Headache

Headache is pain in the head above the eyes or the ears, behind the head (occipital), or in the back of the upper neck.  Headaches can be primary  or secondary .

 

Primary Headache

The most common types of headache are tension headaches and migraines.

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Tension Headache

Tension headaches are usually felt as a band like sensation over  the forehead. They can be uncomfortable and tiring, but they do not usually disturb sleep. Most people can carry on working with a tension headache. They are often called pressure headaches. Tension headaches are caused by tightness in the muscles at the back of the neck and over the scalp..

Tension headaches usually respond to simple painkillers. Changes in lifestyle can help – such as having less caffeine and more water, and a sensible diet.

 

Migraine

A typical migraine headache  is one-sided and throbbing. Migraines headache can last from four hours to three days. They are often made worse by movement or sound. Patients often feel sick (nausea) or are sick (vomit), even if the pain is not severe. Often patients see flashes of light and some may have blurred vision. About a third of people have a migraine with ‘aura’, or ‘a classical migraine’. In this condition warning symptoms (the aura) occur before a migraine. Some patients may  experience tingling or weakness on one side of the body or slurring of speech. These warning symptoms can last for up to an hour and are generally followed by a headache. Typically the headache is on the opposite side to the visual symptoms.

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Treatment-

Treatment involves rest, avoiding tension and stress factors  and drugs to control headache.

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Cluster Headache

Cluster headaches is severe headaches, also called as suicidal headache. This headache  occurs in clusters, often every day for a number of days or even weeks followed by normal days without headache. This type of  headache occurs more common in  adult male smokers. Cluster headache is usually one-sided. Patients often have a red watery eye on the affected side, a stuffy runny nose and a droopy eyelid.

Treatment-

Involves oxygen inhalation and medication.

 

Trigeminal Heuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia  consist of extremely short bursts of electric shock-like pain in the face – in the area of the eyes, nose, scalp, forehead, jaws, and/or lips. It is usually one-sided and is more common in people over the age of 50. It can be triggered by touch or light breeze on the face.

There in tingling and numbeness in the region of distribution of trigeminal nerve over the area of cheek, forehead and jaw.

Treatment

Trigeminal neuralgia can be controlled with medication. When symptoms become severe and are not controlled by medication then surgery is helpful as microvasculardecompression(MVD), radiosurgery.

 

Types of Secondary Headache

Secondary headache can be due to head injury, brain tumor, giant cell arteritis, meningitis, chemicals, drugs and substance withdrawal.

Danger Signs-

• New headache after age 50

• Very sudden onset headache (thunderclap headache)

• Headaches increasing in frequency and severity

• Headache with signs of total body illness (fever, stiff neck, )

• Inability to move a limb

• Change in personality, consciousness, or mental status

• Severe headache following head trauma

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