Causes of hellish headaches. Why does your head hurt: causes and how to treat cephalalgia
At the same time, neurologists believe that the source of the problem is in the brain, therapists believe that it is in the blood vessels, and psychotherapists attribute everything to stress.
And each of these specialists is right in their own way. There are many sources of headaches. This can be either lack of sleep, stress, osteochondrosis, deficiency in the body of certain microelements (potassium, copper, magnesium or phosphorus), or serious diseases, such as meningitis and even a brain tumor. Fortunately, only 5 out of 100 headache attacks require immediate hospitalization. In other cases, you can cope with the malaise on your own.
This hat doesn't suit me
Doctors have such a concept - “neurotic helmet”, or “tension headache”. It's about about the unpleasant sensations that arise as a result of increased tone of the muscles of the neck and scalp for a long time. The cause of this disease, as a rule, is physical fatigue and emotional distress, sometimes it is caused by excessive smoking and even clips or earrings that put pressure on certain points on the ear.
The “neurotic helmet” is usually bilateral, characterized by a dull, monotonous, diffuse nature of the pain, as if the skull is being squeezed with a hoop. It can be episodic - less than 15 days a month and chronic - more than 15 days a month for six months. Experts have noticed that this “headdress” is more often worn by patients who tend to negatively evaluate life events, that is, inveterate pessimists. In this case, pain is a bodily expression of anxiety, a manifestation of accumulated experiences and complexes. This problem can be eliminated with natural sedatives (chamomile tea, peony tincture, passion flower) and autogenic training. Self-massage of the head helps a lot: it relieves that same muscle tension - the cause of unpleasant sensations. There is even such a technique - “combing out” a headache with a massage brush. At the same time, blood circulation increases and muscles relax. Normal blood circulation is restored.
What to do: massage your fingertips with the tip of a pencil. Find the most painful point and press on it (this is a type of home reflexology). Helps well breathing exercises or aromatherapy. Try 5-10 minute hot baths for your feet or hands. Instead of a water procedure, you can put a wrung-out hot towel on your forehead, massage your neck and shoulders, and drink green tea (but without chocolate or sweets).
Treacherous vessels
The cause of the headache may be spasm or dilation of blood vessels. Most often, this problem worries those who lead a sedentary, sedentary lifestyle. Another category of unfortunate people suffering from such headaches are patients vegetative-vascular dystonia and osteochondrosis. In this condition, the whole head splits at once. The pain is pulsating, “knocking in the temples”, the face looks puffy, the general condition is broken. For those who are susceptible to this disease, the discomfort intensifies when the weather changes and a few days before menstruation. During pregnancy, the frequency of headaches decreases or they stop completely, but, unfortunately, they resume after childbirth, as soon as the period of breastfeeding ends. In this case, home remedies will not help. You need medications that stabilize blood vessels and relieve spasms (stugeron or no-spa).
What to do: Wet compresses can relieve the pain a little - hot if the face turns pale during an attack, and cold if it turns red. A head and neck massage helps a lot. To prevent pain caused by blood vessels, experts recommend swimming. Fans folk ways Treatments use herbal preparations containing hawthorn, cucumber, and lemon balm. But in this case, you should not get carried away with coffee and caffeinated drugs.
The monster called "Migraine"
The term “migraine” was introduced by the ancient Roman physician Galen. This is a complex disease, the main symptom of which is attacks of unbearable pain strictly in one half of the head. Doctors associate this pathology with a disorder in the metabolism of serotonin, a substance involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. By the way, women are more likely to suffer from migraines. If your mother suffered from unbearable headaches most of her life, most likely a similar fate awaits you. After all, migraines are usually inherited. The situation gets worse if you lead an unhealthy lifestyle: you smoke, drink alcohol, move little and are rarely outdoors.
The first headaches can occur in childhood. They fully manifest themselves by the age of 25-40. An attack can last from 4 hours to 3 days, accompanied by nausea, sometimes vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light and sounds. It is often preceded by such special effects as flickering flashes of light followed by a “veil before the eyes,” a narrowing of the field of view, and a split image.
What to do: in the first phase of migraine, vasodilators are used: dibazole with papaverine, nicotinic acid, trental, stugeron. On the second - vasoconstrictors: ergot preparations. During an attack, rest in a darkened room is necessary, as well as a light massage or warm hand baths with essential oils of lavender, lemon, peppermint, and marjoram.
