stress – HeadFirst PNP

September 3, 2021

Headaches and psychiatric co-morbidities, part 1

It is quite common for patients with migraine and headaches to have a coexisting psychiatric co-morbidity, such as anxiety or depression. In fact, headache and psychological distress share the same risk factors, such as environmental stressors and genetic predisposition. Headache history may predispose a patient to psychopathology and psychopathology may predispose a patient to headache. … Continue reading Headaches and psychiatric co-morbidities, part 1

August 1, 2021

Off to college during the pandemic

It’s August, and lots of my patients getting ready to go off to college, either as freshmen or as sophomores, whose freshman year was spent at home doing college over zoom. It is an exciting and scary time for them (and their parents), especially with the continuing uncertainly of the Covid pandemic. I have had … Continue reading Off to college during the pandemic

May 7, 2021

Back to school, bring on the stress; psychiatric comorbidities and headache

In my part of the country, there has been a gradual transition from remote learning to hybrid learning to full in-person learning, starting this spring. And as we all experience, there are significant stressors with all this change. Kids are happy to be back at school with their friends, teachers, feeling sort of ‘back to … Continue reading Back to school, bring on the stress; psychiatric comorbidities and headache

November 13, 2020

Anxiety!!!

Oh my goodness, along with the Covid 19 pandemic, there has been a significant uptick in anxiety, among my patients with headaches, especially the teens and young adults. This has been clear since about mid-October. Historically, there is the usual ramp up of anxiety, worry, lack of coping, that tends to happen around this time … Continue reading Anxiety!!!

October 11, 2020

Pandemic reflections

Children and teens with headache and migraine have been affected in a variety of ways by these pandemic times. Thinking back, there has been a difference between last spring and this fall and the effect on my patients, particularly in the school environment. I will refer back to specific chapters in my book ‘Getting ahead … Continue reading Pandemic reflections

September 13, 2020October 16, 2020

Managing headaches during the pandemic, part 2

The pandemic and its impact on life and work have consumed most of us during the past 6 months. So many choices and many not in our power to make. All vacations cancelled-no trip to Africa this June, no headache conference. Limited in-person interaction both at work and in life. Lack of control over most … Continue reading Managing headaches during the pandemic, part 2

March 29, 2020

Managing headaches during the pandemic

Nothing could be more pressing on the minds of all of us than the Covid 19 pandemic. Our clinic has been closed to live visits since March 16. We are now doing all virtual visits for both new evaluations and follow up visits. There has been plenty of institutional IT support and direction in these … Continue reading Managing headaches during the pandemic

March 2, 2020February 29, 2020

App review: WebMAP Mobile, for adolescents with chronic pain

Stress and pain go hand and hand, feed off each other, triggering more pain and headaches. One way to help our patients with chronic pain and headaches is to encourage mind/body techniques, like mindfulness, meditation, relaxation, CBT, yoga, Reiki and other modalities. One way to help get it started is to have them actually download … Continue reading App review: WebMAP Mobile, for adolescents with chronic pain

January 4, 2020

Resilience and the teen with headaches

Welcome to the New Year 2020! I have been missing-in-action for the past few months, just too much going on in life to be able to create any new posts. I am back and am committing to posting at least once per month from now on. I have been thinking a lot about resilience lately … Continue reading Resilience and the teen with headaches

August 30, 2019

Going off to college with headaches!

It’s the tail end of the summer, and I have been spending a lot of time with my patients getting ready to go off to college for the first time. It is an exciting and scary time for them (and their parents). I have had a relationship with many of these kids for years, sometimes … Continue reading Going off to college with headaches!