Location of headache and what it means. Headache Location Guide: Decoding Pain Patterns for Better Understanding

16.08.197817.11.2021 by alexxlab

What does the location of your headache indicate about its cause. How can identifying headache patterns help with diagnosis and treatment. What are the different types of headaches based on location.

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Deciphering Headache Types: A Comprehensive Guide to Pain Locations

Headaches are a common ailment that affects millions of people worldwide. While the discomfort is universal, the specific location and characteristics of the pain can provide valuable insights into the underlying causes. By understanding the relationship between headache location and potential triggers, individuals can better manage their symptoms and seek appropriate treatment.

The Importance of Headache Location

The location of a headache is not merely a random occurrence; it often correlates with specific types of headaches and their underlying causes. By paying attention to where the pain is concentrated, you can gain important clues about the nature of your headache and potential treatment options.

Front of the Head: Sinus Issues or Tension Headaches?

When pain manifests in the front half of the head, particularly near the forehead and nose, it may be indicative of sinus-related issues or tension headaches. Sinus headaches are often accompanied by congestion, pressure, and discomfort in the facial area. These symptoms can be triggered by allergies, colds, or sinus infections.

Tension headaches, on the other hand, are characterized by a band-like tightness around the skull. They are frequently caused by muscle contractions in the head and neck region, often triggered by stress, poor posture, or dietary factors.

Distinguishing Between Sinus and Tension Headaches

Sinus headaches: Often accompanied by nasal congestion and facial pressure
Tension headaches: Typically feel like a tight band around the head
Migraines: Can also cause front-of-head pain, often concentrated on one side

How can you differentiate between sinus and tension headaches. While both can cause pain in the front of the head, sinus headaches are usually accompanied by other sinus-related symptoms such as nasal congestion and facial pressure. Tension headaches, in contrast, often feel like a tight band wrapped around the head and may be triggered by stress or muscle tension.

Back of the Head: Neck-Related Issues or Spinal Fluid Imbalances?

Headaches concentrated in the back of the head often have a connection to neck-related issues. Poor posture, muscle tension, or cervical spine problems can all contribute to pain in this region. In some cases, back-of-head pain may be linked to more serious conditions such as herniated discs or spinal fluid imbalances.

Potential Causes of Back-of-Head Pain

Muscle tension in the neck and shoulders
Cervical spine issues (e.g., herniated discs)
Low-pressure headaches (spontaneous intracranial hypotension)
Occipital neuralgia

When should you be concerned about back-of-head pain. While occasional tension-related headaches are common, persistent or severe pain in the back of the head, especially when accompanied by other symptoms like numbness or weakness, may warrant medical attention. If you experience sudden, intense pain or symptoms that worsen when standing or sitting up, consult a healthcare professional promptly.

Temple Region: Migraines, TMJ Disorders, or Nerve Compression?

Headaches centered around the temples can be associated with various conditions, including migraines, tension headaches, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. In some cases, pain in this area may be linked to nerve compression or entrapment, particularly involving the trigeminal nerve.

Conditions Associated with Temple Pain

Migraines: Often cause throbbing pain on one side of the head
Tension headaches: Can produce a tight, band-like sensation around the temples
TMJ disorders: May cause pain in the jaw and temple area
Temporal arteritis: Inflammation of the temporal arteries, more common in older adults

How can you distinguish between different types of temple-related headaches. Migraines often cause intense, throbbing pain on one side of the head and may be accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound. TMJ disorders typically involve jaw pain and difficulty chewing. Temporal arteritis, more common in older adults, can cause scalp tenderness and vision problems in addition to temple pain.

One-Sided Headaches: Migraines or Cluster Headaches?

Headaches that primarily affect one side of the head are often associated with migraines or cluster headaches. These types of headaches can be particularly intense and may be accompanied by additional symptoms that help distinguish them from other headache types.

Characteristics of One-Sided Headaches

Migraines: Typically affect one side of the head, often with throbbing pain
Cluster headaches: Intense pain around one eye or temple, occurring in cycles
Hemicrania continua: Continuous pain on one side of the head

What are the key differences between migraines and cluster headaches. While both can cause severe, one-sided pain, cluster headaches are characterized by intense pain around one eye or temple, often accompanied by tearing or a drooping eyelid. Migraines, on the other hand, may cause throbbing pain and are frequently associated with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.

Whole Head Pain: Tension Headaches or Something More Serious?

Headaches that affect the entire head are often tension headaches, which are the most common type of headache. However, in some cases, whole-head pain may be indicative of more serious conditions that require medical attention.

Potential Causes of Whole-Head Pain

Tension headaches
Dehydration
Caffeine withdrawal
High blood pressure
Meningitis (in severe cases)

When should you seek medical attention for whole-head pain. While occasional tension headaches are typically not cause for concern, persistent or severe whole-head pain, especially when accompanied by fever, neck stiffness, or neurological symptoms, should be evaluated by a healthcare professional to rule out more serious conditions.

Recognizing Red Flags: When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention

While most headaches are not life-threatening, certain symptoms warrant immediate medical attention. Being aware of these red flags can help you determine when to seek emergency care.