"Wrong" sausage
Scientists have recently found that headaches may be associated with food intolerance to certain foods. The reason is in substances that affect blood vessels. First of all, it is tyramine, which can be found in chocolate, long-aged cheese, yogurt, sour cream, salted or marinated fish, canned seafood (crabs, shrimp), smoked meat, sausages, as well as in all types of beer. This substance is insidious in that its amount in products increases during long-term storage.
Another chemical element, which causes the so-called sausage headache, is sodium nitrate. And monosodium glutamate, found in many dishes and sauces of Chinese cuisine, is the source of the ailment with the sonorous name “Chinese restaurant headache.” If you are not a fan of oriental cuisine, do not rush to rejoice. You may encounter this substance in bouillon cubes, potato chips, corn chips, flavored crackers, and some dry soups.
Caffeine deserves special attention. It is curious that it causes unpleasant sensations not by its presence, but by its absence - this is the so-called abusive headache. In this case, people suffer due to a lack of their favorite coffee, cola or tea. A sharp refusal of these drinks is accompanied by throbbing headaches in the temporal regions, weakness, irritation, absent-mindedness, anxiety, fear, sleep disturbance and nausea.
What to do: A prerequisite for recovery is diet. Switch to a diet that excludes the consumption of harmful foods. Herbal medicine, methods of cleansing the body and kinesiotherapy (a special method of physical therapy) have an excellent effect.
Attention!
Don't delay visiting your doctor if your headache gets worse, pills don't help, or the discomfort keeps recurring over several days or weeks. If the illness is accompanied by blurred vision or dizziness, you should visit a specialist as soon as possible.
Only 5 out of 100 headache attacks are a reason for hospitalization
- The whole head is fever, cold, infectious diseases
- Forehead (both sides above the eye sockets) – eye diseases, incorrectly selected glasses
- Temples on both sides, back of the head – throbbing vascular headache (with hypertension)
- Hoop (passes through the forehead, temples, back of the head) – for tension headaches
- Behind the ear (on one side), temple – dental problems or otitis media
- Temple (on one side) – migraine
Expert opinion
Larisa Novikova, neuropathologist of the highest category
Of course, in the treatment of headaches, normalization of the daily routine is of great importance, that is, adherence to the rules of a balanced diet, mandatory alternation of work and rest, limitation of emotional stress (primarily negative), and adequate sleep. But, unfortunately, these measures are not always enough. And figure it out the real reason Only a specialist can diagnose headaches. If the use of first aid is not effective, do not delay visiting a specialist. After all, early diagnosis of the disease is the key to successful treatment.
Stars about headaches
Tatiana Arno:
- I happy man– I almost never have a headache. This attack only happened to me two or three times in my life. At the same time, in order to come to my senses, I did not need to rest, drink special teas or decoctions, or take wonderful baths. When this happened, a regular aspirin tablet saved me. Apparently, this is just a feature of my body, which, seeing how others suffer, makes me very happy.
Yana Rudkovskaya:
– The best way for me to relieve headache attacks is to take a warm, relaxing bath. I always add stress relievers to the water - salts, gels, balls and rose petals. If there is no time for water treatments, then I wipe my face with a piece of ice, in which I dilute an ampoule of collagen-elastin before freezing. The procedure kills two birds with one stone: the pain goes away and the contours of the face are tightened at the same time.
Alexander Malinin:
– You see, I live in such a rhythm that I have no time to pay attention to such trifles as a headache. I relieve unpleasant symptoms by taking an analgin tablet and turning on calm, soothing, preferably classical, music. But if the problem occurs frequently, you need to consult a doctor and look for the immediate cause of its occurrence. After all, a headache can be a consequence of a cold, fatigue, or problems with blood vessels.
Material provided by the magazine “AiF About Health” No. 12, 2008
A severe, sharp headache is often accompanied by nervous tension. That is why most people attribute such manifestations to overwork or basic fatigue.
Usually a person takes painkillers to relieve the painful condition. But even rarely occurring periodic pain should not be ignored.
After all, these symptoms may indicate a hidden pathology or the development of a serious disease. The advanced course of the disease can result in irreversible processes in the body.
A distinctive feature is the unexpectedness of the appearance of a sudden headache, the location, as well as the intensity and nature of the painful syndrome.
Depending on the cause of cephalalgia, an attack can occur rapidly, covering the head for several seconds. Be in the form of a short-term headache or, on the contrary, continue for several hours or even days.
After recovery and normalization of a satisfactory condition, the frequency between the appearance of acute headaches can be quite long.
