The question of why the head hurts and what to do in this case, every second inhabitant of our planet will ask himself. And not always ordinary painkillers can relieve pain, get rid of this symptom. Very often, headaches recur and return with even more severe spasms and discomfort, which should be dealt with immediately after determining the cause.

Remember that headache pills help if it happened once without accompanying signs of an illness that causes pain in the temples or the back of the head. Treatment of headaches is carried out strictly reglaminirovanno: first diagnosis, then problem solving. Consider in an article from estet-portal.com why the head hurts, what are the hidden causes of spasm, how to organize a headache diagnosis.

Causes of headaches: why your head hurts

The brain cannot get sick, it has no pain receptors. Pain occurs, most likely, due to vasospasm, overstrain and the development of many diseases. Headache is the most frequent problem with which a patient visits a neurologist. Before the specialist there is a task to find out the true cause and decide on the tactics of treatment. But the reason is just the most difficult to find out, this is due to many factors that affect the development of pain in the head.

Read also: In hot pursuit: a map of headaches and their possible causes

Also, do not forget that headaches do not always indicate diseases of the brain or blood vessels, they can signal the development of eye diseases. For example, during damage to the optic nerve with glaucoma, during an increase in eye pressure, there is always a headache concentrated in the temples or in the forehead.

Scientific name for headache – cephalgia. This is a subjective sensation, which is why it is so difficult for scientists to qualify the type of pain and its cause. There are more than 200 causes of headaches, but we will consider only the most basic of them.

The type of headaches are primary and secondary.

Primary headache refers to an independent disease that develops without reference to other ailments. 90% of cases of pain in the head – it is this type. There are: tension headache (most common in office workers), migraine-like pain, cluster headache.

Read also: Where does it hurt you? Causes of constant headaches of various localization

A secondary type of headache is a symptom of another disease: head trauma, vegetative-vascular dystonia, hypertension, cervical osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia in the cervical spine and many others. A persistent headache is considered life-threatening because it may indicate the occurrence of serious illnesses: meningitis, brain tumors, stroke.

Primary headache table

Headache type

What is accompanied by (symptoms)

Tension headache or TTH

·         Pressing pain in the whole head or in the occiput;

·         there is no severe pain, it is most likely a nagging pain, it can continue until rest, sleep, or taking pain medication, after which it passes;

·         most likely happens after a working day or due to stress;

·         only with strong overvoltage and stress, an attack can last up to 7-8 days.

Migraine

·         Characterized by throbbing in the head;

·         happens after sleep;

·         determined by strength: from moderate to moderate or unbearable pain;

·         most often localized on one side of the head;

·         accompanied by dizziness, nausea, sometimes vomiting;

·         increased sensitivity to light and loud sounds;

·         it is remarkable that migraine is inherited.

Cluster headache

·         Characterized as strong, impossible to endure;

·         localized in the area of ​​​​the eyes, forehead, bridge of the nose;

·         accompanied by reddening of the face, swelling;

·         severe tearing is also often present.

Facial and associated headache in trigeminal neuralgia

·         is of a short duration;

·         most often felt in the crown, in the forehead;

·         characterized as stabbing pain;

·         lasts a few seconds, during which the person freezes.

 

Table of secondary headaches

Headache type

What is accompanied by (symptoms)

Influenza, colds

·         Pain of moderate strength can be concentrated in the entire head or in one of the zones (forehead, back of the head, temples, eyes);

·         accompanied by elevated body temperature;

·         chills, cough, sore throat appear.

Meningitis

·         This is a very severe pain in the head, stabbing and pressing;

·         accompanied by a strong increase in body temperature;

·         frequent urge to vomit, nausea;

·         there is a strong tension in the back of the head;

·         with such symptoms, the condition deteriorates rapidly, therefore, immediate assistance is required to the patient.

Cervical osteochondrosis

·         Appears after an uncomfortable position after sleep, with a sharp turn of the head;

·         often radiates to one part of the head;

·         may occur after sleep;

·         accompanied by noise or ringing in the ears, hearing loss in one ear, "flies"; before my eyes.

Head injuries, concussion

·         These are constant aching headaches;

·         occur the day after the injury, but no later than 2 weeks;

·         accompanied by dizziness, nausea, vomiting, irritability, mood swings.

Increased intracranial pressure

·         With increased pressure, the patient feels nausea and the urge to vomit;

·         frequent and aching headaches are felt;

·         there is a risk of stroke, so it is better to see a doctor.

Hypertension

·         Localized in the back of the head;

·         it's a bursting headache;

·         feeling hot in the head;

·         accompanied by dizziness, tinnitus.

Stroke

·         Very strong and sharp headache, often accompanied by loss of memory.

·         an ambulance should be called immediately, especially if the pain does not go away within 5 minutes.

Eye diseases

·         With glaucoma or strabismus, frequent aching headaches appear;

·         locally placed in the eye area;

·         one feels heaviness in the eyes.

Sinusitis, frontal sinusitis or sinusitis

·         Headaches of a chronic nature in the cheeks, eyes, forehead;

·         it's a dull pressing pain;

·         accompanied by severe runny nose, nasal congestion, fever.

Read also: How to strengthen the nervous system and find peace

The listed reasons why the head hurts are the main ones, but far from the last. Therefore, a neuropathologist and diagnostics can accurately determine the cause of pain in the head.

In order to determine where the danger lies, a CT scan of the brain and spine should be performed.

Also undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist and examine the fundus of the eye, monitor blood pressure. Only after finding out the cause of the pain in the head can treatment of cephalalgia begin.

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