Warning Signs That Require Urgent Evaluation

Sudden, severe headache often described as the “worst headache of your life”
Headache accompanied by fever, stiff neck, and confusion
Headache following a head injury
Headache with neurological symptoms such as vision changes, weakness, or speech difficulties
New onset of headaches in individuals over 50 years old

How can you differentiate between a typical headache and a medical emergency. While most headaches are benign, certain characteristics should prompt immediate medical evaluation. These include sudden onset of severe pain, headaches accompanied by neurological symptoms, and new or changing headache patterns in older adults.

Lifestyle Factors and Headache Prevention: A Holistic Approach

Understanding the relationship between lifestyle factors and headache occurrence can be crucial in preventing and managing headaches. By identifying triggers and making appropriate lifestyle modifications, many individuals can reduce the frequency and severity of their headaches.

Common Lifestyle Triggers for Headaches

Stress and anxiety
Poor sleep habits
Dehydration
Dietary factors (e.g., certain foods, alcohol, caffeine)
Environmental factors (e.g., bright lights, loud noises)
Hormonal changes

What strategies can help prevent headaches related to lifestyle factors. Implementing stress management techniques, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, staying hydrated, and identifying and avoiding personal triggers can significantly reduce headache frequency. Regular exercise and mindfulness practices may also contribute to overall headache prevention.

Tracking Headache Patterns: The Benefits of a Headache Diary

Keeping a detailed record of your headaches can provide valuable insights into patterns, triggers, and effective treatments. A headache diary can be an invaluable tool for both patients and healthcare providers in developing an effective management plan.

Key Information to Include in a Headache Diary

Date and time of headache onset
Location and intensity of pain
Associated symptoms
Potential triggers (e.g., foods, activities, stress)
Medications taken and their effectiveness
Duration of the headache

How can a headache diary improve headache management. By systematically recording headache experiences, patients can identify patterns and triggers that may not be apparent otherwise. This information can help healthcare providers make more accurate diagnoses and develop tailored treatment plans. Additionally, tracking the effectiveness of various treatments can guide future management strategies.

Understanding the significance of headache location and associated symptoms is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment. By paying attention to these factors and maintaining open communication with healthcare providers, individuals can work towards better headache management and improved quality of life. Remember that while this guide provides general information, it is always important to consult with a medical professional for personalized advice and treatment recommendations.

Headache Location Meaning: What Can It Tell You?

Headaches are ubiquitous, but not every type of head pain is the same. Specific intensities, patterns, and, most importantly, headache location, can tell you a lot about why your head hurts and what you should do.

Defining a Headache

A headache is any pain isolated in or around the head, so identifying its cause can be difficult. Most headaches can either be classified as primary (caused by some problem in the head’s pain-sensitive regions, not related to a disease) or secondary (appearing as symptoms of an illness). Different headaches are most easily identified when they occur, how they feel, and where they feel.

Some rare headaches occur due to neuralgia (nerve pain) in facial or cranial nerves, such as the occipital (causing intense burning pain on one side of the scalp or eye). Most headaches, however, occur due to natural interactions between chemicals in the body, high blood pressure (and hydration), lack of sleep, or sore neck and shoulder muscles.

If you can isolate your pain to a specific part of your head, you may be a step closer to figuring out what kind of headache you are experiencing. If your pain is severe and you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please consult a doctor:

- Very intense and sudden onset of severe head pain
- Extreme nausea, followed by vomiting
- A sudden jump in temperature (fever above 102° F/38.8° C)
- A fever accompanied by a stiff neck
- Nosebleed
- Fainting spells

While isolating the pain-related headache location can help identify its origin, it is still good to get a medical professional’s proper diagnosis. If you have not had any of the symptoms above, but are always worried about your headache, be sure to see a doctor.

Front of the Head

If your headache location is primarily in the front half of your head – especially near the forehead and nose – it may be related to your sinus. Hay fever and other allergies can produce similar symptoms to the common cold, putting pressure on the sinus due to inflammation and excess mucus. If you feel congested in addition to having a headache, you may be dehydrated from your cold.

Pain around the sinus absent of any other symptoms suggesting a cold or allergy, maybe some other form of sinus infection. These are relatively rare, and it is worth noting that migraine pain can also occur around the forehead and nose, often isolated or concentrated on one half of the head as well. If the pain is more concentrated behind your eyes than your forehead and nose, it may result from restlessness or excessive eyestrain.

However, most of the time, these headaches are a form of tension headache. Tension headaches are a common type of primary headache usually caused by muscles around the neck and head contracting that causes discomfort and a feeling as though a band was tightening around your skull. These headaches may be triggered by stress or eating something you are sensitive to (common triggers being aged cheeses, certain nuts, alcohol, or caffeine).

Back of the Head

Another common area for headaches is the back of the head. Ruling out apparent causes such as physical trauma, headaches around the head’s back is often caused by the neck. Anything from muscle contractions or discomfort caused by poor posture to a more severe issue with the cervical spine (the vertebrae in your neck) may cause a growing headache in the back of your head.

The neck is the second most likely spot for a herniated disc, the first being the lower back. A herniated disc is a condition wherein the shock-absorbing disc between your vertebrae leaks some of its contents through cracks or damage, pressing on the nerves around it. This compression is what may lead to pain, numbness, or weakness in the surrounding area.

