WEBMD SURVEY: “TOUGHING OUT YOUR HEADACHES?” DOCS DON’T SUGGEST IT

More key findings on treating headaches from a recent survey of WebMD users..

Have you ever wondered if other headache sufferers experience the same kind of feelings that you do about your head pain?

As a leader in headache pain relief for nearly 50 years, Excedrin is dedicated to learning more about treating headaches. In an effort to educate consumers, we have formed a partnership with WebMD, the leading provider of health information services, to provide content to headache suffers across the country about the condition and how best to manage it.

One way to do that is to find out more about headaches — their causes, symptoms, and the impact they have on your life. So in a recent survey, WebMD asked more than 2,500 of its users who had experienced a headache within the last year about triggers, symptoms, habits and more. Here’s what they found.

Nearly half of respondents said they “tough out” their headaches, yet doctors don’t suggest this.

In the survey, 46% of respondents said they will choose to “tough out” their headaches — and yet more than 9 out of 10 physicians surveyed do not suggest this. So why might people “tough it out”? There are lots of reasons, one being that some don’t like to take any sort of medication. Read more about the importance of treating your headaches.

Not only should you treat your headaches, but treat early: about 8 out of 10 physicians suggest it.

It’s important to treat early because there is support for the idea that medications work better when taken at the first sign of a headache, especially in the case of migraines.

Another effect of not treating headaches? Missing out.

Almost two out of three headache sufferers will restrict their activities when experiencing a headache, according to the survey of WebMD users. Considering that one out of every three respondents in the survey said they suffer from headaches weekly, that’s a lot of beach trips, sessions at the gym and important work meetings missed. By learning more about your head pain, possible triggers and treatment, you can begin to manage your headaches — and get back to all those things you’ve been missing. (One place to start learning more about your pain? A headache diary.)

The importance of sleep.

In the survey, about seven out of 10 sufferers reported mild to moderate headaches were triggered by lack of sleep, and more than nine out of 10 consumers said they believed rest helps relieve their headaches. Worried you’re not getting enough shut-eye? Try these tips for getting more sleep, and learn more about what “good sleep” (also called sleep hygiene) actually means.

Disclosure: These survey findings were made possible by WebMD. Respondents of the survey were US residents 18 or older whom experienced a headache within the past 12 months, and medical professionals including US Personal Care Physicians, Pharmacists and Neurologists.

References:

WebMD Professional and Consumer Headache Perceptions (2015); Professional N=802; Consumer N= 2557.

Tags: headache treatments, migraine treatments, sleep tips