Causes, symptoms, treatment, and triggers

Heat headaches often occur when the weather is hot or during physical activities that raise the body temperature.

In this article, we discuss the causes of heat headaches, other symptoms, treatment options, and more.

Share on PinterestExercising while dehydrated may lead to a heat headache.

Heat headaches are unlikely to result from the heat itself. In most cases, the cause will be another trigger that is associated with heat.

The following are some common triggers of headaches in warmer temperatures:

Dehydration

According to Baylor College of Medicine, a likely cause of heat-related headaches may actually be dehydration. Dehydration triggers a headache because a lack of liquids leads to the constriction of blood vessels.

Heat-related illnesses

Heat-related illnesses are common during warmer months. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that heat-related illnesses, such as heatstroke and heat exhaustion, are preventable.

A person should limit their time in hot environments and avoid excessive exercise in the heat. If a person develops either heat exhaustion or heatstroke, a headache is a common symptom.

Other headache triggers

Several environmental triggers can potentially cause a headache or migraine to occur. According to the American Migraine Foundation, some potential headache or migraine triggers that are common in warmer months include:

• too much sun or light
• dehydration from not drinking enough
• fragrances from perfumes or sunscreen
• not following a routine by skipping meals
• not following a routine by skipping medication
• medication becoming less effective at higher temperatures
• exercising in the heat

Heat or environmental headaches may present different symptoms depending on what is causing them.

Heat exhaustion

If heat exhaustion is the cause of a headache, a person may experience additional symptoms relating to being overheated. According to the CDC, the following are some warning signs of heat exhaustion:

• sweating a lot
• vomiting or nausea
• dizziness
• muscle cramps
• weakness or feeling tired
• cold or clammy skin
• fast but weak pulse
• passing out

Heatstroke

Heatstroke has similar symptoms to heat exhaustion, but it is more serious. A person should call 911 if someone experiences the following symptoms:

• hot, dry, or damp skin
• confusion
• dizziness
• nausea or vomiting
• strong, fast heartbeat
• high body temperature above 103°F
• reddened skin, in people with lighter skin tones

Dehydration

In addition to headaches, dehydration can cause other symptoms. According to Dignity Health, a person who is dehydrated may experience the following symptoms:

• dizziness
• dry mouth or lips
• thirst
• less urine
• fatigue or feeling sluggish

Without proper treatment, dehydration can become severe. A person should call 911 if they experience any of the following symptoms:

• sunken eyes
• muscle cramps
• not urinating or only urinating in small amounts
• dizziness
• weakness
• severe diarrhea
• severe vomiting
• loss of consciousness or alertness
• confusion

Migraine

People with migraine often experience other symptoms in addition to a severe pain in the head.

According to the Office on Women’s Health, symptoms of migraine can include:

• an intense, throbbing headache on one or both sides of the head
• sensitivity to light
• nausea
• vomiting
• aura, which affects about 1 in 5 people with migraine

Learn more about the differences between a headache and migraine here.

A person can take steps to prevent and treat headaches due to heat, dehydration, or other environmental triggers.

Prevention

The American Migraine Foundation advise people to take steps to prevent headaches when enjoying warmer temperatures. These include:

• drinking plenty of liquids throughout the day
• avoiding excessive sun exposure
• taking regular breaks in shaded areas
• wearing polarized sunglasses
• wearing fragrance-free sunscreen or other lotions
• avoiding exercise in extreme heat
• continuing to eat meals on a normal schedule
• taking medications according to the prescription
• keeping medications at room temperature

Treatment

If a person has a headache, some self-care techniques may help reduce or eliminate the pain. These include:

• taking a rest in a shaded area
• using a cold pack or ice to help lower the body temperature
• avoiding caffeinated beverages
• waiting until it is cooler to exercise

A person can take over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, as necessary. However, they should talk to their doctor before taking OTC medications if they have preexisting medical conditions, are pregnant, or are taking other medications.

