Should I take brain tonic for headaches?

My mother is 63 years old and often has headaches, especially when the weather changes.

Doctor, can my mother take brain tonic to reduce this condition and enhance brain function? (Thuy An, Soc Trang )

Reply:

Headache is a very common condition, especially in the elderly. Most people have had headaches at least once or more in their lives. Some people may have headaches, migraines due to weather changes, stress, neurological diseases... Modern life is busy, full of pressure also causes many people to have headaches, nervous breakdown.

You shared that your mother often has headaches, especially when the weather changes, but it is unclear whether she has seen a doctor or not. This helps to rule out underlying neurological diseases so that appropriate treatment can be given. In cases where the pain is mainly due to external factors such as weather, work pressure or lack of sleep, it is usually not serious. Your mother can apply some pain relief measures such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy, exercising regularly, avoiding mental stress, relaxing...

Many people suffer from headaches and think it is due to poor cerebral circulation, especially the elderly. With this mentality, patients buy and use drugs that are advertised as helping to nourish the brain, increasing blood flow to the brain to reduce discomfort. If the disease is indeed due to poor cerebral circulation, drugs that promote cerebral blood circulation can help improve the condition. When blood circulation is good, headaches and migraines can be reduced. However, patients still need to be examined so that the doctor can prescribe the appropriate medication.

You should take brain tonics as advised by your doctor. Photo: Freepik — You should take brain tonics as advised by your doctor. Photo: *Freepik*

Some medicines and health supplements extracted from nature such as blueberry, ginkgo... can help fight free radicals, regulate blood circulation in the brain, increase nutrients needed for this organ, and reduce headaches. However, there are many types of brain tonics or medicines used to treat neurological diseases such as headaches and insomnia, with different nutrients and effects, suitable for each case. Therefore, you must take the right medicine for the right disease, and not use it indiscriminately. If the headache is caused by diseases such as cerebral aneurysm or vascular malformation, brain tumor, meningitis, stroke... then taking it normally will not be effective.

Overuse of headache medications or brain tonics can be bad for your health, causing side effects such as stomachache, nausea, palpitations, diarrhea, insomnia, making headaches worse... People with high blood pressure or who have had a stroke should be careful when using brain tonics.

People who often have symptoms of headaches, migraines, dizziness, lightheadedness, memory loss... should see a doctor. Some symptoms that come with headaches such as decreased vision, vomiting... are also warning signs of a stroke. With your mother's condition, it is best for her to see a doctor for advice on health protection foods, headache relievers or brain tonics suitable for her condition and frequency of use. Young people should also limit the habit of using pain relievers on their own. Ideally, this group of people should change to a healthy lifestyle, reduce work, avoid stress to "reduce the load" on the brain.

Master, Doctor, Specialist II Pham Ngoc Danh Khoa
Department of Neurology, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City

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