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Special Departments
Headache Treatment
Headaches, known as headaches, are the most common neurological health problem.
It is estimated that 40% of the adult population in the country has had at least one headache in the last two years.
The Headache Clinic offers the possibility of examination and monitoring by a specialized and experienced doctor in headache issues.
The clinic is managed by the neurologist Stavroula Matsi, who has many years of clinical experience in Headache. Neurologist Stavroula Matsi who has many years of clinical experience in the field of Headache.
The doctor has a team of collaborators of the Headache Clinic which includes a specialized anesthesiologist and psychologist as well as various other specialties.
Who can contact the Headache Clinic
- Patients with very frequent headaches or chronic headaches that disrupt their daily life and quality of life.
- Patients with frequent visits to doctors of various specialties for treatment of acute headaches.
- Patients with chronic headaches that lack a clear diagnosis and satisfactory treatment.
*Even if you have a history of headaches, see your Neurologist if the pattern changes or you feel the headaches are different.
When to visit the Headache Clinic
If you have regular migraine symptoms, keep a diary of your attacks and how you dealt with them. Then make an appointment with your Neurologist to discuss your symptoms and learn about Migraine treatment with new medications such as topical 31-point application of Botulinumtoxin A, administration of monoclonal antibodies, etc. Botulinumtoxin Α, χορήγηση μονοκλωνικών αντισωμάτων κ.α.
Even if you have a history of headaches, see your Neurologist if the pattern changes or you feel the headaches are different.
See your doctor right away if you have any of the following signs and symptoms, which could indicate a more serious medical problem:
A sharp, severe headache
A headache with fever, neck stiffness, confusion, seizures, double vision, numbness or weakness in any part of the body, which may be a sign of a stroke
Headache after a head injury
A chronic headache that worsens after coughing, straining, exertion or sudden movement
New, frequent headache after the age of 50
Types of Headache :
- Migraines
Migraines are a form of chronic headache that is accompanied by a range of severe neurological symptoms.
Migraine attacks can last from 4 to 72 hours and occur in both children and adults, with greater frequency in women. It is largely a hormone-dependent as well as inflammatory condition and is thought to be due to environmental factors, eating habits, psychological stress as well as undetermined causes.
Migraine is a neurological condition and affects approximately 8-10 % of the general population. The age group most prone to migraines is 25 to 40 years old, with women being twice to three times more likely than men. Migraines, although they occur in adolescence and peak in the 4th decade of life, usually fade gradually and markedly after the age of 60 years.
Migraine attacks vary in patients, usually a typical migraine episode progresses through the following 4 stages:
The precursor, or warning stage,precedes the headache by up to 48 hours. This is where significant changes occur : in mood, energy levels, behaviour (with irritability or anxiety) and appetite (usually increased consumption of sweets-chocolate).
Η Aura refers to the presence of focal neurological symptoms during an episode of migraine. It is worth noting that about 1/3 of sufferers experience migraine attacks with aura. It usually precedes the headache and lasts from 5 minutes to 1 hour. It is manifested by visual disturbances (flashes of light or blind spots), numbness (starting in one arm and extending to half of the face), speech disorders, vertigo with dizziness and nausea.
This is followed by headache with throbbing pain in half of the head (forehead and temple), often accompanied by malaise, vomiting or extreme sensitivity to bright light, smells and loud sounds, which may last from 4 to 72 hours. Although the headache and other symptoms of aura subside after a certain point, the patient during the withdrawal stage experiences severe exhaustion, dizziness, inability to concentrate and emotional changes.
- Tension-type headache
Tension-type headache is the most common type of headache, accounting for 80% of all headaches, it is the main reason people take analgesics and immediate initiation of treatment is considered important to optimise it. Underlying tension-type headache is the strain on the 36 different muscles of the head, neck and shoulders, which are used every day for upright head posture , speech and facial expressions. These in turn send pain signals to the brain which are eventually perceived as headaches.
