BLACK TO LIFE… FOR A HEALTHIER YOU
November 30, 2012 by Las Vegas Black Image Magazine
Filed under Black to Life, Health
By Dr. Annette Mayes
Holiday stress and pain
During the holiday season, it seems almost normal for women to feel stress and sometimes experience pain. Given today’s economic pressures, the common headache can also lead to aches and pains throughout the body.
Given these realities, I want to be very honest about the use of over-the-counter painkillers: Be careful. When experiencing the common headache, you might be prompted to relieve the pain with ibuprofen, acetaminophen or other painkillers found on drugstore shelves.
However, if a headache is persistent, it might be a sign that something else is wrong with your health. By using nonprescription drugs to fight continual pain, the temporary relief might be masking more serious problems. Try not to self-medicate, and instead make an appointment to visit your doctor.
Always listen to your body, and examine any activities that might be the cause of your pain. For women who might be pregnant, occasional head discomfort may be an early sign. If you haven’t been drinking enough water, dehydration may be another cause of headache. When using painkillers, try not to mix them or use them with alcoholic beverages.
When visiting with your physician, be mindful that new regulations on prescription drugs may make them more difficult to obtain — even if your pain is due to surgery or injury.
If you are experiencing pain on a routine basis while awaiting your doctor’s appointment, keep a journal on how often the pain is felt, and rate its intensity on a scale of 1 through 10. Sharing this information with your doctor is one of the most effective ways of being proactive in the treatment of your pain.
For more information contact Las Vegas All Women’s Care at 702-522-9640; located at 700 Shadow Lane, 1st Floor, #165 Las Vegas, NV 89106.