Headache

Headache – General Information

Headache also known in medical terminology as cephalalgia is a medical condition of pain in the head. In some cases the neck and the upper back pain can be misinterpreted as aches of the head. The majority of the cases of cephalalgia are benign and most of its causes are migraine, eye strain, tension, sinusitis and low blood sugar. In rare cases the aches are the result of some life-threatening conditions such as encephalitis, meningitis, extremely high blood sugar, brain tumors, and cerebral aneurysms. There are also cases in which the pains are the result of head injuries. The majority of the cases of women’s Headache are caused by ever-fluctuating estrogen during the menstrual years. There exist five types of Headache, which include: inflammatory, traction, cervicogenic, myogenic (also known as muscle tension) and vascular.The traction/ inflammatory ones are the symptoms of other medical disorders, which rang from sinus infections to strokes.The cervicogenic ones appear usually from some of the disorders of the neck. This can appear when a person moves the neck quickly, and it usually appears in combination with cervical range of motion, arm pain, shoulder pain and ipsilateral neck. The myogenic ones appear as a result of the tightening of the facial muscles and also of the neck muscles.The most common vascular type of this medical condition is the migraine, which is characterized by a severe pain on the right and left side of the head, an upset stomach and in some cases disturbed vision may appear. This medical condition is more common in women then in men.

Headache – Symptoms

It is well known the fact that any medical disorder (including Headache) can trigger a variety of symptoms. Therefore, some of this medical condition's most uncommon symptoms have not been listed (mentioned) here. This is why we strongly recommend you to contact your personal health care provider whenever you develop any unusual, bothersome or unpleasant symptoms. Your personal physician will be able to tell you if you are suffering from Headache or from any other medical disorder. Here is a list of the most common symptoms that a person who suffers from Headache, may experience: deep and stabbing pain around the temples or around the eyes, tearing and redness in one of the eyes. The other symptoms depend on the type of the pain that the patients have. The disorder that is caused by tension is generally encountered in children, but it also affects 88% of women and 69% of the men. The children usually experience constant pressure around the top, sides and front of the heat, dull, aching and constricting, loss of appetite and tenderness of the scalp. Migraines are experienced by everyone and are caused by stress or sleep deprivation. This type of pain can lead to dizziness, nausea, vomiting, seeing spots, stomach aches, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to noise and smells, pounding pain on the both sides of the head. They last from 30 minutes to 6 hours or even for several days. Some people worsen their pain by doing physical activities. Some of the patients may also experience muscle weakness, or they can lose their sense of coordination.

Headache – Treatment

The persons who have occasional tension headaches or migraines which are mild usually treat themselves with over-the counter pain relievers which are safe and also effective but only on short-term relief. There are two types of OTC analgesics, acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (which are also divided in two: those which contain aspirin and those which do not contain aspirin such as ibuprofen, naproxen). Acetaminophens are known to reduce the pain and fever because they act on the pain centers which are found in the brain. These drugs are usually more tolerated and easier on the stomach than the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The bad part is that these drugs may lead to severe liver damage if taken in high doses or if they are taken on regular basis but for long periods of time. It may also cause liver damage in the individuals who consume alcohol regularly. Acetaminophen may also damage the kidney if taken in large doses.

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs relieve the pain by reducing the inflammation which causes it. The corticosteroids although helpful in reducing the inflammations produce serious side effects when they are used long-term. Only the moderate and severe migraines need a specific treatment. The medications are different from those used in treating the tension Headache. These drugs do not relieve the pain; they abort the Headache by counteracting its underlying cause and by dilating the temporal arteries. The medicines used in treating migraines are the medicines which are prepared from triptans and ergots. Triptans must be taken early after the beginning of the migraines or when the pain is not severe, because taking them this way the pain will disappear in approximately two hours, before transforming into a severe pain. Using triptans early after the beginning of the migraines increases the drug’s effectiveness, reduces the risk of developing side-effects and decreases the risks of recurrences. The Ergots have the same effect as the triptans because they cause the constriction of the blood vessels, but unfortunately they cause more constriction to the blood vessels found in the heart. These medicines have as side effects nausea and vomiting and if they are taken by pregnant women may lead to prolonged contraction of the uterus and miscarriages.

Another drug used in treating the Headache is Midrin (this is a combination of Isometheptene – a blood vessel constrictor -, Dichloraphenazone – a mild sedative – and acetaminophen – a pain reliever –).  This drug is also recommended to be taken in the early stage of the pain. It is not recommended to be used by patients who have high blood pressure, glaucoma, atherosclerosis, liver and kidney problems. Other medications which are used as treatment in the patients who are suffering from Headache are narcotics and Butalbital. These drugs are addicting and this is the main reason for which they are not used as an initial treatment, they are used in persons who do not respond at the OTC drugs or who can not take the OTC drugs for different reasons such as pregnancy, heart attack or stroke.