In order to maximize the efficiency of your trip to the neurologist we recommend filling-in a diary of your head pain like the one shown above on the right.
Download pain-tracking diary
You can download an article about the
link between cellphone use and head pain here
Main types of Primary H-ache
This is probably the commonest reason for referral to a neurologist in many countries, and is certainly one of the main reasons that people consult with the
headache-specialists on our neurology advice forum
.
Although usually not life-threatening or dangerous, they can be very disabling and result in many days of missed work or school
Some systemic conditions such as
lupus
are associated with various neurological features including pain in the head and face, however, given the very high frequency of head pain in the general population, it is unclear whether pain in the head in this and similar conditions are related to the disease or just co-incidental.
When a patient appears at the neurologist complaining of pain in the head, it is for one or both of the following reasons:-
1) To get reassurance that the pain is "just a pain" and not a sign of something worrying.
2) To get treated.In some cases reassurance alone is enough to make the symptoms improve as
stress and worry
make any type of pain harder to tolerate.
There are some
issues specific to women with respect to pain management
especially with respect to
pseudotumor cerebri
which is much commoner in women, and migraine which is often affected by hormonal changes. Furthermore, the choice of medications may be significantly reduced during pregnancy and
breastfeeding
.
New research publications are being published every week detailing
advances in the treatment and prevention of migraine
and other primary causes of head pain.
Medical professionals may find our program for helping in the
pain type diagnosis
useful.
Ask the neurologist homepage