If you have recently been to the doctor and received a lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap, then your brain may be low on spinal fluid. This can lead to a low-pressure headache, also known as spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). Other signs that you may have a headache related to your spinal fluid are getting worse if you sit up or stand but improve if you lie down.

Around the Temples

Migraine and tension headaches may cause pain mainly around the temples, but if the pain is more severe or if you have recently had issues with your jaw or trigeminal nerve, or more specifically the mandibular nerve, then your pain may be related to compression or entrapment of the nerve, especially if it is not going away.

Another condition that may cause isolated pain in the temples is temporal arteritis. Due to arthritis – a condition wherein the arteries are swollen and potentially inflamed. Conditions related to the muscles or joints in your jaw, known as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, can cause pain mainly in the temple area.

On One Side of the Head

If the headache location occurs mostly on one side of the head, it is likely a migraine or cluster headache. Cluster headaches are characterized by excruciating one-sided pain, usually with a very severe and sudden onset, and typically coming and going in waves for anywhere from a few days to over a month. They are not life-threatening but can be debilitating and very painful.

Cluster attacks usually happen at night, and episodes themselves last a few minutes or up to three hours. While most other headaches have an associated chemical or physical cause – a trigger, like a particular food, emotional stress, or pressure – cluster headaches appear seemingly random and maybe mostly genetic. Their reason is still not completely understood.

Seeking Treatment for Chronic Daily Headaches

The standard treatment is an over-the-counter painkiller – usually an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or an analgesic like acetaminophen. Simple home remedies and creature comforts can go a long way as well – staying hydrated, getting rest in a cool dark room, and keeping one’s eyes away from harsh lights.

When these do not suffice, treatments are usually individualized by a doctor. Depending on the cause of your headache, a doctor may attempt to relieve the pain through various pharmacological therapies, including anticonvulsants, combination treatment of caffeine and analgesics, antidepressants, or triptans.

In severe cases of chronic daily headaches, depending on the cause, nerve blocks and interventions such as Botox injections may help relieve the pain. Alternative or herbal treatments may help some patients with migraine. However, it is still heavily advised to review any supplements or herbal medication with your doctor to avoid unwanted drug interactions.

Related

What does the location of my headache mean?

If you have a headache, its location in your head can help you to determine its cause. This is because different types of headache are known to affect certain parts of your brain.

There are many different types of headache. Knowing what type you have will help you to find out how best to treat it, and what you can do to reduce the risk of getting another.

Headache locations: Where is the ache?

Use the chart below to find out what type of headache you may have based on where the pain is.

Headache location	Likely cause	Other possible causes
Back of head or neck	Tension headache, migraine	Chronic tension headache, occipital neuralgia, giant cell arteritis (rare), subarachnoid haemorrhage
Top of head	Tension headache	Migraine, head injury, giant cell arteritis
Front of head	Tension headache, migraine	Sinus headache
Left side of head	Migraine, cluster headache	Hemiplegic migraine (rare)
Right side of head	Migraine, cluster headache	Hemiplegic migraine
Behind 1 eye	Cluster headache	Migraine, aneurysm
Forehead and face	Tension headache, cluster headache	Sinus headache, migraine
Temples	Tension headache	Migraine, cluster headache, giant cell arteritis
No specific location, generalised		Subdural haematoma, raised intracranial pressure, intracranial infection (e.g. meningitis), space-occupying lesion

The most common are tension headaches and migraines.

Cluster headaches are more rare but tend to be linked to a specific area, making it easier to know when you may have one.

Tension, migraine and cluster headaches are all forms of primary headache. This means they’re not caused by a specific health condition, injury or illness.

They’re usually caused by an everyday problem such as skipping meals, not drinking enough water or poor posture.

When you have a headache you should always try to stay hydrated and get plenty of rest.

Do I need to see a doctor for my headache?

Usually, a headache is nothing to worry about, but you should seek medical help quickly if you have a headache and:

your headache starts suddenly and the pain is severe
you’ve recently injured your head
your headache is constant and becomes more severe
your headache starts suddenly after coughing or sneezing, or a change in movement or posture
you’re confused or can’t remember things
your speech is slurred
your vision is blurred
1 of your eyes is red
you have a rash
your jaw is painful
your neck is stiff

Common types of headache and their locations

Tension headache

If you have a headache, it’s most likely to be a tension-type headache.

This can cause pain almost anywhere on your head — the back of your head and neck, on top of your head, around the front, or on the sides of your head between your eye and forehead (temples).

You can usually identify a tension headache by the type of ache you have. The pain can be mild to moderate, and it may feel dull and achy.

Tension headaches often feel like there’s pressure being applied to your scalp. Your neck muscles may also feel tense or tight.

They tend to last between 30 minutes to a few hours, but can go on for several days or even longer (chronic tension headache).

Why do I have a tension headache?

Tension headaches have many causes, including:

stress
anxiety
depression
not getting enough sleep or drinking enough water
lack of exercise
bright lights and glare
sensitivity to sounds and smells, like perfume
problems with posture — this can put extra strain on your back, neck and shoulder muscles which can cause tension, leading to a headache

If you think you have a tension headache, it’s not usually necessary to see a doctor, as you can treat it at home by easing the tension around your head and neck.

