Many people who complain of chronic headaches may be suffering the effects of unhealthy lifestyles, a conference has heard.
Often these people are taking pills rather than tackling issues such as obesity, inactivity and smoking, the conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, heard.
A study in Denmark found that 57% of headache sufferers who took painkillers most days of the week were overweight or obese.
Some 48% were physically inactive and 34% smoked daily.
The study, reported to a conference of the European Headache Federation, involved more than 1,000 people thought to be overusing pain-killers.
Researcher Maria Lurenda Westergaard said: “Our findings point to unhealthy lifestyles as a risk factor for chronic headache and medication overuse.
“Health behaviour counselling should be part of professionals’ approach to medical overuse headache.”
The findings were backed by Professor Peter Goadsby, a trustee of the UK-based The Migraine Trust, who said: “Attention to lifestyle issues, such as weight control, is important for anyone with a chronic medical condition and for patients with disabling headache.
“Careful control of medication intake, as part of a holistic package of care, is crucial to get the best outcome.”
Leave a Reply