If a person is experiencing heat exhaustion, the CDC recommend taking the following steps:

• sipping cold water
• moving to a cooler location
• loosening clothing
• taking a cool bath
• dampening clothes with cold water

For a migraine headache, a person should follow all the recommendations that their healthcare provider gives them. Following the proper dosage on medications as well as making lifestyle changes, such as avoiding known triggers, can help prevent future migraine headaches from occurring.

A person should see their doctor if they experience frequent headaches. Frequent headaches may be a sign of an underlying health condition.

If a person experiences a migraine headache for the first time or notices any changes in their frequency, they should see a doctor.

When a person is displaying symptoms of heatstroke, someone with them should contact 911 right away. Symptoms to watch for include:

• confusion
• weakness
• dizziness

In most cases, if a person removes themselves from the heat or drinks more fluids, their headache will go away in time. OTC pain relievers and rest can help alleviate the pain.

People living with migraine should talk to their healthcare provider about treatment strategies. These often focus on both treating the migraine and helping prevent future migraines from occurring.

If heat, sun, or other environmental factors are new triggers, a person should talk to their doctor about additional strategies to prevent future migraine headaches.

A person may develop a heat headache when they experience triggers, such as overheating, dehydration, or other environmental factors. The same factors can also trigger migraine headaches.

When a person takes precautions, such as drinking more liquids and avoiding strenuous exercise in hot conditions, they may prevent the onset of a headache.

If a headache or migraine occurs, a person should drink more fluids, move to a cooler place, and rest from any activity that may be raising their body temperature.

Causes, symptoms, treatment, and triggers

Heat headaches often occur when the weather is hot or during physical activities that raise the body temperature.

In this article, we discuss the causes of heat headaches, other symptoms, treatment options, and more.

Share on PinterestExercising while dehydrated may lead to a heat headache.

Heat headaches are unlikely to result from the heat itself. In most cases, the cause will be another trigger that is associated with heat.

The following are some common triggers of headaches in warmer temperatures:

Dehydration

According to Baylor College of Medicine, a likely cause of heat-related headaches may actually be dehydration. Dehydration triggers a headache because a lack of liquids leads to the constriction of blood vessels.

Heat-related illnesses

Heat-related illnesses are common during warmer months. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that heat-related illnesses, such as heatstroke and heat exhaustion, are preventable.

A person should limit their time in hot environments and avoid excessive exercise in the heat. If a person develops either heat exhaustion or heatstroke, a headache is a common symptom.

Other headache triggers

Several environmental triggers can potentially cause a headache or migraine to occur. According to the American Migraine Foundation, some potential headache or migraine triggers that are common in warmer months include:

• too much sun or light
• dehydration from not drinking enough
• fragrances from perfumes or sunscreen
• not following a routine by skipping meals
• not following a routine by skipping medication
• medication becoming less effective at higher temperatures
• exercising in the heat

Heat or environmental headaches may present different symptoms depending on what is causing them.

Heat exhaustion

If heat exhaustion is the cause of a headache, a person may experience additional symptoms relating to being overheated. According to the CDC, the following are some warning signs of heat exhaustion:

• sweating a lot
• vomiting or nausea
• dizziness
• muscle cramps
• weakness or feeling tired
• cold or clammy skin
• fast but weak pulse
• passing out

Heatstroke

Heatstroke has similar symptoms to heat exhaustion, but it is more serious. A person should call 911 if someone experiences the following symptoms:

• hot, dry, or damp skin
• confusion
• dizziness
• nausea or vomiting
• strong, fast heartbeat
• high body temperature above 103°F
• reddened skin, in people with lighter skin tones

Dehydration

In addition to headaches, dehydration can cause other symptoms. According to Dignity Health, a person who is dehydrated may experience the following symptoms:

• dizziness
• dry mouth or lips
• thirst
• less urine
• fatigue or feeling sluggish

Without proper treatment, dehydration can become severe. A person should call 911 if they experience any of the following symptoms:

• sunken eyes
• muscle cramps
• not urinating or only urinating in small amounts
• dizziness
• weakness
• severe diarrhea
• severe vomiting
• loss of consciousness or alertness
• confusion

Migraine

People with migraine often experience other symptoms in addition to a severe pain in the head.

