Thought the headache was due to work pressure, but it turned out to be a chronic neurological disease

Ms. T. (31 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) works in marketing. At first, she thought she had a headache due to work pressure. But the pain became more and more intense, spreading to half of her head.

Ms. T. said that not only did she have a headache, her eyes were also sensitive to light, accompanied by the feeling of seeing strange bright spots.

After visiting the Nam Sai Gon International General Hospital, she was diagnosed with migraine with visual aura - a special type of migraine in which the patient will see bright spots or flashing lights.

Specialist Doctor Ho Thanh Lich, Head of Internal Medicine Department, Nam Sai Gon International General Hospital, said that migraine is a chronic neurological disease, the main cause of which is a neurotransmitter disorder, especially a decrease in serotonin in the brain. The pain can be triggered by many factors such as stress, hormonal changes, bright light or irregular living habits. In addition to headaches and seeing bright spots, patients also have symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, fear of light, and wanting to stay in the dark.

People with migraines also have symptoms of "fear of sound" such as feeling uncomfortable, irritable, losing concentration, and having increased headaches when hearing sounds and noises, including normal sounds such as talking, closing doors, or traffic outside. People with symptoms of "fear of sound" often prefer to be in quiet places, avoiding loud noises...

According to statistics from the Vietnam Neurological Association (2024), about 12% of the Vietnamese population is living with migraine. Notably, 60% of them are young people under 35 years old.

Migraine is increasingly common in young patients

PHOTO: TH

Causes of headaches are getting younger

Migraines often appear in young people today, common causes include:

• Mental pressure : Work deadlines and exams increase stress.
• Hormonal changes: Women are more prone to migraines during their menstrual periods. Lack of sleep (less than 6 hours/day).
• Light and noise: Working under strong LED lights, blue light from computer/phone screens or noisy environments.
• Eating habits: Use of alcohol, beer, coffee, chocolate.

"Young Vietnamese people are facing more migraines due to overuse of technology devices and work pressure. This is truly an alarming problem," said Dr. Lich.

According to Dr. Lich, migraines can also lead to many dangerous complications, affecting the quality of life, including chronic headaches, depression, anxiety - reducing the quality of life; increased risk of stroke, especially in people with Aura migraine (a type of migraine in which the patient experiences neurological symptoms before or during the migraine); long-term nerve damage, affecting memory and concentration"

Doctor Lich recommends that to limit the occurrence of migraines, we should turn off electronic devices at least 1 hour before going to bed to avoid blue light from the phone. Sleep quality is also very important, need to sleep 7-8 hours a day and limit stimulants such as coffee, alcohol. At the same time, we should have a habit of regular health check-ups to detect neurological problems early and treat them promptly.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tuong-dau-dau-do-ap-luc-cong-viec-khong-ngo-la-benh-ly-than-kinh-man-tinh-185250601175347477.htm