Activities like yoga, massage or other forms of exercise may help, or even a warm bath to relax your muscles. If your posture may be to blame, try to make changes to improve it.

A doctor may advise you to take a painkiller, such as paracetamol, for a tension headache if the pain is preventing you from doing everyday tasks. Speak to a pharmacist or doctor for further guidance on whether to use these medications and how to get and use them.

Migraine

A migraine will usually cause a throbbing pain on the left or right side of your head. However, migraine pain can sometimes affect both sides of your head, the back and front of your head and neck, and your face.

Unlike tension headaches, migraines can come with other symptoms, not just pain. You may feel sick, be sensitive to noise and light and need to lie down in a dark room until it passes.

Why do I have a migraine?

It’s not clear why migraines happen, and different types of migraine can have different causes. They can be caused by:

drinking a lot of alcohol (a ‘hangover headache’)
stress
not getting enough quality sleep

A menstrual migraine in women can be due to hormonal changes.

If your migraine is particularly painful or keeps returning, see a doctor.

A doctor may advise you to take a painkiller for a migraine if the pain is stopping you from doing everyday tasks. Speak to a pharmacist or doctor for further guidance before taking any medications.

Cluster headache

Cluster headaches are more rare than migraines and tension headaches but they tend to strike in a particular location.

This is usually on the left or right side of your head, and you may get pain behind the eye and around the forehead and temple on the affected side of the head.

With a cluster headache, the pain comes on quickly and can be so sharp and severe that you can’t lie still or relax at all. It may develop during the night and typically lasts between 15 minutes to 3 hours.

It can come in waves (clusters) of pain every day for between 4 and 12 weeks.

Why do I have a cluster headache?

Heavy smoking appears to increase your risk of having a cluster headache. You may also be more likely to get them if someone in your family also has them.

Other triggers include drinking alcohol or exposure to perfume, paint or petrol fumes.

If you think you might have a cluster headache, see a doctor. It’s important to rule out anything more serious, like an aneurysm, which can have similar symptoms.

A doctor may advise you to take a painkiller for a cluster headache if the pain is preventing you from doing everyday tasks. Speak to your pharmacist or doctor for further guidance before taking any of these medications.

Sinus headache

A sinus infection (sinusitis) happens when the passages inside your nose and head become inflamed due to an allergy or infection. This can occur after you’ve had the flu or a cold.

A sinus headache can be a symptom of a sinus infection, though this is rare.

If you have a sinus headache you’ll tend to feel a throbbing pain around your nose and face, forehead and front of your head, and this may get worse during the day.

You may also have earache, a runny nose, a high temperature and your face may feel tender.

Sinus headaches can be mistaken for migraines or tension headaches.

Treatment for a sinus headache

See a doctor if you think you have a sinus headache, especially if the pain is severe.

To help ease symptoms of pain around the nose or a blocked nose, try holding a cold towel or flannel to the affected area for 2 minutes a few times during the day.

As with any headache, you should also stay hydrated and try to get plenty of rest.

Key points:

If you have a headache, its location in your head can help you to determine its cause
If you think you have a tension headache, you don’t usually need to see a doctor
If you have a migraine and it keeps returning, see a doctor
When you have a headache you should always try to stay hydrated and get plenty of rest
See a doctor if you think you have a cluster or a sinus headache, especially if the pain is severe

How Your Headache’s Location Can Help You Treat It More Effectively

Front of Head or Face

Headaches that occur in the face or front of the head typically occur behind the eyes and nasal passages. These are related to allergies, hay fever, or sinus headache. If the headache is only behind the eyes, it is likely directly related to eyestrain. The best way to treat headaches in the front of the head or the front of the face is by identifying and treating sinus problems. If it’s related to eyestrain, visiting an eye doctor is the best first step to finding relief.

Back of Head

The last location you might experience a headache is in the back of the head. Headaches in the back of the head are usually related to arthritis in the neck, poor posture, or herniated disc. If the headache involves pain in the back of the head as well as the neck, it’s possible it’s caused by spontaneous intracranial hypotension from low spinal fluid pressure in the brain. If pain worsens when you stand, sit upright, sneeze or cough, strain, or engage in physical activity, these are signs that your headache is from spontaneous intracranial hypotension. We encourage you to seek medical attention.

Headache Treatment in St. Louis

If you suffer from frequent headaches and you haven’t found a treatment that works, you might have a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). TMD is a disorder that affects the jaw joints. When the joints become imbalanced, it causes the muscles to compensate for the imbalance by correcting themselves. This can lead to muscle strain that causes facial pain as well as headaches. TMJ disorders can also cause jaw pain, worn teeth, clicking and popping when opening and closing the mouth, and ear pain.

When Dr. Hill provides you with TMJ treatment, it will help relax the jaw joints and allow them to rest at their most optimal position. With treatment, the painful symptoms, including frequent headaches and migraines will go away.

If you’re looking for headache treatment in St. Louis, consider booking a consultation at Smile On Dental Studio in Clayton to learn if TMD is the cause. Please call (314) 678-7876 to get started.