According to the Office on Women’s Health, symptoms of migraine can include:

• an intense, throbbing headache on one or both sides of the head
• sensitivity to light
• nausea
• vomiting
• aura, which affects about 1 in 5 people with migraine

Learn more about the differences between a headache and migraine here.

A person can take steps to prevent and treat headaches due to heat, dehydration, or other environmental triggers.

Prevention

The American Migraine Foundation advise people to take steps to prevent headaches when enjoying warmer temperatures. These include:

• drinking plenty of liquids throughout the day
• avoiding excessive sun exposure
• taking regular breaks in shaded areas
• wearing polarized sunglasses
• wearing fragrance-free sunscreen or other lotions
• avoiding exercise in extreme heat
• continuing to eat meals on a normal schedule
• taking medications according to the prescription
• keeping medications at room temperature

Treatment

If a person has a headache, some self-care techniques may help reduce or eliminate the pain. These include:

• taking a rest in a shaded area
• using a cold pack or ice to help lower the body temperature
• avoiding caffeinated beverages
• waiting until it is cooler to exercise

A person can take over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, as necessary. However, they should talk to their doctor before taking OTC medications if they have preexisting medical conditions, are pregnant, or are taking other medications.

If a person is experiencing heat exhaustion, the CDC recommend taking the following steps:

• sipping cold water
• moving to a cooler location
• loosening clothing
• taking a cool bath
• dampening clothes with cold water

For a migraine headache, a person should follow all the recommendations that their healthcare provider gives them. Following the proper dosage on medications as well as making lifestyle changes, such as avoiding known triggers, can help prevent future migraine headaches from occurring.

A person should see their doctor if they experience frequent headaches. Frequent headaches may be a sign of an underlying health condition.

If a person experiences a migraine headache for the first time or notices any changes in their frequency, they should see a doctor.

When a person is displaying symptoms of heatstroke, someone with them should contact 911 right away. Symptoms to watch for include:

• confusion
• weakness
• dizziness

In most cases, if a person removes themselves from the heat or drinks more fluids, their headache will go away in time. OTC pain relievers and rest can help alleviate the pain.

People living with migraine should talk to their healthcare provider about treatment strategies. These often focus on both treating the migraine and helping prevent future migraines from occurring.

If heat, sun, or other environmental factors are new triggers, a person should talk to their doctor about additional strategies to prevent future migraine headaches.

A person may develop a heat headache when they experience triggers, such as overheating, dehydration, or other environmental factors. The same factors can also trigger migraine headaches.

When a person takes precautions, such as drinking more liquids and avoiding strenuous exercise in hot conditions, they may prevent the onset of a headache.

If a headache or migraine occurs, a person should drink more fluids, move to a cooler place, and rest from any activity that may be raising their body temperature.

Feeling hot

Menopause

Diabetes mellitus

Climax

Thyrotoxicosis

Pheochromocytoma

1148

24 August

The feeling of heat that a person experiences arises due to a sharp expansion and blood filling of small subcutaneous vessels. This condition is called arterial hyperemia. The skin turns red and becomes hot.

The lumen of the vessels is regulated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Its changes depend on the signals of the vasomotor (vasomotor) center of the central nervous system, hormones, pyrogenic (heat-causing) substances entering the blood, and a number of other factors.

Feeling hot

The vessels are constantly influenced by factors that have a vasoconstrictor or vasodilating effect. For example, under stress, blood vessels under the influence of the hormone adrenaline narrow, the skin turns pale. At the end of a stressful situation, the vessels relax and fill with blood.

Pathological arterial hyperemia, which is accompanied by a feeling of heat, develops either under the influence of irritants (infections, toxins, tissue breakdown products during burns, pyrogenic substances), or in violation of nervous regulation.

