Emotional strength: how do you treat a headache caused by stress? I Prof. Rafi Carso

I am 36 years old, and a few months ago I started having very strong headaches. It came with a frequency of once or twice a week, and slowly it increased in terms of intensity and frequency. At first the usual pills against the headaches helped me, but at some point it stopped helping. A little before Pesach, I got to the point where I couldn't handle the pain, I went to the hospital and they did a head CT scan and neurological tests. They didn't find anything, but the headaches didn't stop. Apart from the current situation in the country, nothing unusual has happened in my life. No separation, and no transition from one workplace to another. What could be the cause of the disturbing pains?

"When there is a young person who suddenly starts having severe headaches that get worse and worse, and all the tests are normal, one should think about a more emotional or mental problem. You describe a tension-related headache, and it can be either due to muscular tension or due to mental stress. I would suggest you look for the cause in the cervical spine, and try to receive perhaps alternative treatments, acupuncture treatments, reflexology or gentle massage. In my opinion, salvation will come from here."

I am 34 years old, and I recently had a hair transplant in Turkey. Now I'm supposed to undergo another transplant because they haven't finished the process. I was told that I was to receive a dose of PRP injection, platelet rich plasma, to help the hair grow. What is it about, and does the season matter when transplanting?

"PRP is a blood fluid that is rich in platelets. They take blood from your vein, put it in a centrifuge in a special test tube, it separates the blood fluid and platelets to the upper side of the test tube, and leaves the rest of the blood cells at the bottom. The plasma, together with the platelets, contains growth factors, and the same They inject with a small needle in the scalp. This allows better growth of the hair roots. It is better to perform the transplant in the winter when you are not sweating, but in principle it does not matter if you wash your head with a good shampoo."

I am 72 years old, and have been suffering from heartburn problems for 30 years. I was diagnosed with a diaphragmatic hernia, and I deal with recurring infections and even take pills. Recently, since October 7th, I started having very serious reflux that won't leave me, and it was decided that I could undergo surgery that could help and treat the hernia at that time. I tried a dietary change for almost two months, I stopped consuming dairy products and coffee, and it eased me a bit. Is it worth the surgery?

"Heartburn surgery does not save lives, but improves the quality of life. I always tell people to check what makes them heartburn, because it doesn't appear right after eating but half an hour later. Sometimes vegetables also cause heartburn. If you see that it bothers you, I would do the surgery. If you are healthy, have no cardiac or respiratory problems, I would go for it. First I would consult the family doctor. If you suffer a lot, I would do it."

I am 71 years old, dealing with diabetes and taking medication. I am balanced in terms of health and everything is fine. I am blind, and to balance myself I walk alongside volunteers who walk with me. I recently reduced the number of miles I walk each day, and I feel like I can't walk anymore. I have back pain, and they found out that I have a herniated disc in my vertebrae.

"If you had an epidural injection and it helped, what can be done is radio wave treatment in those places. Insert an electrode which is a needle, and activate radio wave energy that burns the sensory nerve. That way the pain does not go to the brain. That's one option, and it's the best option. This could be a solution. You can also try complementary medicine."

These conversations do not constitute a personal medical recommendation. You should always consult and be examined by your family doctor or a specialist

Rafi Carso is a professor of neuroscience and the nervous system at Bar-Ilan University, MD, former director of the neurology department and the pain clinic at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera

Assisted in the preparation of the article: Michal Kadosh 103FM