Take the headaches and migraines out of your summer holiday

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 for a headache and migraine-free summer.

Planning a family holiday can actually be quite stressful. 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 really is triggering the headaches may shock you.

Getting 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. What is uncommonly known, is that the majority of headaches or migraines are in fact triggered from the upper neck region of the spine, even if you don’t have any 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. This unique treatment regime, called The Nelson Headache Approach™, isn’t available at any other clinics and has a very high success rate, which is why patients travel from all over the UK, southern Ireland and Europe to avail of it.

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.

• Minimize lifting or lugging around heavy objects such as suitcases or shopping bags as these can excessively load the upper neck region, resulting in the onset of headaches or migraines. When moving 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.
• 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 can cause headaches and migraines. Spirits and cocktails with fruit juice are less likely to trigger headaches and ensure you increase your water consumption to help avoid dehydration.
• 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. A change in your pillow can often be the first step on the road to recovery from headaches and migraines. These pillows are also available in a smaller travel size.
• Overusing medication can actually contribute to headaches and migraines so limit your intake to the worst 3 or 4 days in a week only. In the heat, you might be tempted to reach for an ice pack but these should be avoided. It’s best to 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 Headache Physiotherapists clear your pain. Call Apex Headache Clinic on: 028 9048 4153. No GP referral is necessary.