Headache Archives - Illawarra Medical Centre https://illawarramedical.com.au/category/headache/ Providing superior health care to families and local businesses in the Ballajura area for more than 25 years Mon, 16 Jun 2025 05:26:33 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Use your head when it comes to concussion https://illawarramedical.com.au/use-your-head-when-it-comes-to-concussion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=use-your-head-when-it-comes-to-concussion Mon, 16 Jun 2025 05:25:27 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=8728 Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain is shaken or jolted inside the skull. It is estimated that more than 180,000 concussions are experienced in Australia each year and around 30 percent of those with concussion will go on to experience ongoing, debilitating symptoms that affect their health, lifestyle, and […]

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Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain is shaken or jolted inside the skull.

It is estimated that more than 180,000 concussions are experienced in Australia each year and around 30 percent of those with concussion will go on to experience ongoing, debilitating symptoms that affect their health, lifestyle, and work.

In the past, concussion was seen as a relatively harmless, short-term injury. However, with growing understanding and awareness about its short and long-term impacts, we are now seeing improved recognition and management of the condition.

In this month’s blog, we take a closer look at the causes, symptoms and management of concussion.

What is concussion?

A concussion is a short-term brain injury resulting from a force to the head, neck or body that causes the brain to move within the skull and results in chemical changes and damage to brain cells.

It can be caused by:

  • Falls – particularly common in older adults and young children.
  • Sports-related injuries – common in contact sports, such as Australia Rules Football (AFL), boxing, rugby, soccer, and touch football; as well as cycling, wheeled motor sports, and equestrian.
  • Transport accidents – from head hitting the steering wheel, dashboard, or window etc.
  • Violence and assault – including domestic violence.
  • Blast injury or other occupational hazards

According to statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the majority of concussion presentations to hospitals were a result of a fall (51%), followed by transport accidents (24%), and assault (11%), with one in five (or 22%) of all hospitalised concussion cases having occurred while participating in sport or physical activity.

Source: AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database - Number of concussion hospitalisations, by cause and sex, Australia, 2021–22

What is concussion?

A concussion is a short-term brain injury resulting from a force to the head, neck or body that causes the brain to move within the skull and results in chemical changes and damage to brain cells.

It can be caused by:

  • Falls – particularly common in older adults and young children.
  • Sports-related injuries – common in contact sports, such as Australia Rules Football (AFL), boxing, rugby, soccer, and touch football; as well as cycling, wheeled motor sports, and equestrian.
  • Transport accidents – from head hitting the steering wheel, dashboard, or window etc.
  • Violence and assault – including domestic violence.
  • Blast injury or other occupational hazards

According to statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the majority of concussion presentations to hospitals were a result of a fall (51%), followed by transport accidents (24%), and assault (11%), with one in five (or 22%) of all hospitalised concussion cases having occurred while participating in sport or physical activity.

Signs and Symptoms

In the past, concussion was seen as a relatively harmless, short-term injury that was associated with fast recovery, under-reporting and a lack of understanding about potential long-term impacts.

In fact, in previous generations, it was often thought that if you weren’t knocked out cold, then you weren’t concussed! However, we now know that concussion can occur without a complete loss of consciousness and symptoms can vary greatly.

Some symptoms may show up immediately, while others may present in the days, weeks, or even months following a knock to the body or head.

The most common symptoms include:

  • Headache or pressure in the head
  • Dizziness or balance problems
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Sensitivity to light or noise
  • Confusion or memory problems
  • Fatigue or drowsiness
  • Blurred vision or ringing in the ears
  • Mood changes, such as irritability, anxiety, or depression

The Australian CTE Biobank and Macquarie University, in partnership with Sydney FC, have developed this useful ‘Big 5’ initiative to help those involved with sport better identify concussion following a head knock during games.

 It encourages people to look out for:

  1. Slump – lying motionless, unconscious or knocked out.
  2. Sway – appearing wobbly, unsteady or falling over.
  3. Slow – walking slowly, wandering or delayed movements.
  4. Stun – confused, appearing stunned or behaving unusually.
  5. Slur – slurred speech, slow speech, or responding poorly.

