#Japan #Tokyo #Canon MJ #Headtete #Headache Management

Headaches and Self-Care: Insights from Headtete

February 22nd is observed as Headache Day, raising awareness for this common ailment that affects productivity significantly. Canon Marketing Japan, led by President Masachika Adachi, has developed a self-care support app called "Headtete," which emerged from an internal entrepreneurship program. As the beta version of the app reaches one year, user data has been meticulously analyzed to reveal trends in headache self-care management.

The analysis underscores that headache triggers are multifaceted, indicating the need to understand personal factors influencing headaches. A key takeaway is that tracking days without headaches is essential for self-awareness and can inspire proactive self-care management.

The Economic Impact of Headaches

Headaches, particularly migraines, are known to contribute significantly to presenteeism—where health issues diminish work performance. It's estimated that productivity losses due to migraines could reach an annual cost of ¥2.3856 trillion. This perspective initiated Canon MJ's launch of the Headtete app, aimed at making a positive impact on headaches through user data.

Analysis Overview

• - Duration: The analysis covers data from February 21, 2025, to February 12, 2026.
• - Participants: Users of Headtete who provided consent for data analysis.
• - Content: The analysis includes aggregation of headache trigger types, identification of user characteristics through logging habits, and insights into user behavior and feedback.

Headache Trigger Types

The app allows users to determine their headache trigger types by responding to 18 different criteria, categorizing them into eight types. The results show that:

1. Sensitivity to Light, Sound, and Smell: 18.8%
2. Chronic Neck Pain: 18.2%
3. Seasonal Changes: 15.3%
4. Sleep Irregularities: 14.4%
5. Stress: 12.5%

Interestingly, over 95% of users identified with more than one headache trigger type, emphasizing how intertwined lifestyle and environmental factors can contribute to headaches. This suggests that understanding headache triggers cannot be approached from a singular perspective but rather requires a comprehensive evaluation of personal tendencies. Consequently, daily self-care should encompass various strategies tailored to individual needs, allowing for sustainable integration into everyday life. The creators of Headtete prioritize user experiences that cultivate awareness and lead to actionable changes.

Key Findings from User Records

Aiming to shift the narrative from merely logging headache episodes, Headtete emphasizes capturing days without headaches, resulting in a significant 59.2% of tracked days being headache-free. This approach aids users in identifying favorable conditions and understanding their usual habits better. It encourages users to reflect on the nuances of their daily wellbeing.

Feedback from Users

Feedback from consistent Headtete users has been overwhelmingly positive. Many report that the app fostered a habit of self-care and enhanced personal understanding of their conditions. It revealed unexpected patterns in headache frequency and precipitating circumstances, leading to increased awareness of medication usage and healthcare engagement.

For example, one user stated, "By keeping records, I discovered the frequency of my headaches was not as I had previously thought." Another remarked that their awareness of activities during headache-free days grew, leading to a more proactive approach to health.

Future Directions

Going forward, Headtete aims to further promote awareness of headache-free days and enhance user experiences by incorporating feedback and insights gained from daily logs. By visualizing trends based on habits, Headtete hopes to unveil potential causes related to lifestyle factors and prompt strategic behavior changes among those who might suffer from headaches but have not yet recognized their patterns. Additionally, the app seeks to collaborate with healthcare professionals and service providers to spread the message of effective self-medication and diverse self-care methods.

The findings of this analysis will also be presented at the upcoming 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Headache Society, capturing the attention of both general users and medical professionals on the implications of behavioral data in routine healthcare management.

Headtete continues its mission to empower users with insights that convert into actionable steps, thus contributing to the overall improvement of headache management in everyday life.

To learn more, visit the official Headtete page here or check out their app on the App Store and Google Play.