Gulf Edu
A man says his rare neurological condition means he has lived with a constant headache for two years. Rhys Richards, 30, has hemicrania continua which means his headache lasts "from morning, noon until night", he said. While treatment in Liverpool has provided some relief, he has to travel several hours there from his home in Bodedern, Anglesey.
The Welsh government said it recognises the debilitating effects of chronic headaches and that it will continue to work with NHS organisations to support cross-border healthcare where it is in the best interests of patients. Rhys, who works on power lines and has a 16-month-old toddler with his wife, Mererid, said his headache is felt mainly on the left side and front. "It's different to a normal headache or a migraine, it's a long lasting headache that sits through the day," he said.
"Not much will get rid of it, it's something that painkillers in general don't touch the sides." Although the continuous headache can be mild at times, Rhys said he often gets flare-ups, which is common with the condition. "When I get them, it feels like someone is squeezing my head," he said. "My eyes get watery, I can't focus, I can't see the same and it can last between 10 minutes and an hour and a half." But he says spending a full day travelling the 4.5 hour round trip is a burden.
"There and back, the day is gone by the time we've got there," Rhys said. "It is unfortunate that we haven't got anywhere local or more local in a sense that I can get the treatment. "There's probably more than just myself suffering with this condition or a similar condition, so you'd like to think that something can be done locally.
"But if I can have a sense of relief from the headaches for a few weeks to a few months, it's worth the four, five hour round trip." Karen Simpson, a GP with an extended role in headache medicine, said there is still a lot that is unknown about the condition and it's difficult for patients to have to travel so far. "It can be hundreds of miles there and back for a half-hour appointment," she said. "There are discussions at the moment about bringing services closer to patients in north Wales, to provide that equitable care.
"My hope is that patients receive timely care of the highest quality, but it is closer to their homes."
Source: BBC
