Page 138 - Community pharmcy practice E-book 2025

02/11/2025, 00:29

Non-Pharmacological Treatment
• Encourage adequate hydration, regular sleep, good posture (especially if working at
desk/PC), ergonomic adjustments (neck/shoulder).
• Identify and mitigate triggers: e.g., caffeine withdrawal/over-use, alcohol, skipping meals,
stress.
• Use of relaxation techniques, biofeedback, consistent timing of meals/ sleep.
• Cold or warm compresses, massage of neck/shoulder, eye breaks for screen time.
• Keep a headache diary (time, triggers, medication, relief) to help identify patterns.

Pharmacological Treatment
• Over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics: e.g., acetaminophen (paracetamol), NSAIDs such as
ibuprofen, naproxen for mild-moderate headache.
• For migraine in some settings: early use of NSAID, or combination analgesics; pharmacist
may advise on when to see physician for prescription options (triptans, CGRP inhibitors).
• Advise correct dosing, frequency, avoid analgesic over-use (to prevent rebound
headache).
• Consider contraindications: e.g., NSAIDs in gastric ulcer, renal impairment, etc.
• Pharmacist’s role: select appropriate OTC, check for drug–disease or drug–drug
interactions, provide counselling.

Patient Counselling Tips
• Ask open questions: “When did your headache start? How often? What helps? What
makes it worse?”
• Advise: Take analgesic as soon as headache begins (for migraine/tension) rather than
delaying.
• Emphasise: Avoid taking painkillers daily; using more than 10-15 days/month may trigger
rebound headaches.
• Explain: Use the smallest effective dose for the shortest time; read C follow label
instructions.
• Encourage: Keep a headache diary/tracker to identify patterns/triggers.

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