A recent article from Newsmax.com, dated June 5, 2015, contained interesting information regarding “Drug-Free Headache Remedies More Effective Than Painkillers.” Below are some excerpts from that article:
“Lifestyle changes involving diet, exercise, and relaxation techniques are better than costly medical treatments for headaches. But doctors are increasingly ordering up expensive tests and therapies that don’t offer clear benefits. “That’s the latest word from a team of Boston-based doctors who studied headache treatment trends nationwide. They found millions of Americans who see a doctor each year for headaches often end up paying too much for painkillers, brain scans, and other care that isn’t any better than inexpensive lifestyle changes proven to ease pain. “’Contrary to numerous guidelines, clinicians are increasingly ordering advanced imaging and referring to other physicians, and less frequently offering lifestyle counseling to their patients,’ says leading researcher John Mafi, M.D., of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. “’The management of headache represents an important opportunity to improve the value of U.S. healthcare’….. “Americans spend $71.5 billion a year on painkillers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – plus another $1 billion on brain scans that do little to help ease their suffering, studies show…..”Read the entire article.
