Up to 90 percent of all Germans suffer from headaches at least once in their lives. According to German Pain Relief, more than half of adults and almost 20 percent of children between the ages of eight and 16 are regularly affected.
What are headaches?
There are about 320 different types of headaches. Tension headaches and migraines are the two most common types of headaches. They are placed in the “primary” headache category and are considered a separate medical condition. “Secondary” headaches occur as a result of other medical conditions, such as a cold, high blood pressure, or an injury to the head or cervical vertebrae.
A headache diary makes diagnosis easier
What type of headache a patient suffers from is the most important question that needs to be clarified. Documenting the pain helps. Relevant questions include: Is the pain sharp or dull? Is it accompanied by nausea? How often does it occur and in what situations? How often have painkillers been taken?
Headache from painkillers
According to the German Society for Neurology (DGN), around 10 percent of women and 6.5 percent of men suffer from tension headaches. Those affected often only know how to help themselves with painkillers. Painkillers themselves can cause headaches if taken too frequently. The DGN therefore recommends relaxation techniques, stress management and behavioural therapies for frequent headaches. Physiotherapy and endurance sports can also help. In particularly severe cases, medication could help, but not painkillers, but rather long-term therapy with amitriptyline, a substance that belongs to the class of antidepressants.
The Right Medication for Migraines
14.8% of all women and 6.0% of men suffer from migraines. There are special painkillers, such as triptans – and more recently Gepante and Ditane. Data from a Study by the Robert Koch Institute However, data from 2020 show that most of those affected use over-the-counter painkillers that were not specifically developed for headaches: “This is a shame, because many of those affected could be spared the pain.” “For example, we know that migraines lead to a higher risk of stroke in younger people,” explains Prof. Dr. Frank Erbguth, President of the German Brain Foundation in a DGN Press Release.