There are neurogenic arterial hyperemia (occurring in response to irritation of nerve endings) and metabolic (due to the action of local chemical factors). An example of neurogenic arterial hyperemia is the reddening of the face and neck with hypertension, menopausal syndrome, and also with strong emotions.

Blood electrolytes have a metabolic effect on vascular tension: calcium and sodium constrict blood vessels and increase pressure, while potassium and magnesium, on the contrary, expand. Metabolic regulators include carbon dioxide, organic acids, hormones.

Possible causes of feeling hot

Hot, spicy and spicy foods can cause flushing and feeling hot.

The same effect on the body has alcohol , which promotes the expansion of blood vessels.

Taking certain medications may also cause a sensation of heat spreading through the body. These include vasodilators, hormones, antidepressants, etc.

The causes of arterial hyperemia and, as a result, feelings of heat can be different. If the regulation of vascular tone is disturbed, arterial hypertension may develop, accompanied by a sudden increase in blood pressure – a hypertensive crisis. The most common cause of this condition is hypertension. However, in a third of cases, arterial hypertension is caused by diseases of the internal organs: acute glomerulonephritis and other kidney damage, adrenal tumors and other diseases of the endocrine system. The magnitude of the rise in blood pressure during a hypertensive crisis depends on the age and individual characteristics of the person. At a young age, the symptoms of a crisis can occur at a lower level of blood pressure, and in the elderly – at a higher one.

A sharp increase in blood pressure is accompanied by headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances (“flies”, doubling). Perhaps numbness of the limbs, a feeling of goosebumps, palpitations, shortness of breath.

Due to a violation of the nervous regulation, chills occur, followed by fever, increased sweating. Completion of the crisis is accompanied by frequent urination.

An increase in blood pressure and the symptoms accompanying this condition also occur with a tumor of the adrenal gland – pheochromocytoma and other hormone-producing tumors. The tumor secretes large amounts of catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine).

Clinical signs of pheochromocytoma may include headache, sweating, palpitations, irritability, weight loss, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness, fatigue. In some cases, patients may experience fever, shortness of breath, hot flashes, increased thirst, frequent urination, dizziness, and tinnitus.

Many women complain of hot flashes during menopause . A change in the hormonal background occurs even before the cessation of menstruation, during the period of premenopause (menopausal transition). At first, its manifestations are insignificant, and most often they are not given importance or are attributed to the consequences of fatigue and mental overstrain. Hormonal and metabolic changes, in particular, a decrease in the level of estrogens, progesterone and an increase in the production of GnRH, are accompanied by hot flashes, which can be repeated several times a day.

Women describe them as a periodic short-term sensation of heat, followed by chills, increased sweating, and rapid heartbeat.

In most cases, hot flashes slightly interfere with well-being. Arterial hyperemia and a feeling of heat may be a sign of a dysfunction of the thyroid gland, for example, with thyrotoxicosis . Patients with thyrotoxicosis complain of general weakness, fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbance, sweating, trembling fingers, palpitations, and sometimes pain in the region of the heart.

Despite increased appetite, patients with thyrotoxicosis lose weight.

Violation of thermoregulation, which occurs due to accelerated metabolism, leads to an increase in body temperature and causes a constant feeling of heat. The skin becomes warm and moist, the skin vessels dilate, which is accompanied by reddening of the face. Sweating increases, nails become brittle, hair falls out.

Sometimes hot flushes and a sensation of heat in combination with high blood pressure occur at diabetes mellitus . These symptoms are accompanied by general malaise, sweating, thirst, increased urine output.

Which doctors should I contact?

If you experience symptoms such as fever and hot flashes on a regular basis, you should contact
therapist, who, on the basis of complaints and analyzes, will refer to
gynecologist or
endocrinologist.

Diagnostics and examinations

The appearance of periodic hot flashes, accompanied by a feeling of heat, sweating, redness of the skin of the face, requires a mandatory diagnosis.

