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Headache may be a consequence of exhaustion, accompany angina, cold or severe nervousness. We deal well with such pain. But it is not uncommon for a headache to be the first sign of a serious illness, and sometimes even a life-threatening condition.
The causes of the headache
The cause of the headache is irritation of various anatomical structures, e.g. muscles, arteries, dura mater, venous sinus, cranial and spinal nerves, but also the eyeball, middle ear, paranasal sinuses or teeth.
Headaches can be classified into spontaneouswhich are at the heart of the disease and symptomaticwhich are derived from another medical condition. The first group includes mainly migraine headaches, and more precisely, migraine-induced tension pain and cluster pain.
Spontaneous headaches
Usually these are tension pains. The most common causes of this type of ailments are: stress, overwork, fatigue, excessive emotions, lack of sleep, atmospheric changes, alcohol abuse, noise, polluted air and some foods (e.g. yellow cheese, nuts, chocolate, cured meat, citrus fruits, cream, fresh yeast baked goods) and food preservatives (e.g. monosodium glutamate). And although this type of pain can be overcome quickly with over-the-counter painkillers, it is important to see a doctor – especially if the pain recurs frequently – to see if the inconspicuous symptoms are hiding a more serious ailment that requires specialist treatment.
Spontaneous headache is defined as a dull, non-throbbing headache, usually occurring on either side of the head or around the back of the head, neck, forehead, or temples. It can last for hours, but also for weeks or years. If the causes of pain are the causes mentioned above, it is not a threat to health and life. But if the headache lasts for a long time, it significantly reduces the quality of life, it can reduce concentration, slow down reactions, and this can lead to dangerous situations, e.g. while driving a car.
Certain herbs benefit from headaches. Try MIGRENKA – herbal and fruit tea, which contains, among others, miruna pyrethrum, chamomile and lavender.
Headache and migraine
Migraine is classified as a spontaneous headache. Pain that lasts for several or several dozen hours appears on one side of the head, varies in intensity, and is often preceded by the so-called aura, or spots in front of the eyes, bright, shiny spots in the field of vision. Together with the headache, nausea or vomiting, visual disturbances, photophobia or sensitivity to sounds appear. Migraine may be provoked by strong emotions, fatigue, weather changes, menstruation, prolonged exposure to the sun, some dietary ingredients (e.g. chocolate, cocoa, cheese, nuts, eggs, tomatoes, wine). The cause of migraines is not fully understood. Some doctors suggest that her attack is related to vasomotor disturbances, which initially involve narrowing and then relaxation of the walls of arteries in the brain.
The most common form of the disease is ordinary migraine. A more rare form is migraine with an aura. Each form of the disease requires treatment and medications that, on the one hand, relieve pain and, on the other, prevent further attacks.
Cluster headache
It is a rarely recognized form of spontaneous headache. It is often confused with migraine or neuralgia. An attack usually starts with pain in the eye and spreads to half the face over time. It sometimes happens that a suffering person has a stuffy nose, as in severe rhinitis, and tears flow from the eye. Pain attacks may last several dozen minutes and be repeated several times a day or even at night. Recurring seizures can last for weeks. Classic cluster pain is not dangerous, but it is better to check its causes, because it may also be a signal that another disease is developing, dangerous to your health.
Symptomatic pains
As we already know, headaches can accompany an innocent cold, but also indicate that something very bad is happening in the body.
With infectionsespecially those with a high temperature, there is a strong, disruptive headache that subsides as you recover. If the pain persists and occurs most often in the morning, it is worth visiting an ENT specialist to make sure that the cold has not turned into sinusitis.
Tooth diseases they can also cause severe headaches spread over the entire head. It is usually the result of inflammation developing in the periosteum. We will have similar feelings when the so-called gangrene.
Degenerative changes in the cervical spine, they can cause not only severe headaches, but also dizziness. The pain is then felt unilaterally, it radiates to the shoulder and increases with each movement. Such ailments should not be underestimated, because they can also signal disturbances in the work of the circulatory system, and in few cases may be a harbinger of an atypical heart attack.
Hypertension it is also the cause of the headache. The characteristic location of the pain – on the back of the head – is a reason to start treating the underlying condition. Discontinuation of treatment will result in a constant increase in blood pressure, and thus threaten our life. Hypertension may be the result of reducing the so-called vascular lumen through expanding atherosclerotic plaques. The blood cannot flow freely and you can end up with a stroke or heart attack.
Neuralgia of the cranial nerves and consequently, severe headaches are triggered by facial neuralgia. Pain occurs several times a day on one side of the face. It only takes 1-2 minutes, but is hard to handle. It cannot be relieved with commonly available painkillers. Specialist treatment is necessary, as untreated inflammation of the facial nerve can paralyze parts of the face.
Eye diseases can give chronic headaches and be indicative of either poorly corrected vision defect or developing glaucoma, a disease that, if not treated early and properly treated, leads to complete blindness.
Poisoning with chemicals. Headache caused by inhaling toxic fumes can be very severe. In such a situation, it is best to leave the place where you inhale the toxic vapors and see a doctor. A more dangerous situation is when the headache is accompanied by vomiting. In such situations, drinking milk, which is widely regarded as a good antidote, will not help. The poisonous vapors are found in the alveoli of the lungs and from there, along with the blood, spread throughout the body.
Drug-induced headaches they can appear not only when we overdose on a drug. This effect is sometimes also achieved by the use of vasodilators in the treatment of coronary artery disease, hypertension or peripheral vascular diseases as prescribed by a physician. After stopping the medication, the symptoms disappear. However, you will need to contact your doctor so that he can change to a different drug or dosage so that the underlying disease can be treated.
People who overuse non-steroidal inflammatory drugs also complain of headaches. The result of such “therapy” may not only be troublesome headaches, but also damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa. In extreme cases, intestinal perforation may even occur, which is already a life-threatening condition.
It is worth remembering that headaches may worsen after overdosing with pain medications. That is why you should always read the leaflets to know what active substance contains the drug you are taking. Let’s not take several medications at the same time. If the pain persists after taking one tablet, take the next one after an hour (remembering not to exceed the maximum doses).
Meningitis is a disease that is dangerous to life and health and manifests itself by a severe headache. It is usually accompanied by a high fever. The most characteristic symptom of meningitis is a stiff neck. The patient cannot touch his chest with his chin. In this case, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible, because only there doctors can make a reliable diagnosis. Its basis is the examination of the cerebrospinal fluid.
Subarachnoid bleeding, that is, the spilling of blood in the brain has a dramatic onset. Very severe pain occurs unexpectedly, usually covers the entire head, and is strongest around the nape and the back of the head. Additional symptoms may include a stiff neck, sleepiness, fainting, nausea or vomiting, and even loss of consciousness.
The patient has to go to the hospital as soon as possible, so an ambulance should be called immediately so as not to waste the patient’s chances of survival. This is especially true if the bleeding is caused by a rupture of the aneurysm.
Brain tumors provoke headaches that gradually get worse as the tumor grows. The pain provoked by the tumor occurs in the morning. It intensifies with even slight physical exertion. In addition to pain, the sick person is tormented by nausea or vomiting. He has visual disturbances, which indicates a significant increase in pressure inside the skull. Another symptom of a growing tumor may be neurological symptoms, which are expressed as: partial paralysis of the limbs, paralysis of the limbs, visual disturbances, and even seizures that may suggest epilepsy. The patient needs quick help from specialists.
Check out: 10 ways to deal with a headache without medication
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