• Non-modifiable risk factors, including the patient’s sex. It is a disease that occurs more frequently in women. About 20 to 30% of women will have headaches throughout their lives.

 

• Modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, obesity…
  Neurologists, primary care physicians and other specialists place special emphasis on controlling vascular risk factors.

These vary slightly depending on the type of headache:

• Unilateral or global headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Light and noise intolerance
• Drooping eyelids
• Tearing
• Vertigo
• Nausea and vomiting
• Eye redness
• Facial spasms

Diagnosis is made from the medical history and description of symptoms. A neuroimaging test may also be required to rule out other conditions.

Neuromodulator

Only suitable for certain types of headaches.

• For migraines and some other types of headache, patients’ quality of life is significantly improved, reducing the frequency of migraines.
• It is often used when other drugs have not worked.
• The administration of treatment is quite simple, it is given during a consultation, it does not need any special preparation. It should be done under the supervision of a neurologist.
• It is usually necessary to repeat the dose every two, three or four months, but the effectiveness makes it worthwhile.
• It usually has no side effects, but sometimes some facial muscles may remain weak in the few sessions.

Monoclonal antibodies (MCA)

• Rescue treatment for patients with chronic or very frequent headaches who have not improved with other drug treatments.
• Preventative and symptomatic treatment. In patients who respond well to treatment, it reduces the frequency of headaches and the quantity of drugs the patient must take to combat them whilst greatly improving the patient’s quality of life.
• They have few side effects, with constipation being the most common.