5 Signs Your Headache Is Not Normal

We all get headaches from time to time. They can be brought on by annoying but manageable reasons such as stress, dehydration or your menstrual cycle, or they could be the result of an ongoing medical issue, such as migraines.

But how can you tell when a headache is a symptom of an even more serious or life-threatening problem? Here are some signs to look for.

1. You have speech or vision changes.

When a headache is more than just a simple headache, you will also have other symptoms. If you also have changes in your vision, trouble speaking or walking, or weakness on one side of body, you could be having a stroke.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is cut off or severely reduced, causing cells to die almost immediately. Migraines with “aura” can be confused with a stroke, but they often give you added sensations, such as tingling in the body or flashes in your vision, whereas a stroke takes away sensations and results in a loss of vision or lack of feeling in the hands.

Even if you get migraines, the pain you feel from a headache during a stroke will be different — for example, a headache that comes on very suddenly is likely not a migraine and could be caused by a stroke. But it can be hard to tell the difference, so if you even suspect you may be having a stroke, call 911.

2. Your behavior changes.

If you’ve been getting worse and worse headaches and have other behavioral changes, it could be a sign of a brain tumor. Not all brain tumors are cancerous, but even benign tumors can cause serious problems.

As the abnormal cells of a tumor cause it to grow, it can press on the blood vessels in your head, causing headaches. It also can press into the brain itself, causing neurological changes, depending on where it’s situated. These changes may cause you to act differently — according to the American Brain Tumor Association, more than half of patients with malignant (cancerous) brain tumors experience behavioral changes.

You may also experience problems with memory, concentration, judgment and reasoning, reading and writing, and/or emotional control. If you or others around you have noticed these changes along with your headaches, see your doctor.

3. It comes on suddenly and severely.

A brain aneurysm occurs when weak blood vessels in the brain start expanding or “ballooning” out. Usually they don’t cause symptoms, although if they get very big, they can cause headaches. But a ruptured aneurysm which occurs when the ballooned vessel pops and leaks blood around the brain, can cause a massive, sudden headache.

“The classic presentation is the worst headache of your life,” says Jonathan J. Russin, MD, a neurosurgeon at Keck Medicine of USC and assistant professor of clinical neurological surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “They call it a ‘thunder clap’ headache.”

It may also be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, weakness or drowsiness. If you experience a major headache like this, call 911 immediately.

4. You also have a stiff neck or high fever.

If you have a headache and a fever, you may think it’s the flu. But add in the telltale symptom of a stiff neck, and you may have meningitis.

The infection, which can be bacterial or viral, affects the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. The swelling of these membranes is what can trigger a headache and stiff neck. You may also have nausea, vomiting or even seizures if you have meningitis. Although meningitis is hard to diagnose because it can mimic other infections, if you have a headache along with these other symptoms, it’s best to get checked by your doctor.

5. Headaches are interfering with your daily life.

If you have headaches that are landing you in bed all day or otherwise making you unable to perform your normal daily activities, it’s time to see a doctor. You may be experiencing migraines, or the headaches could be a symptom of another underlying issue such as the ones listed above. Only a doctor can assess the cause, so get help as soon as possible.

Topics

brain aneurysm

brain tumors

Dr. Jonathan J. Russin

headache

stroke

vision changes

Tina Donvito

Tina Donvito is a freelance writer covering health, culture, travel and parenting.

Heat Headache Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Severe headaches and migraines are not uncommon, affecting 20 percent of women and nearly 10 percent of men living in the United States.

Headaches seem to be even more likely to happen in the summer months when temperatures are elevated. Headache frequency may rise when it’s warmer out for a number of underlying reasons, including dehydration, environmental pollution, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke being more prevalent as temperatures rise.

Heat itself may be a trigger for headaches, although research results vary.

A heat-induced headache may feel like a dull, thudding ache around your temples or in the back of your head. Depending on the cause, a heat-induced headache may escalate to a more intensely felt internal pain.

Heat-induced migraine

Migraines affect approximately 18 percent of women and 6 percent of men in the United States, and they’re more common in the warmer months.

