained relatively easily, from a local hospital, without going to a private headache clinic.

Often that advice can be given to your GP by telephone or email and need not require you to pay for a face to face consultation!

Knowing the correct headache clinical diagnosis is more likely to put you on the right track to obtaining effective headache treatment.

A headache management plan, for the vast majority of headache complaints, is relatively easy for most general practitioners to provide. This includes which includes paying attention to lifestyle and using appropriate medications at high enough doses and at appropriate times.

Therefore, for almost everybody with headaches, the correct place to be is in the hands of your primary care physician. In a very small number of cases, specialist advice can be obtained on a non-urgent basis from local healthcare providers

Ultimately, the time you invest in attending your family doctor will spare you a lot of inconvenience and expense.

A Family Doctor can take into account all aspects of your health that might impact on headache intensity, and should be in a good position to judge when it is in your interest to seek further advice from a neurologist or headache expert.

If you do attend, then make sure you prepare by bringing useful information about your headaches, any investigations and treatment.

If you are wanting to arrange an appointment at Malone Private Clinic, Belfast please use this contact form - thanks.



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