Headache: A Family Doctor's Guide to Treating a Common Ailment

Some of us only get the occasional headache; for others, headache dominates their lives. This book explains the science behind headache, the possible causes, and what can be done to stop the problem. It's the one book every headache sufferer will need.


Currently, about one in six of us suffer from chronic headache. In Australia, it is estimated that around three million adults get migraines; based on that figure, on any one day almost 100,000 will have one, with about half missing work or school. And that one-in-six statistic is narrowing every year.

Why is headache becoming an increasing problem? Why do particular drugs work for some people and not others, who continue to struggle with tension headache, chronic headache, and migraine? How much of a role do genetics, the environment, and diet play in causing headache? And what could you try if you've done everything for relief and got nowhere?

In this timely book, family doctor and former headache sufferer Carole Hungerford addresses what we know about treating and preventing this common health problem, including what triggers headaches, food, chemicals to avoid, and the latest research on the role that genetics play in causing migraine. She explores the evolutionary role of headache, and examines which approaches to treatment work best for which types of patients.

Some of us only get the occasional headache; for others, headache dominates their lives. This book explains the science behind headache, the possible causes, and what can be done to stop the problem. It's the one book every headache sufferer will need.

'The new gold standard for this subject . . . This book is a must for all sufferers of headaches and health professional involved in headache management,' Dr Ross Walker