Headache Locations, What They Mean, and Treatment

When you have a headache, it can be tempting to get into bed, pull the covers over your head, and try not to think about how lousy you feel until the pain has passed. But paying attention to the location of your pain is key, as it can indicate the type of headache you have. Once you know this, you’ll be better prepared to choose the right type of relief so you feel better, faster.

Here’s a guide to help identify different headache types based on where it hurts and to determine the best options for treatment.

Pain location

Tension headaches can feel like a tight band that stretches across your head.¹

Symptoms

Tension headache symptoms vary and can include:

Mild to moderate dull, aching head pain
Stiff muscles, tightness in the neck, shoulders, scalp, and jaw

There are two types of tension headaches:

Episodic (occurring less than 15 times a month)
Chronic (occurring more than 15 times a month over the course of more than three months)

Either type can last anywhere from a half hour to a week.²

Causes

While tension headaches might be brought on by many different factors, stress is the most common trigger.³ Researchers believe a heightened sensitivity to pain, and increased muscle tenderness, may also play a role in tension-type headaches.⁴

Treatment

Develop ways to cope with stress
Massage the affected area
Apply hot or cold compresses
Ensure you get enough sleep and exercise⁵
OTC pain relievers that combine acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine may also be effective⁶

Talk to your doctor for more information.

See how Excedrin Tension helps other tension headache sufferers manage their pain.

Pain Location

Cluster headaches develop as a cluster on one side of the head, usually in or behind one eye or at the temple.

Symptoms

Cluster headaches often come on during sleep and can last for a period of days, weeks, or even months before going into remission for long periods.⁷ Symptoms can include:

Tearing eyes
Runny nose
Occasional flushed, sweaty skin on the affected half of the face prior to headache⁸

Causes

The exact cause is still unknown, but risk factors include smoking (more than half of sufferers are current or former smokers), familial history (close relatives who experience cluster headaches) and drinking alcohol. Men are up to six times more likely to develop cluster headaches than women.⁹

Treatment

It’s best to consult a physician if you think you might be experiencing cluster headaches. To ease the pain during an attack or cycle of attacks, your doctor may administer the following:

Oxygen
Nasal spray
Prescription medication

Your health-care professional will be able to determine which treatment options are best for you.¹⁰

Pain Location

Pain from sinus headaches most often develops in the cheekbones, forehead, and/or bridge of the nose.

Symptoms

Sinus headache pain is characterized by deep, constant pain that usually intensifies with sudden head movements or straining. Other sinus symptoms include:

Thick, discolored nasal discharge
Feeling of fullness in the cheeks, forehead and brow
Congestion¹¹

Causes

Sinus headaches are caused by an inflammation of the sinuses, which are air-filled cavities located in the forehead, cheekbones, and behind the bridge of the nose that produce a thin mucus that drains out of the nose.¹² Allergies can also inflame the sinuses, causing pain and leading to sinus headaches.¹³

Treatment

Possible treatment approaches for sinus headaches include:

Antibiotics
Pain relievers
Nasal vasoconstrictors
Analgesics
Corticosteroids may be prescribed by a physician to further decrease inflammation¹⁴

If you have questions or concerns about your sinus headache pain, talk with your doctor.

7 Headache Locations and Their Causes | What Headache Locations Mean

Headaches are one of the most common ailments in the world, and where your pain is located can sometimes tell you something about the cause and how to stop the pain. There are more than 150 types of headaches, but most often they are primary headaches which don’t have an underlying cause like high blood pressure. Only about 1% of headaches are caused by tumors. Here are some of the most common headaches, where they hurt, what their location means, and what you can do about them.

1. Headache on both sides of your head

If you feel a dull pain on both sides of your head, accompanied by a feeling of pressure, it is likely a tension headache. It may also be felt in the neck and shoulders because tension headaches develop when the scalp and neck muscles tense up, oftentimes due to stress. Tension headaches can also be due to alcohol, caffeine, eye strain, and tiredness, among other causes. Over-the-counter pain relievers can help, but they can have side effects or lead to rebound headaches if used too often. Try to avoid triggers and consider relaxation techniques, such as massage or biofeedback.

2. Headache on one side of your head

Migraine headaches, which are a neurological disease, affect up to 12% of the population. Slightly more than half of them occur on only one side of the head, but they can also develop in the neck, forehead, cheeks, behind the eyes, or along the hairline. They often come on within an hour of an aura, which is visual or sensory symptoms like seeing flashing lights. The pain is a severe throbbing sensation and you may feel nauseous or sensitive to light and sound. There are many prescription medications for migraines, and it may help to lie in a dark, cool room.

3. Headache behind one eye

Cluster headaches are severe headaches that usually develop behind one eye or on one side of the head. They’re more common in men than women and occur in groups over a couple of weeks to a few months. You can have as many as eight headaches a day, lasting from several minutes to a few hours. Cluster headaches can be painful enough that they can wake you up. Your eye may tear or your eyelid droop and you may feel restless. Inhaling oxygen can provide relief, and there are medications to relieve them, usually administered by injection. There are also medications to help prevent cluster headaches.

