Headaches, specifically migraines, affect more than a billion people all around the world, which means that a huge chunk of healthcare resources go into treating them. With telehealth now turning into a common practice and helping people manage headaches, a lot of those resources could be freed up.
The Role of a Headache Diary in Telehealth
Keeping a headache diary can be transformative in your headache treatment journey. There are many types of headaches that patients come with. Some people have episodes of migraines and only require acute care, while others have complicated and chronic daily headaches. Some others are on preventative medication that keeps the headaches away. By writing things down, healthcare practitioners can firstly detect the type of headache, and secondly, they can determine the overall quality of care of the headache.
Of course, patients should not go on writing page after page, obsessively highlighting every detail of their headache. Still, they should stick to the point and mention relevant information so that it is easier for the doctors to go through. A better idea is to have calendars or score sheets in which the patients can score different parameters regarding their headaches. It is also the responsibility of the patients to regularly maintain their calendars and diaries so that they can explain their progress to their doctors.
Telehealth and Migraine Prescriptions
It is a widely known fact, which has been proven through studies, that telemedicine is equally effective in treating headaches in comparison to in-person evaluations. It is also a very reasonable way of checking up on patients, as people suffering from migraines are in a lot of pain, and reaching out to a doctor online saves them from the hassle of booking on-site appointments. It also prevents them from having to deal with traffic, as people with migraines are extra sensitive to light and sound, and the commotion of traffic can make their pain worse.
Making Informed Choices
One decision that migraine patients must face is to choose between Eletriptan and Rizatriptan. Both are triptans that are used to treat migraines and start working within 30 minutes of consumption, and you can also take 2 doses of either medication in 24 hours. Both have side effects of sleepiness and drowsiness. However, they have some differences between each other. Rizatriptan has two forms available, i.e., its generic form and its orally disintegrating form, which can be very helpful if you have trouble swallowing pills. On the other hand, Eletriptan can only be swallowed as a pill, which is why Rezatriptan is preferred for adults as well as kids who are six and above, while Eletriptan is the first choice for adults. When directly comparing Eletriptan vs Rizatriptan, Eletriptan provides longer-lasting relief. Rizatriptan has a maximum of 30 mg per day with 80mg for Eletriptan.
Why Data Matters in Virtual Care
Data is of essential importance in telehealth treatments, especially those of headaches, because a doctor does not have to do any physical examination to assess your symptoms. Instead, they need to know how you have felt and examine you through what you tell them, which is why it is extremely important to make a note of everything that you go through when having a headache.
Conclusion
There is an increasing trend in the use of the internet to treat headaches, and rightfully so. Writing down your symptoms will not only help your online doctor assign you the right type of treatment but will also help you better understand and manage your symptoms.