Particularly dangerous is a sharp piercing pain that can shoot through the head. At the same time, the vision may darken, creating a feeling as if from a strong blow.
The appearance of piercing pain in the head indicates that a blood vessel may burst. This condition requires immediate hospitalization.
The best option when sharp and acute pain occurs is to contact a specialist. It is necessary to undergo a full examination to identify the cause of pain.
Types of headaches
When a person suddenly has a sharp headache, this is most often explained by neurological problems or vascular dysfunction.
Through numerous studies, scientists have identified about 200 types of sensations and about 45 types of cephalgia.
Severe headaches can be caused by many factors, each with varying symptoms. Eg:
- cluster pains occur more often in men and are one-sided in nature, for example, sudden cephalalgia piercing the temple in the left hemisphere for several seconds;
- cervical osteochondrosis or myogelosis causes long-term or short-term headaches that appear due to muscle spasm or compression of the vessels of the cervical region;
- inflammatory processes occurring in the trigeminal or occipital nerves cause sharp, short-term pain in the back, which can pulsate to the back of the head or intensify with movements, turning the head or tilting;
- weather dependence can provoke a condition when a person suddenly begins to have a headache due to changes in weather.
Any acute manifestations may be a sign of serious disorders in the body. It is highly recommended not to self-medicate, so as not to pose a threat to your own life.
Let's look at the most common types of sharp stabbing pain.
Symptomatic
Acute headache is a pronounced sign of the presence of an illness and unhealthy condition. Such pains are called symptomatic, as they arise due to certain disorders:
- mechanical damage to the skull;
- dysfunction of the cardiovascular system;
- increased intracranial pressure;
- infections, viruses, ;
- metabolic or metabolic disorders, dysfunction of the facial structure, dental or cranial problems.
Each violation must be considered separately, dealing with the occurrence of prolonged or momentary sharp pain with the help of professionals.
Migraine
Migraine or hemicrania is a disease of a neuralgic nature, characterized by one-sided (usually in the right half) short-term or.
This is one of the very common conditions that can affect both teenagers and adults. In most cases, migraine affects women, especially against the background of hormonal disorders, the onset of menopause or menstruation.
Often, such ailment begins with the appearance of precursors - sensitivity to light, sharp sounds, smells, unmotivated mood swings, depression or apathy.
Attacks can appear unexpectedly, develop rapidly within half an hour, or take quite a long time to pass. In most cases, an attack occurs when you get out of bed or at the moment when a person just wakes up.
Localization of acute headache can radiate to different points of the body - ear, eyebrow, temporal lobes, etc. The symptoms accompanying the disease are also of a different nature. It depends on the type of migraine.
For example, abdominal hemicrania is usually accompanied by vomiting, nausea, dizziness, bloating or pain in the abdomen.
The provoking factors for the appearance of migraines are considered to be neuroses, stress, disorders psycho-emotional state, lack of sleep, medications, etc.
Tension headache
Such sharp and acute pain is the most common type, affecting the age group from 20 to 35 years.
Acute paroxysms are very similar to cluster pain. However, they are highly sensitive to indomethacin.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
With this pathology, hemorrhage occurs under the arachnoid membrane of the brain when a vessel aneurysm ruptures.
The anomaly can be either congenital or acquired. In the latter case, the provoking factors are atherosclerosis, autoimmune vasculitis, and smoking abuse.
An aneurysm is rarely accompanied by any symptoms. A vessel may burst due to a specific reason. In this case, a sharp and acute pain occurs in the back of the head, crown area, temples, eyes and frontal lobes.
Pituitary apoplexy
The pituitary gland is an endocrine gland located in the brain. Apoplexy refers to the effusion of blood into the tissue structures of the pituitary gland.
As a result of this process, a sudden increase in the size of the gland occurs, during which compression of adjacent vessels or nerve endings occurs.
Severe headaches are usually accompanied by blurred vision and confusion. Treatment involves surgery.
Harris migraine neuralgia
This species appears unexpectedly for no apparent reason. Severe attacks are otherwise called tension headache or cluster headache.
The pathology usually affects middle-aged men. Cutting pains usually occur at night. The location is on one side of the face, extending to the temple or eye.
Migraine cephalalgia may be accompanied by increased tearing, sinus congestion (left or right), and redness of the affected facial area.
Pathology of the autonomic nerve ganglia
Pain in the area of the facial structure associated with neuralgia of the branches of the nerves of the skull. The pathology is paroxysmal in nature.