The doctor evaluates the patient’s complaints, taking into account age, gender and concomitant diseases. With an increase in blood pressure, turning into crises, it is necessary to determine the nature of the pathology – primary (associated with impaired nervous regulation) or secondary (due to diseases of the internal organs). For this, a clinical blood test and a general urinalysis, a Nechiporenko urinalysis, a blood test for glucose, cholesterol, and creatinine are prescribed. Clinical blood test: general analysis, leukoformula, ESR (with microscopy of a blood smear in the presence of pathological changes)

Synonyms: Complete blood count, KLA. Full blood count, FBC, Complete blood count (CBC) with differential white blood cell count (CBC with diff), Hemogram.
Brief description of the study CBC: general a…

Up to 1 business day

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RUB 810

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General urinalysis (Urine analysis with sediment microscopy)

Method of determination

Determination of physical and chemical parameters is carried out on an automatic analyzer using the “dry chemistry” method.

Hardware microscope…

Up to 1 business day

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410 RUB

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Nechiporenko Urine Test

Synonyms: Determination of the amount of blood cells in the urine sediment; Sample of Nechiporenko; Urinalysis by the Nechiporenko method.

Analysis of urine Nechiporenko; Urinalysis; Urine…

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Glucose (in the blood) (Glucose)

Research material

Serum or blood plasma. If it is not possible to centrifuge the sample 30 minutes after collection for serum/plasma separation…

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335 RUB

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Cholesterol total (cholesterol, Cholesterol total)

Synonyms: Cholesterol, cholesterol. Blood cholesterol, Cholesterol, Chol, Cholesterol total.
Brief characteristics of the analyte Total cholesterol
Approximately 80% of all cholesterol is synthetic. ..

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370 RUB

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Creatinine (in the blood) (Creatinine)

Synonyms: Blood test for creatinine; Serum creatinine; Serum creatinine, GFR estimate. Creat; Cre; Blood Creatinine; Serum Creatinine; Serum Creat.
Brief characteristic determined …

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Diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis is based on the clinical manifestations of the disease and the results of laboratory and instrumental examinations. These include determining the level of TSH, free T4 and T3, the level of antibodies to the TSH receptor (AT-rTTG) and the level of antibodies to thyroid peroxidase (AT-TPO).

Anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (Ab-TPO, microsomal antibodies, Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Autoantibodies)

Synonyms: Blood test for Ab-TPO; Antibodies to microsomal antigen; ATPO. Antimicrosomal Antibodies; Antithyroid Microsomal Antibodies; Thyroid Peroxidase Autoantibodies; TPO Antibodies; Thyroid Peroxidase Test; Thyroid microsomal an…

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790 RUB

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In addition, an ultrasound of the thyroid gland, a scintigraphic examination, and in the presence of nodes, a fine-needle biopsy are performed.

Ultrasound of the thyroid gland, parathyroid glands and regional lymph nodes

Examination of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, which allows to assess their structure, as well as to detect pathological changes in these organs and regional lymph nodes. ..

RUB 2,040

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With symptoms of an adrenal tumor, stimulating tests are performed, the level of catecholamines in the daily urine and blood plasma, and metanephrines in the daily urine test are determined.

Catecholamines, daily urine: epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine

Catecholamines are biologically active substances from the group of biogenic amines.

Adrenaline is the main hormone of the adrenal medulla, which is formed here in …

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2 645 RUB

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Plasma catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine)

The study is used in the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, differential diagnosis of hypertensive conditions, with dysfunctions of the sympathadrenal system and pathological . ..

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An MRI of the abdominal organs and retroperitoneal space is also necessary, usually with the use of contrast.

Treatment
The feeling of heat and hot flashes are only symptoms of the disease, so the doctor prescribes treatment after diagnosing the underlying pathology.

What should I do if I have a fever?

If the feeling of fever is caused by an increase in temperature due to infectious processes and intoxication, it is necessary to lower the body temperature and start treating the disease. In case of a hypertensive crisis, you need to call an ambulance. The feeling of heat that occurs with a sharp expansion of blood vessels due to neuroendocrine disorders does not require drug therapy.

