SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PATIENTS WITH TENSION HEADACHE IN MUNICIPALITY OF VELES

Introduction:рrimary headaches are among the most common neurological disorders in the population, and tension-type headache is one of the most significant primary headache. Tension headache is also one of the most neglected types of headache, and its chronic form is one of the most difficult to treat. The purpose of this paper is to obtain knowledge about the socio-demographic characteristics of patients with tension headache, the history and different aspects of the tension headache, as well as, to obtain knowledge about the relationship betweet kinesitherapy, as a non-pharmacological method for treating and controlling the pain, and certain aspects of the tension headache. Мaterials and methods:the sample consists of 101 respondents, i.e., patients with tension headache who has sought medical help in primary health care in Veles. Data was collected by using a questionnaire for the socio-demographic characteristics of patients, history and characteristics of the headache and use of kinesitherapy as a part of its treatment. Results:,According to the sex, 60 of the patients or 59.4% were women, and 41 patients, ie, 40.6% of men. Regarding the age structure, it has been shown that most patients (34 patients or 33.7%) with tension headache are at the age of 30-39, and the smallest number of patients are under the age of 19 years (3 patients or 2,9%). Until the 30th year the tension headache shows a tendency of increase, after 40 years there is a tendency of declining the presence of tension headache. According to the place of living, 72.3% of the patients surveyed live in urban and 27.7% in the rural area. As for the labor relation and the occupation of patients with tension headache, the results showed that the same is for the most part (61 patients or 60.4%) in employed persons, then (28, ie, 27.8%) in the unemployed persons. The retired (10 patients or 9.9%) and students, ie students (only 2 patients, ie 1.9%) is represented in a much lower percentage. The duration of the pain in most patients is 4-24 hours and is interrupted by taking analgesics. Discussion:The results have shown that there is a small number of patients who use kinesitherapy in treating tension headache, but those who use kinesitherapy methods, according to the obtained results, have rare headaches, less pain duration and lower intensity of the pain. Conclusion These results are consistent with the results of other research on the positive effects of kinesitherapy on treatment, control and prophylaxis of tension headache. We think that patients should be educated about the positive effects of physical activity and be an integral part of everyday life. Family physicians should more often point patients on the importance and impact of kinesitherapy on their condition. We recommend to our patients a kinesitherapy program as a means of better pain control, but also as a corrective agent for better posture, which prevents the occurrence of relapse