FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW IS THE HEADACHE CLINIC DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER CLINICS I HAVE ATTENDED?

Every patient who visits The Headache Clinic undergoes a comprehensive diagnosis with a team of specialists. These specialists will do extensive tests from their different specialties and give the patient a complete diagnosis taking into account the findings of each specialist. As a result, the patient is given a co-ordinated treatment plan instead of each doctor prescribing something independent of the other.

WHY HAVE OTHER DOCTORS NOT IDENTIFIED THE CAUSE OF MY HEADACHES?

Each doctor specialises in a certain area of practice, and when he or she examines a patient, the examination is limited to that particular specialty. Headaches can be caused by a variety of factors all falling under different medical specialties. This means that if the cause of your headache is associated with factors outside the scope of that doctor's practice, he or she will not be equipped to diagnose it. As a result its very difficult for a doctor working in isolation to diagnose and treat headaches successfully and permanently.

I FOLLOW A STRICT DIET AND HAVE ELIMINATED MOST OF THE FOODS THAT CAUSED ME HEADACHES, BUT WHY DO I STILL GET THE HEADACHES?

Foodstuffs are normally only triggers and not causes. Any treatment that focuses on triggers without identifying the actual cause will not resolve the problem because the underlying cause has not been identified and treated. It is important therefore that a diagnosis is made to identify and separate the triggers from the causes, so that treatment is focused more on the causes rather than the triggers.

I HAD CAT SCANS AND MRI SCANS, NOTHING WRONG WAS FOUND. WHERE ARE MY HEADACHES COMING FROM?

Scans focus on the brain and other structures inside the skull, and it has been proven that most headaches are caused by structures outside the skull. Consequently, most headache sufferers don't need scans in order to identify and treat their headaches. In some cases however, if the neurological examination indicates the need, brain scanning must be carried out. 

I HAD AN ACCIDENT 12 YEARS AGO - COULD THERE BE A LINK BETWEEN MY HEADACHES AND THE ACCIDENT?

One can never rule out the possibility of a link between the headaches and the accident especially if the headaches started after the accident or increased in intensity thereafter. If there is a whiplash injury, it may result in abnormally high levels of neck muscle tension, which can cause tension headaches or make existing tension headaches worse. Tests need to be done on each patient so as to make an accurate assessment of each individual patient's circumstances.

I HAVE TRIED VIRTUALLY EVERY MEDICATION AVAILABLE FOR HEADACHES BUT MY HEADACHES ARE ACTUALLY GETTING WORSE. IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE I CAN TRY?

Medication does not resolve the problem of headaches permanently. Sometimes the headaches actually get worse as a result of medication overuse. This condition is called Medication Overuse Headache (MOH). Once the cause of the headache is identified, there are a variety of non-drug treatment options, and medication can be dispensed with in most cases.

CAN I USE MEDICAL AID AT THE HEADACHE CLINIC?

The Headache clinic will deal with your medical aid but subject to terms and conditions relating to each individual case. 

For further information please

call 0861 678 911 or 27 11 484 0933

e-mail info@headclin.co.za