Some concussion symptoms can indicate a more severe and life-threatening brain injury, so it’s important to seek emergency care if you experience any of the following symptoms:

  • Neck pain or tenderness
  • Seizure or convulsion
  • Double vision
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Weakness or burning/tingling in more than one arm or in the legs
  • Deteriorating conscious state
  • Vomiting
  • Severe or increasing headache
  • Increasingly restless, agitated or combative
  • Visible deformity of the skull

While most people will recover fully within a couple of weeks, children can take a little longer to recover from a concussion and there may be some people who experience ongoing symptoms for weeks or months after the initial injury.

Long-term impacts of concussion

With a better understanding and more research into concussion these days, there is also growing evidence to suggest that repeated impacts to the head, neck or body can result in a number of debilitating long-term conditions

This includes:

  • Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – a degenerative brain disease that affects thinking, mood and behaviour, and interferes with day-to-day life.
  • Cognitive impairment – causing problems with memory, attention, and executive function.
  • Mood disorders – including depression and anxiety.

These can result in people who have had repeated head impacts, even without concussion.

In recent years, we’ve also seen a number of high-profile sports people having to retire early from their professional careers as a result of ongoing issues from repeated concussion, including Australian cricketer, Will Pucovski; AFL players Nathan Murphy and Angus Brayshaw; and NRL players Dale Finucane, Boyd Cordner, Jake Friend and Andrew Davey.

Prevention

While head injuries can’t always be prevented, there are ways to reduce your risk, including:

  • Wear a seat belt whenever you’re travelling in a car.
  • Secure your children in age-appropriate safety seats – check with your State Government for more information.
  • Reduce the risk of falls – avoid standing on unstable surfaces, remove or secure small area rugs, improve lighting, and install handrails.
  • Follow the rules of your sport – many sports have banned certain tackles or developed techniques and rules to reduce head injuries at all levels of play.
  • Take time to recover from injuries – don’t return to work or school too quickly, or rush back to playing sports before you are fully recovered.
  • Exercise regularly – to strengthen your leg and core muscles to improve your balance.

Treatment

While treatment and management of concussion will depend on its severity, it is important for anyone with concussion to rest for the first 24-48 hours, in order to give your brain a chance to heal.

It is also suggested that you:

  • Don’t drive or operate heavy machinery
  • Don’t drink alcohol
  • Limit screen time
  • Take time off work or school
  • Continue to do gentle exercise, such as walking
  • Get assessed by a doctor, to ensure there is no bleeding, fluid or pressure on the brain, or any spinal injury.

Even if you are feeling fine and normal after a concussion, you will need to avoid participating in sports and rigorous activities for a few weeks and should only return to these after you’ve been given the ok by your doctor.

Returning to activities too soon can put you at risk of additional injuries that exacerbate any existing inflammation and lead to a longer recovery and ongoing long-term impacts.

If you have any concerns or show any signs and symptoms of concussion, make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible. Bookings at Illawarra Medical Centre can be made online (insert link) or by contacting us on (08) 9208 6400.

For more information on this topic, visit:

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]]> Headache and Migraine – when should you see your GP? https://illawarramedical.com.au/headache-and-migraine-when-should-you-see-your-gp/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=headache-and-migraine-when-should-you-see-your-gp Mon, 21 Sep 2020 04:29:36 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=3612 Everyone experiences headaches from time to time, but how can you tell the difference between a bad headache and a migraine; and when is it time to consult your GP about your headaches? As part of Migraine and Headache Awareness Week this week, we take a closer look at headaches and migraines and how they […]

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Everyone experiences headaches from time to time, but how can you tell the difference between a bad headache and a migraine; and when is it time to consult your GP about your headaches?

As part of Migraine and Headache Awareness Week this week, we take a closer look at headaches and migraines and how they can impact on your overall health and wellbeing.

Headaches
A headache is a very common condition experienced by most people at some stage in their life. It is characterised by pain in any region of the head, including the face and neck.