A heat-induced migraine is not the same as a heat-induced headache, because the two have some differences in their symptoms. What heat-induced migraines and headaches have in common is that they’re both triggered by the way that heat affects your body.

A heat-induced headache may not be caused by hot weather itself, but by the way your body responds to heat.

Weather-related triggers of headache and migraine include:

• sun glare
• high humidity
• bright light
• sudden dips in barometric pressure

Heat-induced headaches can also be caused by dehydration. When you’re exposed to higher temperatures, your body needs more water to make up for what’s being lost as your body sweats. Dehydration can trigger both a headache and a migraine.

Weather conditions can also cause changes in your serotonin levels. These hormonal fluctuations are a common migraine trigger, but they can cause a headache, too.

Prolonged exposure to high temperatures also puts you at risk for heat exhaustion, one of the stages of heat stroke.

Headache is a symptom of heat exhaustion. Any time you’re exposed to high temperatures or spend a long time outside under the hot sun and get a headache afterward, you should know that heat stroke is a possibility.

Symptoms of a heat-induced headache can vary according to the circumstance. If your headache is triggered by heat exhaustion, you will have heat exhaustion symptoms in addition to your head pain.

Heat exhaustion symptoms include:

• dizziness
• muscle cramps or tightness
• nausea
• fainting
• extreme thirst that won’t subside

Medical emergency

Heat exhaustion is a medical emergency and can lead to heat stroke if it’s not treated. Seek immediate medical help.

If your headache or migraine is related to heat exposure, but not connected to heat exhaustion, your symptoms may include:

• a throbbing, dull sensation in your head
• fatigue
• sensitivity to light
• dehydration

If heat tends to trigger your headache or migraine, you can be proactive about prevention.

If possible, limit your time outside on hot days, and protect your eyes with sunglasses and a hat with a brim when you venture out. Exercise indoors in an air-conditioned environment if you’re able to do so.

Drink extra water as temperatures start to rise, and consider drinking sports drinks to replace your electrolytes.

If you already have a headache, consider home remedies like:

• lavender or peppermint essential oils
• cold compresses
• iced herbal teas
• herbs like feverfew or willow’s bark

Over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) can also be used as needed for pain relief.

Mild headaches and migraines caused by dehydration or changes in the weather will usually go away on their own within one to three hours. But there are times when a heat-induced headache is a sign you need emergency care.

Seek medical help right away if you have a heat-induced headache with any of the following symptoms:

• nausea and vomiting
• high fever (103. 5 degrees or higher)
• a sudden spike in pain levels or intense pain in your head
• slurred speech, confusion, or disorientation
• pale or clammy skin
• extreme thirst or lack of appetite

If you don’t have emergency symptoms, but are getting headaches or migraines more than twice a week over a span of three months, schedule an appointment to speak with a doctor.

If you typically experience migraines, you know what to expect from your body when you have one. If your migraine symptoms last for more than 7 hours, or if you experience symptoms that aren’t typical for your migraine, call a doctor.

While more research is needed to understand exactly how heat is connected to headaches and migraines, we do know that dehydration, mineral loss, sun glare, and heat exhaustion can all cause headaches and migraines.

Be aware of the way that the higher temperatures can affect your body, and try to plan accordingly to prevent heat-induced headaches.

If you experience a headache in addition to symptoms of heat exhaustion, seek emergency medical care.

Burning face and headache: causes of illness

Quite often, patients complain that their face burns and their head hurts in certain situations.

Such symptoms undoubtedly require diagnosis and adequate treatment.

If the head hurts and the face turns red, these are signs of certain disorders in the body.

Without the advice of a qualified specialist, it will not be possible to understand the problem.

The causes of discomfort are many pathologies.

Often the face turns red under the influence of adverse environmental factors, but this does not cause alarm.

In the case when the head hurts and the face burns, any disease may develop.

It is necessary to approach the problem with responsibility, find the possible causes of the unpleasant condition and take the appropriate treatment.

Contents

1. Causes of facial redness with headache
2. What to do if the face burns and the head hurts
3. Useful video

Causes of redness of the face with headache

Symptoms in which the head hurts and the face burns, is expressed in the form of reddening of individual skin areas or the entire facial area.

