At one time or the other, we have all experienced one
form of headache or the other.
There are more than 200 types of headaches. Some are
harmless and some are life-threatening.
Causes of headaches may include fatigue, sleep
deprivation, stress, the effects of medications, the effects of recreational
drugs, viral infections, common colds, head injury,
rapid ingestion of a very
cold food or beverage, and dental or sinus issues.
Treatment of a headache depends on the underlying cause,
but commonly involves pain medication. Some form of headache is one of the most
commonly experienced of all physical discomforts.
About half of adults have a headache in a given year.
The brain itself is not sensitive to pain, because it
lacks pain receptors. However, several areas of the head and neck do have pain
receptors and can thus sense pain.
Headaches are divided into two groups; primary and
secondary headache.
Primary headache do not have any cause that can be
identified by your doctor, but luckily they are usually not dangerous.
Secondary headaches are due to some diseases and are
usually dangerous.
Primary headaches are more difficult to understand than
secondary headaches. The exact mechanisms which cause migraines, tension
headaches and cluster headaches are not known.
Migraines are a form of primary headache and are
currently thought to be caused by problems with the nerves in the brain
People who are more susceptible to experience migraines
without headache are those who have a family history of migraines, women, and
women who are experiencing hormonal change or are taking birth control pills or
are prescribed hormone replacement therapy.
There are four possible phases to a migraine, although
not all the phases are necessarily experienced:
The prodrome:
This phase occurs usually between 2 hours to 2 days
before the headache. Symptoms that may be experienced include:
·
Altered mood,
·
Irritability (becoming annoyed very easily),
·
Depression (extreme sadness),
·
Euphoria (extreme happiness, sometimes more than is expected for a
particular situation),
·
Fatigue (extreme tiredness and lack of interest in the environment),
·
Craving for certain food(s),
·
Stiff muscles (especially in the neck),
·
Constipation or diarrhea, and
·
Sensitivity to smells or noise.
The aura
This immediately precedes the headache. Auras appear
gradually over a number of minutes and generally last less than 60 minutes.
The symptoms in this phase are divided into 3 groups:
Changes in the ability to see (visual symptoms); involves
seeing black and white or even coloured lines. They may notice an area of
darkness.
Changes in the ability to feel (sensory symptoms); Often
a feeling of pins-and-needles begins on one side in the hand and arm that
spreads to the nose–mouth area on the same side.
Changes in the ability to move (motor symptoms); involves
the inability to move a part of the body.
The pain
Also known as headache phase, it usually affects only one
side of the head, although both sides can be affected. This pain is frequently
accompanied by
·
Nausea (feeling like vomiting)
·
Vomiting,
·
Sensitivity to light (this is described as the ‘fear of light’. People affected
stay in dark rooms and avoid light as much as possible),
·
Sensitivity to sound (a normal sound is heared as a very loud sound by
these people),
·
Sensitivity to smells,
·
Fatigue and
·
Irritability.
The postdrome
These are some effects experienced following the end of a
migraine attack.
Potential migraine triggers include:
- Allergies and allergic reactions
- Bright lights, loud noises, flickering lights, smoky rooms,
temperature changes, strong smells and certain odors or perfumes
- Physical or emotional stress, tension, anxiety, depression, excitement
- Physical triggers such as tiredness, jet lag, exercise
- Changes in sleep patterns or irregular sleep
- Smoking or exposure to smoke
- Skipping meals or fasting causing low blood sugar
- Dehydration
- Alcohol
- Hormonal triggers such as menstrual cycle fluctuations, birth control
pills, menopause
- Tension headaches
- Foods containing tyramine (red wine, aged cheese, smoked fish, chicken
livers, figs, and some beans), monosodium glutamate (MSG), or nitrates
(like bacon, hot dogs and salami)
- Other foods such as chocolate, nuts, peanut butter, avocado, banana,
citrus, onions, dairy products and fermented or pickled foods
- Medication such as sleeping tablets, the contraceptive pill, hormone
replacement therapy.
Triggers do not always cause migraines and avoiding
triggers does not always prevent migraines.
Preventive treatments of migraines include medications,
nutritional supplements, lifestyle alterations, and surgery. Prevention is
recommended in those who have headaches more than two days a week, cannot
tolerate the medications used to treat acute attacks, or those with severe
attacks that are not easily controlled.
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