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Permanent multitasking leads to more headaches in students
Children and adolescents move too little
Whether tension headaches or migraines: Many students in Germany regularly have such severe complaints that they take medication, can not go to school or need to see a doctor. In the past 50 years, the incidence of headache among adolescents has increased significantly, according to news agency dpa. Up to 40 percent of 12- to 15-year-olds report in various studies of weekly pain attacks. And in a three-month period, even 70 percent of this age group have severe pain at least once. For the increase in headaches in adolescents, experts are discussing various reasons. On the one hand mental stress such as pressure to perform, exam stress, bullying or conflicts in the family seem to play a role. And on the other hand, children and adolescents today are moving much less than before. This problem was also pointed out by the German health insurance (DKV) at the beginning of the year. A survey of parents had shown at that time that adolescents spend much too much time of the day in sitting and move little.
Excessive demands in everyday school life and in private life: More and more children suffer from headaches. (Image: Zlatan Durakovic - fotolia) Getting used to non-stop multitasking
"There is not one cause, but always several factors," said the Munich pediatric neurologist Prof. Florian Heinen to the dpa. The expert had led two headache studies in recent years. A change in the living conditions of students, he considers in comparison with previous generations for particularly significant: the habituation to non-stop multitasking. "The young people live today in a timed world without unplanned time and without boredom. Everything is done quickly, quickly and casually - writing text messages, checking emails, watching a video. "Since the brain adapts to the increased rhythm, it is difficult for the students to switch off at their leisure. "The brain likes to look for the next speed level," says Heinen. This leads to stress and tension.
Relaxation training instead of medication
Concerned pupils can learn, for example, in the Headache Clinic at the Children's Clinic of the University of Munich, to find appropriate well-being breaks for themselves. "Everyone needs something different," explained Heinen. "Some just lie on the bed or listen to music, others go for a walk with the dog or ride a bicycle." Migraines or headaches caused by neck tension also help to relax the neck muscles. For this, the expert recommends simple exercises that can be done anywhere, such as pushups or stretching exercises in front of the mirror. Prof. Peter Kropp from the Institute of Medical Psychology of the University of Rostock said that in most cases it is not necessary to take medication. Relaxation training and cognitive behavioral therapy are just as effective as tablets, according to the headache expert. In addition, painkillers can cause permanent headaches, as the professional association of German Nervous Physicians (BVDN) recently warned.
Natural home remedies for headaches
Simple tricks against headaches are often more effective than drugs anyway. For example, a few drops of lemon balm are applied to a piece of sugar and taken a well-known home remedy for headaches. Prof. Kropp also advises endurance sports, with which one should not exaggerate: "Sport is not just sport. The classic migraine patient often strives to be the first. That creates pressure. I would therefore advise against competitive sports. "The psychologist warned against linking headaches too closely with school:" If you have a headache in the morning, you should still go to school and wait and see if it gets better. This is the only way to prevent a classic conditioning. "
Inform students about the topic of headaches
At the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the University of Göttingen, children and adolescents can learn how to cope better with stress and thus avoid headaches. For some years, there have been offered anti-pox training for students who have migraine or tension headaches. The offer ranges from behavioral group training to self-help instructions for muscle relaxation to learning programs on the Internet. A review of the success of the three methods showed: "The group training based on cognitive behavioral therapy was the best in the first accompanying study," says project leader Prof. Birgit Kröner-Herwig. It already pays to inform students about headaches, as Florian Heinen knows from his studies. The pediatric neurologist explained: "Just one hour of headache prevention lessons leads to eight to ten percent fewer headaches in this group." (Ad)