Transcript

Doctor: Good morning, John. How are you feeling today?
Patient: Hi Dr. Smith. I'm doing okay, but I've been having some headaches lately.
Doctor: I see. How often are you getting these headaches, and when did they start?
Patient: They started about a week ago. I get them almost every afternoon. They feel like a tight band around my head.
Doctor: That sounds like a tension headache. Are you experiencing any nausea, sensitivity to light, or visual changes?
Patient: No, nothing like that. Just the dull pain and tightness. I've been taking some over-the-counter ibuprofen, and it helps a little bit.
Doctor: Have you been under any unusual stress recently, or noticed changes in your sleep?
Patient: Well, work has been pretty demanding this past month, and I probably haven't been sleeping as well as I should. 
Doctor: Okay. Stress and lack of sleep are very common triggers for tension headaches. I'm going to check your blood pressure and do a quick neurological exam. 
[Pause for examination]
Doctor: Your blood pressure is normal, 120 over 80. Your neurological exam is completely normal as well. I don't see any red flags here. I'm diagnosing this as episodic tension-type headaches.
Patient: That's a relief to hear. What should I do about it?
Doctor: Let's try to manage the stress and improve your sleep hygiene first. Try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep. You can continue taking ibuprofen for the pain, but don't take it more than two or three days a week to avoid rebound headaches. 
Patient: Okay, I can do that.
Doctor: I also want you to keep a headache diary for the next couple of weeks. Note when the headaches start, how long they last, what you were doing, and if the ibuprofen helped. 
Patient: Will do. Do I need to come back?
Doctor: Yes. I want to see how you are progressing. Come back in 2 weeks. We can review your headache diary and see if we need to adjust the plan.
Patient: Sounds good. Thank you, doctor.
Doctor: You're welcome. See you in two weeks!