Don’t let headaches or migraines ruin your summer holiday

The countdown to the summer holidays is on, which will see many jetting off to warmer climes on a well-earned break. 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.

While for many, going on holiday is a wonderful time, for others, it is overshadowed by the onset of headaches or migraines. Given the physical stress that’s often involved with going on holiday, it isn’t really surprising. Rushing around, last minute cleaning and lifting heavy suitcases results in painful headaches or migraines for many. While most will attribute this to the stress of travelling, what is actually causing the agonising pain may shock you.

Headaches ruin lives

Living with persistent headaches or migraines, can quite frankly, ruin lives. In the UK alone, a staggering 10 million people suffer from daily or frequent headaches. Having previously suffered from migraines myself, I know how debilitating it is and how the quality of your life can be ruined. Headaches and migraines often get attributed to stress and tension, with many people reaching for painkillers, which offer little relief. But what is uncommonly known, is that the majority of headaches or migraines are triggered from the upper neck region of the spine, even without the person having neck pain.

Your initial assessment at Apex Headache Clinic will determine whether your headache/migraine is triggered from your neck and using my own specialist regime of manual physiotherapy treatment, named The Nelson Approach™, we should be able to clear or significantly reduce your headaches or migraines.

Apex Headache Clinic’s top tips to take the headache out of your holiday

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

• The rise in temperature may have you reaching for alcohol to quench your thirst but watch how much wine you consume. Even in small quantities, wine may trigger headaches and migraines. Spirits and cocktails are less likely to trigger headaches. Plus, ensure you increase your water consumption to help avoid dehydration.

• Avoid slouching on sun loungers all day. Lying in contorted positions for lengthy periods of time can result in an extremely stiff neck, triggering headaches in the process. To help prevent this, break up prolonged periods of lounging with brisk walks.

• Don’t let poor pillows cause damage – switch to an Apex Sleepwell Pillow instead. 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. A change in your pillow, can often be the first step in the road to recovery from headaches and migraines.

• Overusing medication can actually contribute to headaches and migraines so limit your intake, if possible, 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 or migraines, help is at hand. Book an initial assessment today at Apex Headache Clinic and let our specialist physios clear your headaches and restore your quality of life. To book an appointment, call: 029 9048 4153. GP referral is not necessary.