Subscribe
Previous Post
I received this press release today from the National Headache Foundation on how headaches affect the work place.
If people had any doubt about headaches, chronic headaches in particular are more than just a nuisance, this may help them better understand the effects:
Headaches on the Job Prevalent, Painful and
Costly
Employees suffering from headaches at work
are less productive, more prone to miss days
Chicago, IL – July 9, 2008 –
Experiencing headaches at work is not only painful for employees, but can be costly
to employers, according to the National Headache Foundation (NHF). In a recent
survey of headache sufferers, the NHF found that 99% of respondents experience
headaches while on the job. Respondents say headaches lead to missed days
of work, decreased productivity, inability to concentrate, and changes in mood
or behavior.
While half of all survey respondents reported missing
anywhere from 1-3 days of work per month because of their headaches, 66% of
them do not report their headaches to their supervisors. When asked why, most
respondents said they feel their supervisor wouldn’t be sympathetic or
accommodating or they don’t want to be labeled as “needy” or
“whiny.” Additionally, 86% of respondents said the issue of
work-related headaches has never been addressed at their place of employment.
Ninety-three percent said that information on work-related headache treatment
or prevention is not available through their employer.
“Many who suffer from headaches at work feel their
employers or co-workers won’t understand the severity of their
condition,” said Dr. Nabih Ramadan, Board member, National Headache
Foundation. “If you experience headaches on the job, talk with your
healthcare provider about what triggers your pain to determine the best
treatment options. You can also encourage your employer to learn more about
headaches and their profound negative impact on workplace performance.“
When asked what triggers headaches at work, nearly 70% of
the respondents attributed their pain to work-related stress. A larger majority
also associated bright or florescent lighting, computer glare or eye strain
with their headaches.
Additional NHF survey results:
· 92% of
respondents said they work outside their home
· 90% of respondents said headaches
have affected their performance at work
· 73% of respondents said they take
an over-the-counter product when experiencing a headache at the workplace
NHF’s Tips to dealing with headaches at the workplace:
· Get help.
Discuss the connection between your headaches and work with your healthcare
provider. He or she can help you determine your treatment options.
· Track your
headaches. Using a headache diary, track your headaches for three months.
Download a free headache diary at www.headaches.org and bring
your results to your healthcare professional to review and determine whether
your headaches are associated with workplace triggers.
· Eliminate
florescent lighting
· Use a non-glare
computer screen
· Use loose
telephone head set instead of phone receiver
· Take frequent breaks
· Utilize ergonomically designed
work spaces
ABOUT MIGRAINES
Nearly 30 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches,
which are most commonly experienced between the ages of 15 and 55. Seventy to
eighty percent of sufferers have a family history of migraine. Less than half
of all migraine sufferers have received a diagnosis of migraine from their
healthcare professional. Migraine is often misdiagnosed as sinus or
tension-type headache.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL HEADACHE FOUNDATION
The National Headache Foundation, founded in 1970, is a
non-profit organization which exists to enhance the healthcare of headache
sufferers. It is a source of help to sufferers’ families, physicians who
treat headache sufferers, allied healthcare professionals and to the public.
The NHF accomplishes its mission by providing educational and
informational resources, supporting headache research and advocating for the
understanding of headache as a legitimate neurobiological disease.
Interviews with headache specialists are available upon request.
For more information on headache causes and treatments,
visit www.headaches.org or call 1-888-NHF-5552 (M-F. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT).
###
~~~
If you would like to leave a comment, please go back to the original page as this one doesn’t allow comments for some reason. Thanks!
You’re welcome Marijke.
Another really common sense thing you can do is apply moist heat to your neck whenever it gets stiff, or whenever you get a headaches.
Get one of those microwavable heat packs at a department store, or through the Internet, and pop in the micorwave when needed.
It works great!
Doug, thank you for a very informative addition to the blog.
Good tips… very useful after sitting in front of a computer all day!
Hi Marijke,
Workplace headaches are so common people don’t take them seriously. Thanks for giving credence to the issue by referencing the NHF study.
There’s a real simple stretch people can do a few times a day while at work to ward off neck and upper back tightness, which in turn will prevent tension headaches. It can be done sitting or standing.
If you’re going to sit, sit in a chair with backing you can hook your arms over. Make sure your posture’s good: head up, shoulders rolled back, stomach tight, chest out. Then, gently pull your shoulders blades together.
If you’re going to stand, assume the military position. Stand at attention, with head up, shoulders rolled back, chest out, stomach tight.
Then gently pull your shoulder blades together.
Now hold this stretch for three full minutes. Don’t cheat and quit early; the length of the stretch is important.
Equally important – cause no pain. If the stretch causes discomfort or pain in the neck, upper back or chest, back off of the stretch until the pain/discomfort subsides. Don’t quit it entirely, just back off a bit.
At the end of three minutes, release the stretch. You’ll find that your neck and upper back will have loosened; you may even feel a warm rush of blood coming up the back of your head.
Take breaks to do this stretch daily – about once every 60-90 minutes. It will help a lot!