Mercy's Dr. Francis "Skip" Strain Address Headaches and the Holidays

Holidays can be stressful, and that stress can trigger painful headaches.

According to Francis “Skip” Strain, III, M.D. a top rated primary care doctor and a member of Mercy Personal Physicians Downtown in Baltimore, complaints about headaches definitely increase around the holidays.

"Just the combination of the stress of being off schedule, stress missing sleep, feeling like there's something always hanging over your head that you've got to get done in a timely fashion, you don't want to let people down, you don't want to disappoint people, it can really play a major role in how people feel, especially with headaches," Dr. Strain said.

Overindulging foods like aged cheeses, processed meats, caffeine and certain wines can trigger migraines in some people or exacerbate other types of headaches.

Dr. Strain recommends patients with frequent headaches keep a diary to see if there is a common trigger.

Try to be mindful of your schedule over the holidays: Get your sleep, watch alcohol and caffeine consumption and take a step back and try to enjoy the time with family and friends.

Dr. Strain is board certified in Internal Medicine. His focus centers on primary and family care, with interests in women’s health, osteoporosis and eating disorders.

To view Mercy’s Dr. Skip Strain’s interview regarding holiday headaches, click here.