Burning, piercing headaches occur in outbreaks, which tend to shoot through adjacent parts of the head and body.
When introduced into deeper structures, pain may radiate to the temple, crown, forehead or ear.
Mental or physical stress
A sharp headache does not necessarily occur due to the presence of pathology. Mental or physical stress is also a cause of cephalalgia.
This type of headache is the scourge of office workers or workaholics. Discomfort is easily eliminated by good rest and adherence to the regime.
Taking medications
Severe headaches can be caused by abuse medicines. This type of cephalalgia is quite common. Another name for abuse pain.
Often occurs as a result of abandoning the usual painkillers. Sometimes acquired pathology has a complex course and long-term treatment. Therefore, drugs must be selected by a specialist and strictly individually.
How to get rid of cutting pain in the head?
A number of comprehensive measures will help eliminate acute and severe headaches:
- taking painkillers prescribed by a doctor;
- in case of stress, it is recommended to take a herbal medicine, for example, valerian or motherwort;
- Regular filtered water will help ease the pain; adding lemon increases the effect by an order of magnitude;
- various relaxation techniques help relieve pain;
- massage of certain points of the head or body, for example, the second metacarpal bone, located between the thumb and index finger;
- compliance with preventive measures.
If the attacks are constant, self-treatment at home will not provide the proper effect and relief. It is necessary to undergo a detailed medical examination.
Brain examination
For an initial appointment, you should contact a therapist or neurologist. The doctor will conduct a survey, give a referral to other specialists, as well as to undergo a brain examination:
- laboratory tests (blood, urine);
- MRI or CT (tomography of brain structures);
- EEG (electroencephalography) to check brain activity;
- Ultrasound for examination of blood vessels;
- REG to identify pathologies of the cervical spine and skull bones;
- fundus examination.
After identifying the cause of headache, the doctor prescribes a course of competent treatment with a long-lasting therapeutic effect.
First aid
First aid measures at home are as follows:
- taking medications or folk remedies;
- drinking plenty of water or herbal decoction;
- taking a contrast shower or a warm, relaxing bath;
- provide yourself with isolation from light or noise, lie down on a flat surface and rest;
- Hot lotions on painful areas or, on the contrary, cold compresses (for example, an ice pack) help relieve the condition;
- use of massage and relaxation techniques.
Treatment with folk remedies
Many people prefer to use folk natural remedies rather than chemical ones.
Apple recipe
If you have a sudden morning attack, it is recommended to eat a slice of apple sprinkled with salt. At the same time, drink plenty of warm water. The painful condition will gradually subside.
Mint recipe
Brew peppermint or dried lemon balm (1 tbsp) with a glass of boiling water, close the lid and let it brew for a while. Next, you need to strain the broth, adding a spoonful of honey. This is an excellent proven remedy for severe pain in the head.
Fast acting tablets
To get rid of severe acute pain in the head of a domestic nature, provoked by external factors, there are a lot of remedies that can be bought without a prescription.
How to prevent pain
Seizures can be prevented if you follow simple rules and recommendations from doctors:
- Introduce regular sports activities into your life, such as yoga, aerobics, running or brisk walking.
- Walking in the park area in the fresh air will provide the necessary amount of oxygen.
- At work, try to take at least a minute break every hour.
- Make it a rule to drink two liters of plain water daily, this will relieve the body from dehydration.
- It is recommended to stop drinking large amounts of coffee, eliminate alcohol and nicotine.
- A properly selected diet enriched with vitamins, iron and other beneficial microelements will help avoid irritation of pain receptors in the head.
- Following a daily routine, sleeping patterns and eating patterns will greatly facilitate the task of preventing severe headaches.
A headache usually appears suddenly and takes a person by surprise. Doctors have a different opinion on this matter: each attack of severe headache has its own causes, caused by pathology of the cardiovascular, nervous or any other system.
Severe headaches require special treatment. You need to take it seriously. Pain in the head can be a mask of one of the serious diseases that requires seeing a doctor and a complete examination of the body.
Of course, medications that you can buy at the pharmacy should help with severe headaches. This treatment option is valid only in the case of tolerable pain and a single attack. If or is excessively strong, you need to see a doctor: go to an appointment or call an ambulance. So, let's figure out what causes and how to relieve a severe headache?
Why does your head hurt so bad?
