MANILA, Philippines — Going to the doctor’s clinic is not what anyone would call “fun”; besides, it entails expenses — what with fees, medication, tests and other procedures that may be required in the course of treatment.
But when do you know that your headache is just something you can simply sleep off? When should you immediately seek professional help?
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Neurology resident Dr. Jon Stewart Dy, at the recent virtual "AnggULO: A lay forum on headache,” enumerated the following symptoms as signs that you should go to the doctor immediately:
- Sudden and extremely painful headache
- Headache increases in intensity
- Headache is accompanied by fever and weight loss
- Headache is accompanied by weakness, numbness or change in speech (slurring or stuttering, for example)
- Character of headache changes, specifically the duration and frequency
- Has history of head trauma, even if symptoms aren’t immediately felt
- Headache is being experienced by an older person
If at least one of these signs is present, it's best to consult a doctor, said Dy.