4. Headache around your eyes, forehead and cheeks

You may have a sinus headache. The pain may become more severe if you lie down or lean over and your teeth may ache. Migraines can be confused with sinus headaches, but sinus headaches don’t typically cause nausea or sensitivity to light. If your doctor diagnoses a sinus headache rather than a migraine or tension headache, you can try a decongestant, antihistamine, or steam to relieve the pressure. If you have a bacterial sinus infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

5. Headache on both sides that doesn’t go away

If you don’t usually get headaches, and then develop one that doesn’t go away, it may be a new daily persistent headache, or NDPH. It can feel similar to a migraine, in that you may be sensitive to light or feel nauseous. Most people can identify the date or circumstance their NDPH began, and it can last for months or longer. The pain may vary at the beginning, but becomes continuous within a day or so. It may throb, stab, ache or burn. NDPH can be difficult to treat, and treatment will depend on your symptoms.

6. Pain around your forehead or temple after trauma

Following a concussion, which is a mild but traumatic brain injury, you can develop a headache in your forehead or temple that may be pounding or throbbing. Like migraine, it may cause nausea and sensitivity to noise or light. A headache from trauma can feel like a tight band around the head, or an intense feeling of expanding pressure. Seek medical care if you have hit your head and you are in pain or feel dizzy or foggy (confusion or thinking problems). Rest is important after a concussion and you should follow your doctor’s advice carefully.

7. Sudden pain in head, neck and back

If a headache comes on suddenly in your head, neck or back, causing severe pain and perhaps accompanied by vomiting or nausea, it may be a “thunderclap headache.” The pain lasts only a few minutes, but it can be caused by bleeding in the brain. If you have these symptoms, get medical help immediately by calling 911 or going to an emergency room (only if someone can drive you). These headaches are rare, but in some situations they can be life-threatening.

What to Know About Low-Pressure Headaches

Dr. Deborah Friedman, MD, MPH, FAHS, shares her insights on the connection between Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension (SIH) and headache.

What is Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension (SIH)?

In the simplest of terms, SIH is a low-pressure headache. Intracranial hypotension literally means that there is low spinal fluid pressure in the brain. In SIH, there is a leak of spinal fluid from the spine, either in the neck (cervical) or mid-back (thoracic) area. Spinal fluid bathes the brain, cushioning it from impact against the skull when the head moves. The brain makes spinal fluid continuously, and absorbs it at the same rate, creating a delicate balance that keeps the spinal fluid volume and pressure normal.

What are the Symptoms of SIH?

The most common symptom of SIH is a “typical” headache, located in the back of the head, often with neck pain. It is worse when standing or sitting and improves or goes away within 20-30 minutes of lying down, called “orthostatic” or “postural” headache. The pain is often very severe. The next most common variation is a headache that is not present (or mild) upon awakening but develops in the late morning or afternoon and worsens throughout the day.

The location of the headache varies – it may be in the front, affect the entire head or be one-sided. It may resemble migraine with sensitivity to light and noise, nausea or vomiting. There is no specific character of the pain, which may be aching, pounding, throbbing, stabbing, or pressure-like, as examples.

Another common feature of the headache is marked worsening with coughing, sneezing, straining (lifting, bearing down during a bowel movement), exercise, bending over and sexual activity. Other symptoms include hearing changes (muffled hearing, ringing in the ears, hearing loss), dizziness, impaired concentration, back or chest pain, and double vision. Rarely loss of consciousness, coma, or a Parkinson-like state may occur.

SIH is one cause of New Daily Persistent Headache, which is a headache that starts “out of the blue” one day and never goes away.

Who Gets SIH?

Although anyone can get SIH, it seems to occur more often in people who have a weak “connective tissue matrix”. These people are often tall and thin, have a slender neck, are double-jointed or unusually flexible. Their dura is probably thinner and prone to tearing than in most people.

How is SIH Diagnosed?

If you think that have the symptoms of SIH, it’s important to consult your doctor to conduct a series of tests. From the Trendelenburg test, where the patient lies flat and the exam is tilted to lower the head, imaging studies such as an MRI scan, CT scan or cisternogram, can help to determine if SIH is the cause of the headaches. Still, even through diagnostic testing, a substantial minority of patients may have normal results.

How is SIH Treated?

Many patients with long-standing SIH discover that virtually all of the standard medications used for headache treatment are ineffective. The medical management is similar to what is used for the headache that occurs immediately after a spinal tap, including caffeine, hydration and lying flat. Sometimes an abdominal binder or a medication called theophylline (which acts similar to caffeine) are helpful but rarely make the headache go away permanently.

Because epidural blood patches are usually successful, they are often the first line of treatment. The patient’s own blood is drawn from the arm and injected in the low spine into the epidural space, which is the space immediately outside the dura. The procedure is performed under fluoroscopy (x-ray) or CT as an outpatient. The most common complication is lower back pain that generally resolves within a week. Occasionally, the back pain lasts weeks or months; rarely there may be scarring (arachnoiditis) causing persistent back pain, or a rebound high pressure state which usually resolves on its own. There is a potential risk of infection. The blood patch often brings instant relief. Sometimes the effect wears off and additional blood patches are needed.

Why Not Just Fix the Leak?