Various color pigments may appear from pale pink to bright red.

In addition, the patient feels hot flashes of varying intensity and duration.

Headache comes on suddenly or progressively. It is located in different parts of the head, depending on the etiology of the existing disease.

1. Physical activity. Athletes involved in regular sports have constant physical activity. This factor provokes the fact that at the peak of training the face burns. With a serious excess of physical activity, a headache may begin. If a person rarely plays sports or does not play at all, then any sport can cause complaints that the head hurts and the face turns red.
2. Pathologies of the cardiovascular system. One of the most common causes of headaches and burning face. This is due to the fact that due to the failure of the heart, the functioning of the vessels fails. You can’t ignore these symptoms. Hot flashes and headaches can be signs of a developing stroke or heart attack. If the patient is aware of the existing problems with the cardiovascular system in advance, it is necessary to immediately seek medical help to eliminate the symptoms.
3. Hormonal disorders. The head hurts and the face burns most often in women with the onset of menopause. In addition, with menopause there is increased sweating, dizziness. Discomfort lasts for some time until the functions of the reproductive system cease. It is believed that the male sex suffers no less during age-related hormonal changes in the body.
4. Pregnancy and lactation. A crucial period in a woman’s life can also be accompanied by some unpleasant symptoms. The head hurts, and the face burns due to the active actions of hormones. The solution to the problem is possible only after the end of pregnancy, breastfeeding. Over time, the female body will recover, the hormonal background will adjust to the previous way.
5. Hypertension. The disease is characterized by jumps in blood pressure to the upper levels. In this case, the head hurts, and the face burns against the background of high blood pressure, rushes of blood to the brain. In the chronic course of the disease, the patient has a reddened face constantly. Regular monitoring of the disease by your doctor is necessary. The disease can cause a stroke or heart attack. Treatment is a prerequisite for hypertension. The causes of hypertension have a wide list, each age category may have its own signs and intensity of manifestation of the pathology.
6. Allergic reactions. This disorder is familiar to many people. The disease occurs against the background of disorders of the immune system, which reacts aggressively to certain substances. Often women are allergic to decorative cosmetics. The skin always signals about any diseases. So, with the development of allergies, the face burns, the head may ache. The solution to the problem is to stop contact with the irritant and take antihistamines.
7. Psychological problems. The modern world is full of various irritants of the nervous system. Prolonged exposure to stressful situations often leads to neurosis, in which a red face is a common symptom. The causes of discomfort lie in the excitation of the nervous system. This triggers the mechanism of vasospasm, increasing blood pressure.
8. Colds. Any colds that are accompanied by fever, nasal congestion, lead to redness of the face and headache. The reasons for this condition are high temperatures. The skin is heated under the influence of a decrease in normal thermoregulation in the body, headaches develop from the penetration of pathogenic bacteria, viruses.
9. Smoking and alcohol. The abuse of tobacco and alcohol also causes redness of the skin of the face. This effect can persist for a very long time, until a person gives up bad habits. This is justified by the long-term effect of harmful substances on the vessels of the body. Patients with tobacco, alcohol dependence, in 90% of cases have cardiovascular disorders.
10. NCD (neurocirculatory dystonia). Disorders of the autonomic functioning of the body are accompanied by a wide range of symptoms, among which headaches and redness of the face are common. The causes of the disease are presumably in the wrong lifestyle, diseases of the spine, chronic pathologies of the body.

Redness and heat in the face can appear after adverse weather conditions.

Prolonged exposure to the sun causes burns, irritation of the skin.

Being in the wind, frost has a negative effect on the skin. Nearby vessels become weak, blood flows more strongly to the face.

The external condition of the skin speaks volumes. It is by the type, color and condition of the skin that one can determine certain diseases of a vascular nature, hormonal disorders.

What to do if your face burns and your head hurts

The right way to get rid of discomfort is to contact a specialist.