The majority of headaches are tension headaches, which can feel like you have a tight rubber band around the head. Headaches can be caused by a number of things, including tension and stress, injuries, tiredness, sinus problems and dehydration. Most headaches, however, are not serious and can be managed with a dose of paracetamol.

If your headache is associated with other symptoms, it may indicate a more serious, underlying condition that should be examined by your GP.

Migraine
A migraine is a type of headache that is associated with a spasm in the blood vessels leading to the brain. It can cause severe pain and throbbing, usually on one side of the head.

According to the World Health Organization’s Global Burden of Disease Study from 2013, migraine headaches were found to be the sixth highest cause worldwide of years lost due to disability, with migraine often resulting in lost work days and productivity as well as high health care costs.

Migraine is believed to affect up to 3 million Australians every year and is more common in females than males, largely due to hormonal changes and fluctuations.

While migraine can affect anyone at any age, it is most common in people aged in their 20s and 30s.

Migraines differ from headaches in that they can often cause symptoms which include:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Sensitivity to sound, light, smell and/or touch
  • Affected vision, such as blurred or aura
  • Numbness to your face or extremities

Stages of Migraine
According to Migraine and Headache Australia, there are five distinct known stages of migraine that distinguish it from a normal headache and reflect the neurological changes that occur in the brain.

  1. Prodromol or the early warning stage – early warning symptoms can occur up to 24-hours before the migraine occurs. These symptoms can include:
    1. Mood changes, including feeling full of life and energy or feeling depressed and irritable.
    2. Gut changes, including nausea, changes in appetite (less hungry or having cravings), and constipation or diarrhoea.
    3. Neurological changes, including drowsiness, difficulty finding the right words, sensitivity to light and sound, and trouble focussing your eyes.
    4. Behavioural changes, including clumsiness, hyperactivity or feeling lethargic.
    5. Muscular aches and pains.
    6. Fluid balance changes, including fluid tension or needing to go to the toilet more often.

2.  Aura – this involves visual disturbances and can include zig-zag lines, flashing lights, trouble focussing and blind spots. Aura can also affect speech and sensation and occurs in 20-30% of people experiencing migraine.

3. Headache – unlike a regular headache, a migraine headache can last up to 3 days and is typically felt as a throbbing sensation on one side of your head, although it can occur on both sides. Movement can make the headache feel worse and you may feel nauseous or have more sensitivity to light, sounds and smells.

4.  Resolution – the good news is that migraine will eventually come to an end. Some people find this doesn’t happen until after they have been sick, while others find sleep or medication helps to resolve it.

5.  Postdromol or recovery – once the migraine has resolved, sufferers may feel quite drained and fragile for a good day or two after experiencing a migraine. Others, however, may feel more energetic or euphoric.

Known Triggers
While there is no specific known cause of migraines, the Perth Brain Centre indicates that research shows certain factors can trigger migraine, including:

  • Foods containing amines (including chocolate, cheese, dairy foods, citrus, caffeine, alcohol, pork, seafood, onions and wheat).
  • Fluctuation in blood sugar, from skipping meals.
  • Bright lights, loud noises or strong smells.
  • Too much or not enough sleep.
  • Hormonal changes and the oral contraceptive pill.
  • Stress and anxiety.
  • Changes in the weather.
  • Certain food additives, such as MSG and nitrates.

Prevention and Treatment
Maintaining a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water and getting regular exercise are some of the best proactive ways to help reduce your risk of headaches and migraine.

It is also important to ensure you are getting enough sleep each night and can find ways to manage and reduce your stress levels, such as through meditation, yoga or even a relaxing warm bath.

If you do find yourself regularly getting headaches and migraine, it is worth considering keeping a daily migraine diary to help keep a track of your daily food, drink, activities and emotions. This will help your GP to identify any potential patterns or triggers.

If you are experiencing ongoing headaches or migraine, book in with one of our GPs to discuss your concerns. Appointments can be made online or by contacting us directly on (08) 9208 6400.

For more information on this topic, visit:

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