It sounds easy but the site of the leak may be VERY difficult to find. The tests that are most helpful to locate the leak are special MRI images (which are not part of the standard MRI software package and not readily available), as well as MR and CT myelography. Even with these techniques, there may be “false positive” results that are misleading because the abnormality on the image is not really the site of the leak. The most difficult leaks to find and treat are in front of the spinal cord. Directed blood patches and surgery may ultimately be needed.

Deborah I. Friedman, MD, MPH, FAHS
Director, Headache and Facial Pain Program
Professor of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics and Ophthalmology

When to Worry About a Headache: Location, Duration, and Type

Relief for primary headaches

For a more comprehensive guide, please also check out “How to Stop a Headache: 23 Methods for Fast Headache Relief”.

Tension headache relief

Q: How are tension headaches treated?

A: Tension-type headaches are often treated with over-the-counter (OTC) medications so Tylenol, Acetaminophen, Aspirin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen are all helpful for tension-type headaches. These are given as needed when the headaches actually occurs. It’s rare that when someone with tension type headache needs to be on chronic medication but there are prescription medicines they will sometimes use for tension-type headaches that are often frequent or disabling.

Migraine relief

Q: How are migraines treated?

A: Migraine headaches are more complicated, but we can break it into different categories. There are certain complementary and alternative physical strategies which can help some patients- acupuncture or chiropractic medication can help mitigate migraines. Medications for migraine is broken into two treatments taken at the onset of the headache to shorten its duration or severity, or chronic daily medications to decrease someone’s overall for a month for example. The two treatments would be among the same ones you can use for tension headaches such as NSAIDs or Aspirin. Acetaminophen does not usually work for migraines.

There are prescription medications that are specific to migraines that can be used when those medicines are not effective. The prescription medicines would be ones that are specific to migraine, most commonly used ones are so called triptans which there are about a half dozen out and can be given in different formulations including a pill, a wafer that someone puts on their tongues and dissolves, a nasal spray and an injection someone would administer themselves at home.

There’s also something called Ergotamine, which is another treatment for migraine that is used less commonly these days. For some patients whose migraines are typically disruptive or disabling or don’t respond well to those two treatments which are very frequent, we can use a different number of options to decrease the total number of migraines which would long discussion with the provider to determine which would be the best option for different persons. Drug classes would include beta blockers, which are also used to treat other conditions besides migraine. Divalproex sodium which is an anti-seizure medicine which also prevents migraines and Topiramate which is another anti-seizure medicine that helps to prevent migraine and daily preventive use. There’s a number of other medicines which are used less frequently.

Patients with very disabling and chronic headaches like migraine – more than 15 days per month- use try botulinum toxin injections in the muscles around the scalp and intracranial muscles. An injection would be 12 weeks to reduce the total number of migraines, but it’s only effective for chronic migraines and since it’s expensive it usually requires prior authorization to get insurance to cover it.

Those are some of the pharmacological strategies and in addition we talk to all patients with migraine about lifestyle modifications. There are certain healthy lifestyle modifications which can improve the course of migraines which include regular sleep schedules, regular meal schedules for example not skipping a meal, limiting caffeine to no more than two caffeinated drinks per day, and some patients, not all, know there are certain food triggers like red wine and chocolate. Those can be triggers and produce migraine, which is a very complicated discussion. There’s a lot to go through in terms of how frequently they occur and how well patients respond to first steps of treatment.

Cluster headache relief

Q: How are cluster headaches treated?

A: The treatments for cluster headache are quite different since it’s a different mechanism for migraine or tension-type headache. The same medicines that work for headache are among those used for migraine but there’s a difference. Most effective acute treatment for cluster headache given at the onset of headache is actually oxygen. A 100% oxygen given by facemask will abort cluster headache in a majority of patients with cluster. That’s not always practical because someone cannot have it with them at work or when they are travelling, but if they have one at home, then that can be an acute treatment. Triptan which we talked about for migraines are also effective as an acute treatment when cluster headache occurs. Also the Ergots which I only briefly mentioned for migraines can be used as acute treatment for cluster headaches.

The maintenance treatments for cluster are quite different than those for migraine. We do know that for some patients, corticosteroids, strong NSAIDs usually prednisone can be given in a burst at moderate to high dose with a taper of over 10-14 days at the onset of a cluster and will shorten the duration of a cluster. For maintenance therapy, that is chronic daily treatment in patients whose clusters occur frequently, patients can use two drugs which would be Topiramate and Divalproex sodium but other drugs can be used including: Verapamil which is a blood pressure medicine is also helpful here, and lithium, which is rarely used for bipolar disorder but can be used as a preventative treatment for cluster headache. It’s a very different repertoire of treatments.

90,000 how they differ and what they say

Headache can become chronic and significantly spoil life, affecting a person’s performance and normal functioning in society. Few people know, but there are different types of headaches , which differ from each other both in the causes of occurrence and in the methods of treatment. About what types of headaches are and their causes , as well as signs of headache , we will tell in the article.

Why is headache so dangerous?

Almost all types of headaches activate the same pain receptors. This can make it difficult to know if your headache is a sign of a serious condition or not. The most serious causes of headaches are:

Hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke. A hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel in your brain ruptures and bleeds;
aneurysm.Bulge or distention of a blood vessel in the brain;
meningitis. A bacterial or viral infection that causes swelling of the protective lining of the brain;
brain tumor. A “primary” brain tumor begins in the brain and can be malignant or benign.

