A headache or cephalalgia is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. Serious causes of headaches are very rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better by making lifestyle changes, learning ways to relax, and sometimes by taking medications.
There are a number of different classification systems for headaches. Headache is a non-specific symptom, which means that it has many possible causes. Treatment of a headache depends on the underlying etiology or cause, but commonly involves analgesics.
Nursing Diagnosis for Headache :
Knowledge Deficit : about the condition and treatment needs related to lack of recall, did not know the information, cognitive limitations.
Nursing Intervention :
- Discuss individual etiology of headache if known.
- Assist patients in identifying possible predisposing factors, such as emotional stress, excessive temperatures, food allergies / specific environment.
- Discuss about drugs and their side effects. The return value is the need to reduce / stop the treatment as indicated.
- Instruct patient / significant other in doing the activity / exercise, food intake, and the action raises a sense of comfort, such as massage and so on.
- Discuss about the position / location of a normal body.
- Instruct the patient / significant other to make time to relaxation and fun.
- Advise to use brain activity correctly, loving and laughing / smiling.
- Suggest use music that is fun.
- Instruct the patient to observe experienced headaches and related factors, or factors of precipitation.
- Provide written information / instructions sort of record.
- Identify and discuss the emergence of a hazard that is not real and / or therapy is not a medical treatment.