Take the headaches & migraines out of your holiday this summer

With the summer season upon us and many heading off on a well-earned holiday, this month, Apex Headache Clinic Founder and Spinal & Headache Physiotherapy Specialist, Rebecca Nelson, shares her top tips on staying headache and migraine free this summer.

Planning a family holiday can actually be quite stressful, and although the end goal is a week or two of total relaxation, the lead up to this often involves rushing around, last minute cleaning and lugging suitcases around, the result of which can be painful headaches and migraines. Whilst most people attribute this to the stress of travelling, what is actually causing the agonising pain may shock you.

Getting straight to the source of the problem

The statistics on headaches are shocking! In the UK alone a staggering 10 million people suffer from frequent migraines or headaches, the effect of which can ruin lives. But what is little known, is that the majority of headaches or migraines are triggered from the upper neck region of the spine, even if you don’t have neck pain. Thankfully, your initial assessment at Apex Headache Clinic will determine if your headache/migraine is triggered from your neck, and with our own specialist regime of manual physiotherapy treatment, we should be able to clear or significantly reduce your headaches or migraines for good.

Taking the headache out of your holiday

If you are heading off on a holiday, follow Apex Headache Clinic’s top tips for a headache and migraine free summer.

• Avoid lifting or lugging around heavy objects such as suitcases or shopping bags as these can excessively load the upper neck region, resulting in headaches or migraines. When transporting your luggage, make sure you collect a trolly at the airport. Furthermore, when shopping, spread the contents over several bags rather than a few heavy loads.

• A warmer climate may have you reaching for alcohol to quench your thirst but watch how much wine you consume. Even in small quantities, wine may cause headaches and migraines. Spirits and cocktails are less likely to trigger headaches and ensure you increase your water consumption to help avoid dehydration, especially as the temperature rises.

• Resist the urge to slouch on sun loungers all day. Lying in awkward positions for extended periods of time can result in an extremely stiff neck, triggering headaches in the process. To help combat this, break up prolonged periods of lounging with brisk walks.

• Don’t let poor pillows cause damage – switch to an Apex Sleepwell Pillow. I specially designed this orthopaedic pillow range to fight the war against soft or flat pillows. Each pillow in this collection has been technologically innovated to include a unique latex high-density core, which runs throughout the pillow’s entire width. This core provides the exact level of thickness and support to ensure the perfect sleeping position for a healthy neck. The collection even includes a travel sized pillow, the perfect size to include in your suitcase.

• Overusing medication can actually contribute to headaches and migraines so limit your intake to the worst days only. In the heat, you might be tempted to reach for an ice pack but these should be avoided. Choose a heat pack instead.

Enjoy a headache free summer

If you suffer persistent headaches and migraines, help is at hand. Book an initial assessment and treatment today with Apex Headache Clinic and let our specialist spinal physios clear your pain for good. Call Apex Headache Clinic on: 028 9048 4153