Headache is a very common problem accounting for very many consultations with a doctor. The most common causes are tension headache and migraine headaches accounting for 93% of one series of patients. Other series showed that only one patient in 65 had a serious cause for their headache. However we would advocate attending your doctor for a firm diagnosis if your headache was a new symptom to you, if it was associated with other symptoms such as paralysis, muscle weakness, dislike of light or vomiting or a stiff neck; if you have a temperature or if the headache is of long standing or, finally, if the headache causes changes in the sufferer's personality.

Migraine is a condition of one-sided severe throbbing headache that may be associated with vomiting and the dislike of light. There may be a short warning period of visual disturbances with flashing lights or patches. If the problem is the visual disturbance without headache it may be referred to as ocular migraine. It occurs in attacks which usually last one to two days and may come in clusters especially in ladies who tend to have attacks before periods.

There are many factors involved in migraine :-

• Certain foods may induce attacks either as a direct cause (chocolate, cheese, citrus fruits, onions, highly spiced foods, cured meats) or as a result of food intolerance,
• Fasting or missing meals,
• Hormones; for example, the contraceptive pill,
• Exertion,
• Alcohol,
• Stress,
• Sleep; too little or too much.

Like eczema and irritable bowel syndrome and asthma it may be caused by food intolerance or allergy

Migraine Treatments

Modern Western Medicine

Drugs to prevent migraine include Sanomigran, tricyclic antidepressants, and beta-blockers (propranolol). All of these have their place but all have potential side effects and problems. Drugs to treat attacks include Triptans, ergot preparations and Paracetamol. These too have side effects and problems that make them unsuitable for many people.