Common causes of severe headaches are:
- Stroke
- Skull trauma, brain contusion
- High blood pressure
- Chronic stress
- Migraine attacks
- Inflammatory changes in the membranes of the brain
1. Stroke
The brain itself never hurts. Pain of varying intensity appears when there is damage and inflammation of the nerves, membranes of the brain, blood vessels, compression processes and increased pressure in the cranium.
A stroke is a serious pathology that develops as a result of the death of a part of the brain. The causes of stroke can be different - hemorrhage (rupture of a vessel), thrombosis, ischemia, compression.
A stroke often manifests itself not only in the form of severe headaches, but also by special symptoms: vomiting, loss of consciousness, loss of sensation in one of the limbs or half of the body.
A stroke is the outcome of a critical condition of the body. A person who has suffered a stroke often suffers from metabolic disorders and diseases related to the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.
Seeing a doctor and calling an ambulance are mandatory stages of stroke treatment. Without the help of specialists, death is possible.
2. Trauma to the skull
Head injuries are one of the typical causes of severe headaches. With trauma, a state of lethargy and loss of consciousness usually develops. Possible.
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A concussion requires treatment by medical specialists. Surgical assistance is necessary for head injuries associated with damage to the bones of the skull, fracture of the base
In most cases, a traumatic brain injury is difficult to miss. The pain is combined with other manifestations, including bleeding and disruption of the general condition of the body.
3. High blood pressure
Arterial hypertension is a relative concept. Each person lives with his own “working” blood pressure. In some cases, the standard pressure of 120/80 can cause a person severe discomfort and pain in the head.
Pressure is caused by the work of the heart. Violation of its normal functioning leads to vascular pathology and increased tension in them. Headache is just one symptom. In addition to the brain, the kidneys, liver and all other organs are affected.
The treatment of headaches caused by arterial hypertension must be approached thoroughly, resorting to the help of qualified specialists. A cardiologist, having carried out all the necessary research, will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and begin to treat the disease, and not the symptoms in the form of a headache.
Medicines prescribed for severe headaches help only for a certain period of time, blurring the picture of the underlying disease that requires special treatment.
Only an integrated approach, correction of eating behavior and lifestyle, and drug therapy can keep the cardiovascular system healthy.
4. Chronic stress
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Stress can also cause severe headaches. The human brain is a complex system that requires rest. You can compare the brain to a computer. If a digital device works without interruption for several days, then even the simplest operations take more and more time. As a result, the computer freezes.
Pain during stress and overwork is a signal from our “internal computer” that the brain is tired and requires rest.
It is worth noting that before diagnosing stress, it is necessary to exclude other dangerous diseases. To do this, you need to consult a doctor and complete examination.
If stress is a confirmed diagnosis, measures must be taken to rehabilitate the nervous system.
A number of rules must be followed. Compliance with work and rest schedules is the basis for stress prevention. Only by correctly distributing the load can you achieve not only excellent performance, discovery of creative thinking, but also the absence of unpleasant symptoms from the brain.
Proper nutrition is important for the human body. By following the rules of a nutritionist, calculating the amount of fats, carbohydrates and proteins, the ratio of plant and animal foods, you can lose several kilograms and improve your well-being. Sometimes changing activities helps overcome fatigue and stress. Periodic change of routine work to creative activity improves well-being and gives a new surge of strength.
5. Migraine attacks as a cause of severe headaches
One of the main ones is pain in the head of varying intensity. It can be unilateral, bilateral, dull or pulsating.
There are several theories about migraine. The most common: genetic theory, vascular theory (deterioration of blood flow in the brain), neurological disorders, metabolic disorders.
The diagnosis of migraine should be made by a medical specialist, excluding diseases that are amenable to standard drug treatment.
Head pain associated with migraine can be described by the following symptoms:
- At least five attacks
- Medium to high intensity
- Increases with physical activity
- May be accompanied by nausea, vomiting
- No connections with other diseases were found during the examination.
6. Inflammation of the meninges
Most common reason development of inflammation - bacterial or viral infection. Meningitis and encephalitis have special symptoms of the disease and require treatment in a medical hospital with the use of medications.
Timely access to the hospital is the main factor determining the degree of effectiveness of therapy for meningitis and encephalitis.
Symptoms of meningitis include repeated vomiting, pain that causes a strong cry, a special position of the body (the pose of a gun dog, when a sick person lies with his head thrown back, bringing his arms and legs to the body). Symptoms of body intoxication are characteristic: lethargy, weakness, decreased appetite and high fever.
