In the spring, many suffer from headaches — the body is reorganized into a new mode, the weather changes unpredictably, and it seems quite natural that the head sometimes cannot withstand «overloads». It is important to remember that there are different types of headaches — and finding the cause will help get rid of the painful condition.
Perhaps everyone has experienced a headache, or cephalgia, as it is commonly called scientifically. The causes of headaches are varied:
infectious diseases;
hypertonic disease;
vascular diseases of the brain;
migraine;
tension headaches;
tumors, meningitis, etc.
Neurologist Yulia Pavlinova explains that the localization and characteristic manifestations of a headache are related to its cause, and understanding the cause allows you to more effectively deal with pain.
Where and how is the headache usually localized?
«If a in the back of the head, then most often the causes can be in problems with blood vessels, increased blood pressure, cervical migraine, osteochondrosis of the cervical region, overwork.
If in the forehead — Perhaps the reason is an increase in intraocular pressure. Such a headache can occur after mental stress or long-term work at a computer, tablet, ”says Yulia Pavlinova. Accordingly, rest from such activities will help relieve such pain.
Decreased visual acuity and the lack of correction (with glasses or lenses) can lead to pain in the forehead and back of the head, and even accompanied by nausea and heaviness in the head.
headache that occurs at night before bedusually indicates fatigue
This is the so-called tension headache. “It is associated with overstrain of the muscles of the back of the head, eye muscles. At the same time, the pain is felt like a “hoop on the head,” emphasizes the neurologist.
Migraine can be with the so-called aura and without. Aura is the sensation that occurs before a headache attack. It can manifest itself in different ways — fog in the eyes, a feeling of motion sickness, strange smells, narrowing of the field of vision … A headache «with an aura» is intense, usually in one half of the head. An attack of vomiting brings relief, and a warm shower and a walk in the fresh air also help.
And what about the main fear of any adult who has something that hurts: “Suddenly it’s my cancer?”
Signs of tumor pain have also been established for a long time. “The tumor will lead to an increase in intracranial pressure, since it occupies a certain volume inside the cranial cavity. The symptoms of the tumor are pain of a bursting nature, nausea, vomiting, decreased visual acuity, impaired coordination, ”the expert comments. She adds that vomiting from a tumor in the head does not bring relief.
How to relieve pain
There are a number of folk methods for relieving pain that can help someone, but their effectiveness has not been fully proven by science: acupressure (massage of certain points on the body), massage of the suboccipital muscles, lying in the Shavasana position, the use of aroma oils and even the Asterisk balm . But remember that All these techniques do not treat the cause of the headache., and therefore — even if they help you in the moment — they are useless in the long run.
If headaches are systematic and not associated with one-time fatigue, be sure to consult a neurologist.