Nearly a third of French people, 30%, say they regularly suffer from intense headaches, according to Bertrand Fougère, a professor of medicine who appeared on the French television programme "Bonjour ! Avec vous". Fougère said the first step was working out exactly what kind of pain someone was dealing with, since a headache is a symptom while migraine is a disease in its own right.
He said headaches that build up by the end of the day, leaving a sensation of the head being squeezed in a vice, are typically tension headaches. Tension headaches are among the most common type of headache and are often linked to stress or tension in the neck and shoulders. Migraine pain, by contrast, tends to be one-sided and pulsating, and can come with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. According to Fougère, migraine affects around 12% of the population and mainly affects women, a condition health professionals generally treat as a distinct neurological disorder rather than a simple headache.
When a headache needs a doctor
Fougère said it is not normal to have a headache every day. He said a headache treated with anti-inflammatories or paracetamol should clear up within eight days, and if it does not, the person should see a doctor.
To treat a headache, he advised acting as soon as the pain starts, for example by taking paracetamol, and finding somewhere quiet and shaded to rest. He said anti-inflammatories work well against migraines once initial pain relief has been taken, while other medications are only available on prescription.
Staying calm and hydrated during an attack
Fougère warned that headaches can also be caused by overusing medication, when someone repeatedly takes painkillers to try to get rid of headaches. He said this too is a reason to see a doctor, since living with a persistent headache is not normal.
For migraine attacks, he recommended staying calm, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding noise or bright light, retreating into darkness if possible. He noted that while physical activity helps prevent migraines over time, exercising during an attack can make the pain worse.
Fougère also pointed to headache masks sold in pharmacies for between 20 and 30 euros. The masks are shaped to fit the head and can be kept in the fridge or freezer. He said the mask should be applied as soon as the first symptoms appear, but that it is not enough on its own: it needs to be combined with painkillers such as paracetamol, Doliprane or Efferalgan, and an anti-inflammatory if necessary.
Children can also suffer from migraines, Fougère said. For women, migraines tend to improve with age, which he linked to the role hormonal changes play in triggering the condition.
Alcohol, coffee and the value of routine
Fougère said keeping a regular routine helps protect against migraines, advising people to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same times each day and to keep their eating habits consistent. Alcohol and coffee carry a particular risk for people who suffer from migraines, he said, but otherwise there is no specific food that causes headaches or migraines. As with sleep, he said, it is regularity that matters most.
He recommended keeping a diary of foods that seem to bring on headaches, since triggers vary from person to person. In cases of migraine with aura, he said, pain can be set off by light, and for some people by smells as well.
Fougère concluded that each migraine sufferer is a little different, and that people need to learn to recognise their own triggers, since many of the factors involved are individual to each person.
