Frequent headaches? How to know if it's more than just a headache

MANILA, Philippines — Given the work from home (WFH) arrangement that many Filipinos have been privileged to have these days, you would think that the pressure would let up, as you would have more flexibility and freedom to navigate your own time.

The stress level remains high for some. There are more and more people who are experiencing not just back pains but also frequent headaches. 

To be able to identify the different types of headaches and know when to be alarmed and see a doctor, HI-Eisai Pharmaceutical Inc., a research-oriented pharmaceutical company, recently spearheaded a free informational webinar titled "Madalas na Sakit ng Ulo? Huwag Balewalain, Pag-usapan Natin!" Medical experts came together to address matters concerning the different types of headaches commonly experienced today. 

Hosted by TV host and celebrity mom Suzi Entrata-Abrera, the webinar on headaches came at the heels of a previous webinar that tackled issues on back pains caused by the same WFH set-up.

Addressing the growing concern over headaches, medical experts opened the discussion by saying that anyone can suffer from different types of headaches, such as tension-type headaches and migraines, regardless of age.

“A total of 90 to 95% of headaches experienced are primary headaches. The headache is the disease itself. They are not caused by other medical conditions. However, there are secondary headaches. These headaches are just symptoms of underlying medical conditions like infections, brain tumor, and brain hemorrhage,” said neurologist Dr. Godfrey Robeniol. 

A tension-type headache is caused by excessive muscle contractions in the head, neck, and shoulder area that can cause pain and tightness on both sides of the head. Triggers include stress, improper body posture, dehydration, and squinting of the eyes. This is most common in a WFH set-up, with a decrease in mobility.

A migraine is usually felt on one side of the head and may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. It is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of severe headaches that are usually throbbing and can last for a few hours to a whole day. 

Migraine triggers can be different for each person, but