We turn down more work than we accept. This year alone, three good opportunities we walked away from. Here is why saying no is a studio skill we have practised deliberately, what it costs us in short-term revenue, and what it protects on the yes side of the ledger over the long run.
The common, harmless headaches
Tension headaches feel like a tight band around the head and are usually linked to stress, posture, screen time or poor sleep. Migraines are often one-sided, throbbing, and come with nausea or sensitivity to light and sound. Dehydration and skipped meals cause plenty of headaches in Addis too. All of these are unpleasant but not dangerous.
For these, rest, water, regular meals, a break from screens and a simple painkiller taken as directed are usually enough. Keep a note of when they happen and what seemed to trigger them. That record is the most useful thing you can bring to a doctor.
Signs that need urgent care
Some features change the picture completely. A headache that reaches its worst within seconds or a minute. A headache with fever and a stiff neck. A headache after a blow to the head. One that comes with weakness, numbness, confusion, slurred speech or trouble seeing. Any of these needs emergency care straight away, not an appointment next week.
Habari’s emergency department is open around the clock. If you are unsure whether a headache is one of these, call 9873 and let us decide with you rather than waiting it out.
Signs that need an appointment
Other patterns are not emergencies but still deserve a proper look. Headaches that are becoming more frequent or more severe over weeks. A new headache after the age of fifty. Headaches that wake you from sleep or are worse on waking. Needing painkillers more than two or three days a week. And any headache that is simply different from the ones you usually get.
None of these means something serious is wrong. They mean the cause should be identified rather than guessed at, so that it can be treated properly instead of masked with painkillers.
What happens when you come in
Your doctor will ask about the pattern, check your blood pressure, eyes and nervous system, and decide whether any tests are needed. Most people leave with a clear diagnosis and a plan, not a scan. Habari’s Internal Medicine department sees headache patients every day, with same-day imaging on site if it is required.
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