The pain with this pathology is often severe. What to do when you have a severe headache and you suspect an infection? Call a doctor immediately and start treatment.
“Headache” - we hear and pronounce these words so often that we have become accustomed to them, perceiving a headache as something annoying, but temporary and insignificant. “I guess I’ll take some pill” - this became the treatment for headaches. However, a headache is often a symptom of any serious diseases and problems in the body, some of which are life-threatening.
How to distinguish the nature of a headache and notice the disease in time?
Headache can have different localization, character and intensity:
- Headache of vascular origin – the cause is compression, narrowing of the lumen of the blood vessels of the head, as well as their expansion.
Various factors can provoke this:
- Thrombi or emboli closing the lumen of small or large vessels.
- Atherosclerosis of blood vessels of the brain.
- Edema, swelling of the brain and membranes, blood vessels.
- Headache due to muscle tension - occurs with prolonged uncomfortable position of the head, heavy loads and physical stress, after sleeping in an uncomfortable position, due to an incorrectly selected bed - mattress and pillow.
- Headache of liquorodynamic mechanism of origin – occurs when certain areas of the brain are compressed.
Causes:
- Pathological increase or decrease in intracranial pressure.
- Compression of the brain by a hematoma, cyst, tumor.
- Neuralgic headaches – occur when nerve fibers are damaged or when they are exposed to some pathological process.
Causes:
- Various neuralgia (most often - trigeminal nerve, occipital nerves).
- Damage to the vestibular nerve.
- Headache of psychogenic origin – usually develops against the background of mental disorders and apathy.
Causes of psychalgia:
- Stress.
- Depression.
- Prolonged emotional experiences.
- Chronic fatigue.
- Parkinson's disease.
There are more than 200 factors that provoke headaches. If cephalalgia occurs against the background of complete health, then This most often occurs after:
- Alcohol intake (vasodilation, intoxication).
- Prolonged exposure to the sun, heat, sauna (overheating, sunstroke or heatstroke, sudden dilation of blood vessels, loss of fluid through sweat).
- Consumption of products containing caffeine.
- High humidity.
- Sleep disturbances, after lack of sleep or a shift in the usual schedule.
- Wearing contact lenses or incorrectly fitted glasses.
- Intense mental activity.
- Stressful situations, fear, strong excitement, worries.
- Injuries, bruises, head concussions.
- Excessive or uneven sports loads.
- Visits to the dentist and dental treatment.
- Massage sessions.
- Smoking.
- ARVI, other infectious, colds or inflammatory diseases.
- Hypothermia, contrast shower.
- Started a diet, fasting.
- Intake of certain foods - chocolate, smoked meats and marinades, nuts, hard cheeses, etc.
- Sex.
- Taking any medications or inhaling toxic fumes.
Headache diagnostic program - how to independently determine why your head hurts?
The headache itself does not require diagnosis. But it is always necessary to find out what causes this pathological condition. The doctor may prescribe an examination program, depending on the patient’s condition, age, nature and location of pain.
Diagnostic program for headaches
- Laboratory diagnostic procedures , including general analysis blood, general urine test. Sometimes a study of cerebrospinal fluid is required, which is collected through a puncture.
- X-ray the head in the required projections, the spine.
- Magnetic resonance imaging head and spine.
- CT scan head and spine (including positron emission CT).
- Angiography cerebral vessels.
- Ultrasound.
- EEG, RheoEG, myography.
It's helpful to have a chart on hand that can help you guess the root cause of your headaches.
But do not try to diagnose yourself, much less self-medicate. Contact a specialist!
Table of primary diagnosis of headaches
If you often have headaches, keep a diary, in which note the time, nature of the headache and after what it began.
How to relieve a headache with home remedies and when should you see a doctor?
First of all, you should know about the dangerous diseases and conditions that accompany headaches.
Headache, increased blood pressure, irritability, sleep disturbances, and dizziness often indicate cerebrovascular accidents. It is unacceptable to tolerate such symptoms - they can result in a stroke. Moreover, in last years stroke has become much younger and is increasingly affecting people who face excessive workload every day and high degree responsibility: managers, business owners, fathers of large families. When symptoms of cerebral circulatory disorders appear, doctors often recommend taking combination drugs to improve vascular function, for example, Vasobral. Its active components stimulate metabolic processes in the brain, improve the condition of blood vessels, eliminate the effects of oxygen starvation of brain tissue associated with deterioration of blood supply, and have a stimulating effect, which reduces the risk of stroke.