But this is not always possible. There are a few tips to help alleviate the condition:

• Measure body temperature. In case of elevated rates, take Paracetamol according to the instructions for use. Paracetamol is an analgesic drug that relieves attacks of fever and malaise.
• Measure blood pressure. Self-administration of blood pressure-correcting therapy is prohibited. With the exception of the preliminary prescription of medicines by a specialist. With overestimated or underestimated blood pressure, you need to drink a No-Shpa tablet and call for medical help.
• During pregnancy and lactation. Measure pressure and temperature. If all indicators are normal, lie down, put a cold towel on your head and rest. After a while, the discomfort will pass.
• If there are no deviations in the indicators of pressure and body temperature, it is necessary to brew herbal tea based on mint, lie down to rest with a warm towel on your head. If your head hurts a lot, take an anesthetic pill (Analgin, No-Shpa). If negative symptoms persist, consult a doctor.

If the redness of the face is provoked by bad weather conditions, you need to take measures to soothe the skin.

This may be the use of nourishing creams, alcohol-free lotions.

The causes of a red face and headache are often found in problems of the circulatory system.

In the event of unpleasant symptoms, it is recommended that you check your blood pressure first and then call an ambulance.

In the presence of neuro-circulatory dystonia, first of all, you need to calm down, take a relaxing bath, soothing tea and rest.

Crises last from several minutes to several hours. If you do not feel better within a couple of hours, you should consult a doctor.

Treatment involves the use of complex vitamin and sedative therapy.

Useful video

Facial pain (facial pain)

Herpes

Neuralgia

3904

09 June

Pain in the face (facial pain) – the causes of occurrence, in which diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment.

Pain in the face belongs to the category of pain syndromes, the diagnosis of which is the most difficult.

Facial pain can be based on diseases of various organs or systems or occur due to damage to nerve fibers (primarily cranial nerves).

Separately from these two groups, pain is considered, the clear cause of which is sometimes not possible to identify. They are called persistent idiopathic, or atypical, pain.

Varieties of pain

Diagnose facial pain caused by damage to the branches of the cranial nerves (neurogenic), and pain caused by diseases of organs or systems (somatogenic).

Neurogenic facial pain

trigeminal neuralgia,

in which the branches of the trigeminal nerve are affected, it is characterized by burning pain, which is paroxysmal in nature and intensifies with any movements of the mouth (chewing, opening), tension of facial muscles (smile, grimace). Most often, it is concentrated at the exit points of the branches of the trigeminal nerve (in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe eyebrows and wings of the nose) and may be accompanied by a tick. Increased lacrimation is often noted. In the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe pain point, there is a burning sensation, bursting, the skin turns red or turns pale. An attack can be provoked by pressing on certain points. Sometimes areas with increased or decreased sensitivity are detected on the face.

Possible causes

It is believed that most often such pain occurs due to compression of the branches of the trigeminal nerve in the narrow bony canals of the skull by vessels that form loops around the nerve. In some cases, compression of the nerve in the small bony canals of the upper jaw is due to swelling of the surrounding tissues due to frequent rhinitis or chronic inflammation in the tooth area. The nerve can be compressed by a growing tumor. Sometimes the pain syndrome develops against the background of a herpetic lesion.

Diagnostics and examinations

When the nerve is compressed in the region of the infraorbital canal, pain may occur in the region of the orbits and eyebrows. When the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve is compressed, the tooth is considered the culprit of painful attacks. This can be confirmed or ruled out using a panoramic image of the upper and lower jaws. To exclude the tumor nature of the pain syndrome, an MRI of the brain or MR angiography is prescribed.

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Which doctors should I contact?

The variety of symptoms that accompany trigeminal neuralgia makes it difficult to diagnose.

Consultations needed:

• dentist;
• otorhinolaryngologist, especially in case of frequent rhinitis;
• neurologist.

What should I do if I have symptoms?

As a rule, patients intuitively exclude factors that can provoke a pain attack. They try to avoid meals, do not wash, for fear of affecting the trigger points of pain.

Treatment

Success in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia can only be achieved with an integrated approach.

After a thorough examination, the doctor may prescribe vitamins, antispasmodics, antidepressants and, in some cases, antiepileptic drugs.

Physiotherapeutic procedures are recommended: laser therapy, acupuncture, ultraionophoresis, electrophoresis, diadynamic currents, paraffin applications.

