Dr Aneez Neurologist

As of writing this today, Iam having another headache. So forgive me for any bad writing . ( I will get some AI to smooth this out later).

My Headaches began when I was little. Somebody gave me this idea that they happen as my brain is growing and it is putting pressure on the skull. So the headaches occur on the days that I read too much , had some undigestable stuff in my head etc . I was kinda happy that my brain is getting big and I was getting more intelligent.

My parents were not very keen in giving pain killers , but gave me some forms of tea (many flavours, many herbs) and my mother gave me a head massage. “Wait 5 minutes and I will absorb away your headache after this___ work” she would say. The clinking sounds of her bangles when she rubbed my head was very relaxing.

Around college, I became friend with Paracetamol, It was there in my bag, my cupboard, my other bag. Hostelmates when having any pain recognised me as a reliable source of painkiller.

And the end of the MBBS , I got samples of Tramadol Tapendadol etc,  from medical representatives, but thank god , it gave me a good vomiting and once even hallucinations that I never took it again. (So Iam with you Oh the crusader against Opiod pandemic, cue to nejm editors)

MD DM time was different, the headaches were a troublemaker. I didn’t have time for myself, So how could I have time for a headache. Pill popping was usual . Within an hour of headache, paracetamol or a combination analgesic was in my system. (Somehow medication overuse headache didn’t trouble me thankfully).

After the DM course , I had the courage to suffer through the headache. The child in me is very proud of my superhuman ability to hear what happens 2 room apart, the music playing next door or the break screeching  faraway. I found that after the headache, Iam more resilient, Saintly philosophical ( well it was when this adage floated around: What that doesn’t kill you make you stronger. What that doesn’t break you , make you ?bendier).

I did my thesis on headaches, so got to see many faces and flavours of headache. Had read a lot about headache, the changing guidelines, the newer medicines . When Iam seeing migraine patients I do have great empathy for them . (Don’t worry, the prevalence of migraine in General Doctors and Neurologists is high; so your doctor may also be a migraineour, and a empathetic one)

After seeing my son having Headaches, I had to get his brain scan (normal, don’t worry) . He runs around with his headache, vomits and then goes back to whatever mischief he was on. At his age of 8, when he has a headache and tries to sit alone , I do feel some guilt that I may have passed a migraine genetics to him .

I got my  brain scanned at age of 38 ( I was always sure it will be normal) as a part of a research project. It showed some assymetry is size of the ventricles (the fluid chambers in brain) which is normal. (Must say I am kinda sad that my brain is not any larger or more “intelligent looking” than the many scans I see in a day 🙈).