Nevertheless, measures aimed at restoring vascular tone (contrast shower, normalization of sleep, daily exercise, healthy eating) lead to a decrease in the symptoms of hyperemia and an improvement in well-being.

Sources:

1. Kasyan V.N., Adamyan L.V. Pathophysiology of hot flashes. Focus on neurohormonal regulation. reproduction problems. 2017;1:115-121. doi: 10.17116/repro2017231115-121
2. Maksimovich N.A. Analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of the test with reactive hyperemia in the diagnosis of endothelial dysfunction in children with autonomic disorders. Journal of the Grodno State Medical University “To the Practicing Doctor”. 2012;2:101-103.
3. Clinical guidelines “Menopause and menopause in women.” Developed by: Russian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. – 2021.

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.
For a correct assessment of the results of your analyzes in dynamics, it is preferable to do studies in the same laboratory, since different laboratories may use different research methods and units of measurement to perform the same analyzes.

From a sick head to a healthy one

Pain from which the head simply splits in half… Do you know such a picture when it seems that you are ready to drink a whole mountain of painkillers, just to let go? Fortunately, pharmacies offer a whole arsenal of medicines. But, do not rush to grab the pills. Try first to understand why your head hurts? The head of the Regional Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Headache of the OKDC, Candidate of Medical Sciences Elena Shestel will help to figure this out.

All “happy” heads hurt the same way…

In healthy people, headaches can be caused by stress or banal overwork. The fact is that such negative states as anger, anxiety, fear lead to prolonged tension in the muscles of the face, shoulders and neck. Nerve endings are “clamped” in tense muscles, and the nerve impulses coming from them are transmitted to receptors in the soft tissues of the head – a person feels pain.
Prolonged sitting in a half-bent position can also provoke pain, since the back and neck in this position “numb”, and this leads to vasoconstriction and a reduction in blood flow, which, in turn, causes a lack of oxygen in the tissues and the accumulation of metabolic products in them. . At the same time, dilation of the blood vessels (for example, due to excessive eye strain) leads to irritation of the nerve endings, which also causes a headache.

According to WHO, 99% of the world’s people experience a headache attack at least once in their lives. Most often, it goes away on its own: just drink hot tea, relax, take a bath, adding a few drops of essential oils to the water: lavender, lemon, peppermint. .. Fragrant foam and sea salt are only welcome! Or, stand under a hot shower – this will help relieve spasmodic headaches caused by spasm of the muscle on the back of the neck and head. You can do mustard foot baths – they reduce blood pressure in the brain. In addition, cold compresses help well, as they constrict blood vessels in the painful area and reduce pain pulsation. A bag with ice cubes wrapped in a towel should be applied to the forehead, temples or back of the head for about 10-15 minutes. Listen to calm, pleasant music or watch an interesting humorous program. Laughter not only tones blood vessels, but also promotes the production of endorphins, pleasure hormones, which have an analgesic effect. You can do a head massage with light stroking movements from the forehead to the back of the head

But, if the pain does not go away for a long time, if it often recurs, then you need to deal with it already in the doctor’s office.

The fact is that a headache can be a manifestation of such threatening diseases as a brain tumor, heart attack or stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, meningitis, encephalitis, trauma . .. In this case, we are talking about secondary headaches – in the medical classification, their number approaches three hundred. But, fortunately, this situation occurs only in 2% of cases. Most often, pains are not associated with structural disorders of the brain, they are benign in nature with a favorable prognosis. They are called primary. The most common among them are migraine, tension headache, cluster headache.

