Tools to help with headaches

3 min read

a woman in front of her computer with a headache

For many people, migraines and other types of headaches can be debilitating. They can make it difficult to work, take care of the family, or even enjoy leisure activities.

Beside pharmacological treatment, there are a variety of tools available that can help people who suffer from migraines or other types of headaches manage their medical condition.

What is a headache journal?

A headache journal is a tool that can help people who suffer from migraines or other types of headaches track their symptoms and triggers. By keeping a record of when headaches occur, what symptoms are present, and what may have preceded the headache, people can begin to identify patterns that can help them avoid future episodes.

When to consult a healthcare professional for headaches and migraines

If your headaches are severe or do not respond to treatment, or if your headache is accompanied by fever, stiff neck, confusion, sensory changes or paralysis, go to the emergency room.

If you suffer from migraines or other types of headaches that are frequent or do not respond to over-the-counter treatments, it is important to consult a healthcare professional. He can help you identify the cause of your headaches and develop a treatment plan. Bringing your headache journal to your appointment can provide particularly useful information to the professional you are seeing.

Non-pharmacological options in the treatment of headache and migraines

There are a variety of non-pharmacological options that can help people who suffer from migraines or other types of headaches manage their symptoms. These include:

  • Avoiding triggers
    Identifying and avoiding triggers, such as certain foods or stressors, can help prevent headaches.

  • Relaxation techniques
    Relaxation techniques, such as yoga or meditation, can help reduce stress and tension, which can trigger headaches.

  • Acupuncture
    Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves inserting needles into specific points on the body. It is thought to help relieve pain by stimulating the release of endorphins.

  • Good hydration and exercise are also important as they can help prevent headaches.

  • Biofeedback and cognitive behavioral therapy are also helpful.

How apps may help

There are a variety of apps available that can help people who suffer from migraines or other types of headaches manage their condition. Many of these apps focus on helping people track their symptoms and triggers in a headache journal. This can be a useful tool for identifying patterns that may help avoid future episodes. Other apps focus on helping people stay hydrated, exercise regularly, meditate, or engage in cognitive behavioral therapy.

Apps for headaches

Now, let's take a look at our recommendations:

The Canadian Migraine Tracker is a simple and focused migraine diary app that helps you to keep track of your headaches, triggers, symptoms, and medication response. The app is designed to make communication with your health care provider easier, and focuses on the information usually discussed with physicians. The app's reports can be sent to your health care provider in two convenient ways: PDF and email.

The Migraine Buddy app is designed to help people suffering from migraines and other types of headache. The app features a customizable attack recording system, trigger management, sleep recording, and exportable reports. The app also has a community-sourced knowledge base and chat groups.

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Free
In-app purchases

Conclusion

We've seen there are a variety of apps available that can help people who suffer from migraines or other types of headaches manage their condition. Many of these apps focus on helping people track their symptoms and triggers in a headache journal. This can be a useful tool for identifying patterns that may help avoid future episodes. Other apps focus on helping people stay hydrated, exercise regularly, meditate, or engage in cognitive behavioral therapy, which may all help relieve headaches.

Your health care professional can help you choose

Feeling confident is important. Get all the essential information about health apps by talking to your healthcare professional.

AppGuide provides reliable information about mobile health apps that allows patients and healthcare professionals to make informed, shared decisions about using a health app to track health status or act on your priority health goals.

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