Written By: Kevin E. Baill, MD, Medical Director, Outpatient Services; Chief of Addiction Services, Butler Hospital on March 17, 2021
The coronavirus pandemic has created stressful situations for many, causing an uptick in migraine headaches. According to Dr. Kevin E. Baill, Medical Director, Outpatient Service; Chief of Addiction Services, Butler Hospital, “Tension in the body can lead to various types of headaches.”
Stress is not the only factor leading to the uptick in migraines, he says, but adding to the problem are recent lifestyle changes caused by the pandemic and increased screen time on technology devices. “That can have a direct effect on someone as far as having eye strain, neck pain, migraine headaches,” Baill explained.
Baill added that stress can have an impact on all parts of our body including the gastrointestinal, nervous, immune and reproductive systems. It also has a significant impact on mental health. He also said that as people lose their routines, due to stress, their sleep patterns often change as well, which can lead to health problems down the road and should not be ignored.
“The longer and the more intense the stress, the more impact that’s going to have on our physical bodies,” Baill said.
As the stressful conditions continue, Dr. Baill says there are simple remedies everyone can do to find peace of mind, including increasing daily/weekly exercise, maintaining a healthy diet and developing routines that are easy to manage.
-- Kevin E. Baill, MD, Medical Director, Outpatient Services; Chief of Addiction Services
Butler Hospital