You should be wary and consult a doctor immediately if:
- The headache appeared for the first time, suddenly.
- The headache is simply unbearable, accompanied by loss of consciousness, breathing problems, rapid heartbeat, facial flushing, nausea and vomiting, and urinary incontinence.
- With headaches, visual disturbances, muscle weakness, speech and consciousness disturbances are observed.
- Due to a severe headache, a person partially or completely loses the ability to move.
- Headache is accompanied by other symptoms - rash, high temperature, fever, delirium.
- Severe headache in a pregnant woman, with epi-status and sharply increased blood pressure.
- I have a headache for a long time.
- The headache intensifies with movement, changing body position, physical work, or going out into bright light.
- Each headache attack is more intense than the previous one.
How to relieve headaches with home remedies?
If you are sure that your headache is caused by overwork or, for example, stress, then you can get rid of it in the following ways:
- Head massage fingers, a special massager or a wooden comb improves blood circulation, relieves vascular spasm and soothes. Massage your head with light movements from the temples, forehead and neck to the crown.
- Cold and hot compresses. Soak two cloths, one in hot water and one in ice water. Place a cold compress on your forehead and temples, and press a hot compress to the back of your head.
- Potato compress. Cut the potato tuber into 0.5 cm thick circles. Place the mugs on your forehead and temples, cover with a towel and tie. Once the potatoes get warm, replace them with new ones.
- Warm shower– neither hot nor cold! Stand in the shower so that the water hits your head. Can be combined with a head massage with a comb.
- Chokeberry tea. Particularly useful for hypertensive headaches.
- Compress on temples. Rub your temples and forehead with a lemon peel or a slice of cucumber. Then apply pieces of lemon peels or cucumber slices to your temples and secure on top with a scarf.
The website warns: the information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not self-medicate under any circumstances! If you have any health problems, consult your doctor!
Every person has experienced a headache at least once in their life. Regardless of the cause and intensity, this symptom always adversely affects daily activities. A person suffering from a headache becomes irritable, absent-minded, his performance decreases, and he cannot absorb new information. Frequent occurrence of this problem can significantly impair the quality of life. Why does headache occur and how to deal with it?
Types of headaches
Not many people know that headaches can hurt in different ways. It is important to be able to differentiate the symptoms that arise, as this greatly facilitates the establishment of the cause and the development of a treatment regimen. The most common types of pain are:
- Tension pain. Every person has experienced it at least once in their life. It occurs when the neck is in an awkward position or when there is a long static load on it. For example, if you sit at a table for a long time and write, read, or work at a computer. In this case, the muscles of the neck and back experience prolonged tension, which is transmitted to the tissues of the head. Such pain can be compared to a tight hoop or hat that squeezes the head from the outside inward.
- Hypertensive. Headaches often occur in people suffering from arterial hypertension. It usually has a pulsating nature, often localized in the temples or occipital region. The main way to diagnose it is to measure blood pressure.
- Hypotensive. Lack of cerebral circulation also leads to the development of headaches. It occurs when arterial hypotension or compression of the vessels supplying the brain. This pain is accompanied by dizziness, and in some cases, syncope. To diagnose it, it is also necessary to measure blood pressure. Sometimes it is worth additionally examining the functioning of the blood vessels in the neck.
- Migraine. How and why it appears is not known exactly. This is one of the most unpleasant types of pain. It occurs suddenly and differs in that it is localized in one half of the head. Such pain is accompanied by a fear of light, intolerance to loud sounds and a pronounced decrease in ability to work. It is very intense, difficult to treat and can last for several days.
- Cluster pain. They occur predominantly in representatives of the stronger sex. There is an opinion that cluster or cluster pain affects men who try to appear strong, despite their internal vulnerability and sensitivity. Distinctive feature This type is paroxysmal pain. They appear as if in bunches, go away after a few minutes, and then can repeat again.
Pathological conditions and diseases that can cause headaches
It is worth saying right away that the brain itself does not have pain receptors. Even operations on this organ can be performed without anesthesia, after first anesthetizing all overlying tissues, which is often done by neurosurgeons. But the membranes of the brain have a lot of pain receptors and are a powerful reflexogenic field. Nerve endings also contain blood vessels in the brain.
