Headaches affect just about anyone – they usually go away on their own or can be easily treated with over the counter (OTC) medication.

It’s important to ensure you ask your WWHAM questions to determine the type of headache your patient is experiencing in order to recommend the right treatment. Headaches most commonly occur when there is a decreased level of blood flow to the head.

There are two classifications of headaches; primary and secondary headaches. Primary are usually the more common types of headaches which can be easily treated in pharmacy. Secondary headaches must be referred to a pharmacist as it could be a sign of an underlying illness or injury.

According to NHS Choices the common triggers for a headache occurring includes¹:

• Being dehydrated
• Stress
• Drinking large amounts of alcohol
• Having the cold or flu
• Having a bad posture
• Problems with eyesight
• Taking too many painkillers
• Not eating regular meals
• Women being on their period or going through the menopause

¹ www.nhs.uk/conditions/headaches/