Illness of responsible people

Almost a fifth of the world’s population suffers from migraines. It is noticed that the disease, as a rule, occurs in people who are ambitious, responsible and conscientious, tend to overload themselves with work. Migraines are often hereditary. It is noteworthy that the weaker sex is most susceptible to a serious, but not fatal illness. The symptom of the disease is well known: with a migraine, only half of the head hurts. Severe throbbing pain during an attack may cover the orbital, parietal, temporal or occipital region of the head. Sometimes, before an attack, a person has a special visual aura: flickering spots, fuzzy outlines of objects, darkening in the eyes. Arising several times a month, many-day attacks turn life into torment. Conventional analgesics, as a rule, are not effective – here special anti-migraine vasoconstrictor drugs are required. You need to take them at the beginning of the attack. But only a doctor should prescribe a medicine, based on the individual characteristics of the patient and concomitant diseases.

Manly on the outside, gentle on the inside

However, one should not think that a headache is a purely female privilege. For example, cluster headache, the most excruciating of all, is unique to men. It manifests itself in characteristic pain periods with a duration of 15-180 minutes, repeated several times a day for up to 3 months. This is an extremely intense paroxysmal pain localized in the region of one eye, accompanied by lacrimation, nasal congestion and a pronounced feeling of anxiety and restlessness. The pain disappears suddenly and it happens that for several years it does not bother a person at all. There is a widespread opinion among physicians that representatives of the “strong” sex with an exceptionally masculine, but deceptive appearance suffer from cluster pains. In fact, they are soft, timid, indecisive.

Tired – rest

Everyone knows the headache associated with overwork. Its cause is not only stress, but also a busy work schedule, personal problems, weather changes. This is the most common type of headache, the so-called tension headache. It manifests itself in the form of episodes lasting from several minutes to several days, usually bilateral, compressing or pressing, of moderate intensity. But often, in the absence of proper treatment, such a headache becomes chronic, is permanent and is poorly relieved by taking classic analgesics.

Do not rush to take pills

What to do if you have a headache? First and foremost, don’t rush to take your medication. No matter how good, modern and expensive the drug is, any of them has side effects. This is especially true for homeopathic remedies and dietary supplements. In addition, self-administration of medications gives only a short-term result, but does not affect the mechanisms of pain syndrome. As a result, the headache returns again and again, the number of painkillers increases, which leads not only to the development of side effects of the drug itself, but also to the development of dependence on analgesics, which in itself can also provoke a headache. Competent therapy with specific drugs can only be selected by a doctor, and in such cases it is necessary to take medications under strict medical supervision.

Important

Very often, headaches are caused by certain provoking factors – triggers. They are different for everyone and can change in one person from attack to attack. Here are the most common ones:

1. Nutrition. Basically, this is an irregular diet. In addition, some people are sensitive to certain types of foods (cheese, chocolate, coffee, citrus fruits). Alcohol, especially red wine, beer, champagne, cocktails are common headache triggers.
2. Sleep. Lack of sleep or prolonged sleep are common causes of headaches. Try to get up on weekends no later than 2 hours from your usual awakening on weekdays.
3. Physical activity. Hard physical work or intense workouts in the gym can trigger a headache, but at the same time, regular exercise and keeping fit are a good defense against this scourge. Dosed aerobic exercise and swimming are desirable.
4. Environment: bright or flickering lights, strong (sometimes even pleasant) odors, stuffy rooms, sudden weather changes, long journeys (especially jet lag).
5. Psychological factors: negative emotions or, surprisingly, relaxation after a stressful situation.
6. Hormonal factors in women: a certain phase of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause, taking or interrupting hormonal contraception.

If you have made lifestyle changes and your headaches persist and you have to take more than 2 analgesics a month, you should see your doctor.

What is strictly forbidden:

Consume alcohol. It dilates the blood vessels and at first it really becomes easier, but then the condition worsens.

– Drink coffee. If you have high blood pressure or are prone to atherosclerosis, even one cup of coffee can be harmful. However, for hypertensive patients, on the contrary, a couple of sips of coffee will be a salvation. For those who constantly take horse doses of this drink, an extra dose will not help, but will only make it worse.

– Smoking. Nicotine causes a sharp vasospasm, which will make the pain even more intense.

Main:

If you have changed your lifestyle and your headaches persist and you have to take more than 2 analgesics per month, you need to see a neurologist urgently.