If it is not possible to achieve positive results with drug therapy, surgery may be necessary. Microvascular decompression allows the release of the nerve root. The essence of this operation is to isolate the nerve and the vessel that compresses it. Effective radiofrequency destruction of the affected branch of the trigeminal nerve.

Somatogenic facial pains

Pain in the face and head can be a manifestation of a disease of any organ or system, in which case they are called somatogenic. These pains may not be as sharp and intense as in the case of a lesion of the trigeminal nerve, but their constancy significantly worsens the condition of a person.

Possible causes

The simplest and most quickly identified cause of facial pain is an affected tooth. With advanced caries or periodontitis, the pain is localized not only in the area of ​​​​the diseased tooth, but also gives to the jaw, temple and ear.

Significant suffering to a person is caused by a malfunction of the chewing apparatus (dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint).

In addition to intra-articular changes (arthrosis, underdevelopment of the articular head), an incorrect bite can lead to pain, for example, due to the loss of a group of teeth or an improperly selected prosthesis, or a prolonged spasm of the masticatory muscles.

Inflammatory processes in the paranasal and frontal sinuses can also cause pain. Depending on the location of the pathological process, pain can be felt in different areas of the face. So, with frontal sinusitis (inflammation of the frontal sinuses), pain can occur in the frontal region and give up. When sinusitis (inflammation of the maxillary (maxillary) sinuses) is characterized by pain in the infraorbital region with a return to the upper jaw. With ethmoiditis (inflammation of the mucous cells of the ethmoid bone) – between the eyes with a return to the temporal region.

Diseases of the eyes (eyes) can lead to the occurrence of pain syndrome.

Sometimes facial pain is a symptom of angle-closure glaucoma (increased intraocular pressure), which requires immediate treatment, as the disease can lead to loss of vision.

Diagnostics and examinations

To find out the source of pain, it is necessary to undergo a series of examinations.

The dentist will order panoramic x-rays of the upper and lower jaw. They allow you to identify a diseased tooth and sanitize the focus of inflammation.

If pathological processes in the area of ​​the nasal sinuses are suspected, it is advisable to perform X-ray or computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses (primarily the maxillary and frontal).

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Much less often, the cause of facial pain is sought in violation of the temporomandibular joint.

To confirm the articular nature of facial pain, you can use x-rays of the temporomandibular joint.

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The radiologist will help identify changes in the articular surfaces and deformation of the joint space.

Clinical manifestations of dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint are characterized by:

– pain and crunching in the joint area when opening the mouth and chewing;

– the inability to smoothly and completely open the mouth;

– swelling and pain in the joint area (between the cheek and the auricle);

– asymmetric mouth opening;

– uneven wear of teeth on the right and left sides.

The “eye” nature of the occurrence of facial pain has a number of signs.

The pain is always clearly localized on one side. There is pain when moving and pressing on the eyeball. Only an ophthalmologist can make a final diagnosis after measuring intraocular pressure and examining visual function.

Which doctors should I contact?

The presence of an extensive list of possible causes of facial pain often requires a visit to doctors of various profiles: a dentist to exclude pain associated with tooth damage, an otorhinolaryngologist and an ophthalmologist if there are suspicions of diseases of the ENT organs or eyes.

If studies do not confirm the somatogenic (that is, due to organ damage) nature of pain, then further diagnosis should be continued by a neurologist.

Treatment

Treatment in the case of the somatogenic nature of pain should be aimed at eliminating the disease of the “causal” organ.

In the presence of inflammatory phenomena in the area of ​​the sinuses of the facial skull, the otorhinolaryngologist will prescribe complex therapy, including antibacterial drugs, vasoconstrictor sprays, antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs. Sometimes a positive result of treatment can be achieved by washing the sinuses using a YAMIK catheter.

If the cause of the pain is an eye disease, then further treatment is carried out by an ophthalmologist. As a rule, when confirming the diagnosis of angle-closure glaucoma, a complex of drugs is prescribed, which includes pilocarpine and timolol, as well as diuretics. If there is no improvement, the optometrist may recommend laser or surgical treatment.