Headaches are very common. From tension headaches to migraines, your average GP will see a few patients with a headache every day, and most are nothing to worry about. But there are a few warning signs that doctors look out for, which may mean your headache is more serious, and needs more investigating. Here are 5 of the “red flags” that should never be ignored.

Fever and rash

A new headache with a high temperature can be a sign of meningitis- an infection of the tissue that lines the brain and spinal cord. The person will usually feel very unwell, and may develop vomiting, sensitivity to light, and a stiff neck. If the infection spreads through the body, a “petechial rash” may occur. This rash looks like spots of blood under the skin- and they don’t go away when you press them. Meningitis can kill, and is a medical emergency- anyone with these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

Weakness in the face, arm or leg

If a person gets a headache at the same time as weakness in the face, arm or leg, this can be a sign of a stroke. Sometimes speech or eyesight may be affected, and vomiting and confusion may occur. Some forms of migraine can cause symptoms like this, but if you’ve never had these symptoms before, or you’re not sure, it should be viewed as an emergency, and an ambulance should be called.

Tenderness in the scalp

Lots of people who get headaches experience a bit of scalp tenderness. But if your temples are unusually tender and sore, this can be a sign of “temporal arteritis”. In this condition, there is inflammation in some of the blood vessels that supply the head. It needs to be diagnosed and treated quickly, because it can lead to blindness and stroke. A blood test may be required for diagnosis, and sometimes a biopsy (sample) of the scalp blood vessels. It’s rare before the age of 55, and more common in women than men.

If you’ve any worries about headaches, be sure to speak to your doctor.

Migraine is a common and very unpleasant condition, affecting around 1 in 5 Australians. For some people, it’s only an occasional thing, and doesn’t have too great an impact on daily life. For others it can be frequent and debilitating- causing pain, misery and time off work. Migraine headaches are usually severe, throbbing, and often involve one side of the head. Nausea, vomiting, and an aversion to light and noise are often present. If you think you have migraine, but have never spoken to a doctor about your headaches, it is important to do so- to make sure that your diagnosis is correct and that your treatment is appropriate.

So when is it time to change to a daily medication to prevent migraine?

Daily medication to prevent migraine is often considered by a doctor if a person has:

• More than 2 migraine attacks per month that significantly affect daily life

• Less frequent but more severe migraine attacks

• Frequent use of painkillers or triptan medicines to treat migraine attacks

• Painkillers or triptans are not effective, or the person is unable to take them because of side-effects or other problems

• Migraine due to medication over-use headache ( for more information click here )

There are many types of drugs that can be used to prevent migraine, and you may need to try more than one option before you find the best one for you. Whilst preventive or “prophylactic” medication may not stop all attacks, the number and severity will often be reduced very significantly.
Once diagnosis and treatment of migraine are in place, you may require ongoing prescriptions. It is now possible to safely and simply get repeat prescriptions for certain migraine treatments from an online doctor such as Qoctor – a handy way to save time and and avoid the crowded doctor’s waiting room.

Migraine affects about 1 in 5 Australians at some time in life. It’s much more common in women than men, and also affects 1 in 10 school age children. Some people only get migraines once in a while, but others can suffer from them quite frequently. It can be a very distressing condition, and can have a major impact on people’s lives.

Migraine headaches are usually one-sided and throbbing in nature, and are often associated with sensitivity to light, sound or even smell, as well as nausea or vomiting.

What triggers migraine?

It’s not always clear to people why they are getting migraine. But sometimes there may be a particular trigger- and if you avoid the trigger, maybe you can avoid the migraine! So it’s worth making sure than one of the following is not to blame:

Environmental factors:

• bright or flickering lights, bright sunlight
• strong smells, e.g. perfume, gasoline, chemicals, smoke-filled rooms, various food odours
• travel, travel-related stress, high altitude, flying
• changes in weather conditions or barometric pressure (likewise, decompression after deep-sea diving)
• loud noise
• computers (overuse, incorrect use)

Once you have been diagnosed with migraine by your GP or a specialist, you may need a regular/ repeat prescription, and maybe occasional medical certificates for sick leave. These days, online prescriptions and online medical certificates are available without the need to go to your GP in person every time. Seeing an online doctor is quick, easy and good value for money. If you haven’t used an online doctor before, check out www.qoctor.com.au – an online GP service provided by Aussie doctors.