There is an opinion that a headache can be a symptom of encephalitis, but in fact this is not the case. Even an extensive pathological focus with many other symptoms may not hurt at all until the inflammation spreads to the membranes of the brain. This phenomenon is also true for other diseases. This often prevents the diagnosis of tumor processes in the brain. What diseases can cause headaches? The following deserve special attention:
- Meningitis. This is an inflammation of the meninges with specific changes in the cerebrospinal fluid. It can occur for many reasons, but is most often caused by a bacterial infection. The pain is intense, accompanied by photophobia and phonophobia, muscle rigidity and specific meningeal symptoms.
- Meningism. Subjective symptoms are similar to those observed with meningitis, but there are no changes in the cerebrospinal fluid.
- Tumor. The development of cancer cells in the cranial cavity is not always accompanied by pain. But there are multiple signs of focal brain damage: paresis, paralysis, decreased sensitivity.
- Concussion. Occurs as a result of hitting the head on a hard surface. Moreover, a slight concussion can occur even with a minor impact. Often this condition is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sometimes loss of consciousness.
- Fracture of the skull bones. This injury is more dangerous than a regular concussion and requires urgent hospitalization. In this case, not only the membranes of the brain hurt, which may not be affected, but also the bones themselves and the tissues surrounding them.
Headache does not necessarily indicate the conditions listed above, but it is worth remembering that it can be a symptom of these diseases.
Sometimes even the doctor himself cannot determine the type and cause of the headache. There are entire scientific institutes that deal with this problem. They look for the causes, development processes and possible treatments for headaches.
These rules will help reduce headaches until the main treatment takes effect. Sometimes with the help of these simple methods You can get rid of headaches altogether. If this symptom occurs, do the following:
- Go out to Fresh air or open a window. This will increase the oxygen concentration in the blood and reduce the carbon dioxide content. Even if this technique does not get rid of the headache, it should definitely reduce it.
- Remove anything that is squeezing your head. This applies to hats, headbands, hoops and even hair ties. Braids and ponytails should also be unbraided. Free your head as much as possible.
- Do a little warm-up. This advice is for those who suffer from tension headaches. A few exercises for the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle are enough.
- Measure your blood pressure. If the pain is caused by a decrease or increase in blood pressure, just one tablet that normalizes blood pressure can solve the problem.
- Lie down. This will help reduce discomfort regardless of the type of pain and the reasons that caused it. In this case, you should take the most comfortable position, preferably lying in a dark and quiet room.
- Apply a cold compress. Soak a piece of gauze, a handkerchief or any other cloth in cool water and apply it to your forehead. Turn it over when it's hot, and then repeat the process again.
- See your doctor. If the pain does not go away for a long time or often recurs, is accompanied by dizziness, nausea or other symptoms, contact your local physician. He will prescribe an examination plan to rule out everything possible types pathology and choose treatment tactics.
In fact, analgesics were invented to relieve pain. But, it is worth considering that they cannot cope with all types of pain; moreover, they have a number of contraindications and side effects. You should not get carried away with taking such drugs. In addition, they usually do not eliminate the cause of the symptom, but only reduce its manifestations. Headaches should be relieved with the following medications:
- Paracetamol. The most famous remedy that is widely used specifically for headaches. Indeed, the drug copes with this symptom perfectly, but doctors do not like to prescribe it. This is because paracetamol has a bad effect on the liver and there is a risk of getting hepatitis while treating a headache.
- Aspirin. Also often used for headaches. In addition to reducing discomfort, it can reduce body temperature. This useful property if the pain is a symptom of a cold. With frequent uncontrolled use, it can cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure.
- Analgin. It acts similarly to aspirin, but the antipyretic effect is less pronounced.
Trigan. It is an antispasmodic that effectively combats pain caused by muscle tension and vascular spasm. - Solpadeine. Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antitussive drug. Most often used for colds.
- Ibuprofen. Belongs to the same group as analgin and aspirin, but less often causes side effects and has a more powerful analgesic effect.
- Pentalgin. It contains antispasmodics, stimulants and analgesics. It is a fairly strong drug, but has many side effects. It cannot be used often. In addition, it is contraindicated for athletes who are about to undergo doping control.
- Migrenol. It is used to treat migraines. Conventional analgesics and antispasmodics rarely cope with this task. It is worth considering that the drug has a hypnotic effect.
- Imigran. Its action is different from migrenol, but this drug is also used to relieve migraine symptoms.
It can be concluded that headache is a common symptom for many people. It can appear due to various reasons, most of which do not pose any threat to life and health. However, under certain circumstances, it is worth undergoing a number of additional examination methods to rule out serious brain pathology. Headaches can be treated using various methods.
Video: 8 ways to quickly relieve headaches
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