To understand if your headache is dangerous, it is important to understand what types of headaches exist, their causes and how to get rid of the headache.

Types of headaches

Headache is caused by signals that interact between the brain, blood vessels, and surrounding nerves. During a headache, an unknown mechanism activates certain nerves that act on muscles and blood vessels. These nerves send pain signals to the brain.

What types of headaches are there? Headaches can be more complex than most people think. Different types of headaches can have their own set of symptoms, arise for unique reasons, and require different treatments.

Once you know what type of headache you have, your doctor will be able to choose a treatment that will help relieve and prevent them.

Types of headaches by location:

migraine – severe and throbbing pain in one side of the head.
Hypertension – Severe throbbing pain, usually in the back of the head.
Stress – prolonged pain “squeezing” the head like a hoop.
influenza, acute respiratory infections – pain in the browbones, forehead and temples.
osteochondrosis – sharp pain in the back of the head and at the temples.

We will talk about the types of headaches and headaches by zones further.

Tension pain

The most common type of headache is tension headache, which does not recur very often and only in 3% of cases become chronic. It occurs due to injuries to the muscles of the neck and head, as well as due to severe stress. When diagnosed, most often the source of pain is not determined.

Signs: Tightness or pressure is felt around the top of the head, and the muscles in the eye sockets and forehead may seem very tense and cannot be relaxed.The intensity of the pain usually increases in the evening. The duration of such pain can be either half an hour or a week.

Treatment: with an irregular nature of tension pain, it is better to use simple painkillers, and also try to be outdoors more often, do light exercise, stretch your neck and shoulders. Chronic pain should be treated with medication as directed by your doctor.

Attention! Self-medication can be harmful to your health, be sure to check with your doctor before taking any medication.

Cluster pain

Cluster pains affect about 1% of the world’s population. Interestingly, in 80% of cases, cluster pain bothers men. Its reasons are unknown.

Signs: intense throbbing pain on one side of the head, usually near the eye. It lasts 15-60 minutes and is accompanied by lachrymation, redness of the eyes, rush of blood to the head, and a runny nose. Sometimes it can become so acute that the person cannot even speak. Cluster pain occurs at regular intervals at the same time of day – once a month, week.

Treatment: difficult to treat due to the fact that they arise and disappear unpredictably. For prolonged attacks, drug injections and oxygen therapy are used.

Migraine

A possible cause of migraine is a dysfunction of the brain, but what exactly is currently unknown. There is evidence that when a migraine occurs, blood vessels greatly expand, and an abnormal electrical activity occurs on the cerebral cortex.

Signs: migraine is a type of headache on one side of the head that lasts from 4 hours to 3 days. A migraine is often described as a stabbing, throbbing pain. Migraine episodes tend to recur and often result in nausea, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and odors.

Treatment: it is impossible to completely cure a migraine, however, medications prescribed by a doctor will help relieve some of the unpleasant symptoms.

Attention! Self-medication can be harmful to your health, be sure to check with your doctor before taking any medication.

Intracranial bleeding

It manifests itself in the form of increasing, sudden pain in any part of the head after an injury (sometimes symptoms appear after a few hours).

Signs: accompanied by impaired speech skills, vision, coordination, nausea, personality disorders. Symptoms worsen over time, after which the person may pass out.

Treatment: it is necessary to see a doctor who will remove the accumulated blood from the cranium so that the hematoma does not press on the brain, thus damaging it.After this, it is important to find out the cause of the hemorrhage by examining the vessels of the brain.

Temporal arteritis

Temporal arteritis is common in patients over 50 years of age and can lead to blindness if left untreated. It occurs due to hypothermia, alcoholism, various injuries, uncontrolled intake of drugs, an attack of viral infections on the immune system.

Signs: severe headaches occur against the background of insomnia, weight loss, depression, neck and shoulder may also hurt.

Treatment: Steroid medications are used to stop the inflammation of the blood vessels. With the development of concomitant health problems, it is also necessary to consult with doctors of other specialties. For example, if the lens is clouded, go to an ophthalmologist.

Brain tumor

If the headache is associated with a brain tumor, which occurs in about 4% of cases, it will appear in the morning and be accompanied by vomiting. Such episodes are repeated periodically and each time it gets worse and worse.“The brain doesn’t feel pain. There are no pain receptors in the brain. They are present only in the meninges and blood vessels. For example, when a person experiences a headache, it is not the brain itself that hurts, but the tissues surrounding it, ”said neurosurgeon Alexei Eroshkin in an interview for Doc.ua.

Signs: seizures, sudden weight loss, personality change in such cases become a reason to undergo a brain examination.

Treatment: depends on the size, location and type of education.

Hangover headache

Pain in the head during a hangover develops due to the fact that alcohol leads to dehydration, which is one of the reasons for the development of migraines. In addition, alcohol dilates the vessels of the brain and disrupts the functioning of serotonin (the substance through which electrical signals are transmitted from one nerve cell to another).

Signs: Alcohol makes people want to urinate because it suppresses the production of a hormone called vasopressin.This hormone affects the body in different ways, affecting the ability of the kidneys to reabsorb water. Sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea are also hangover symptoms. All of these symptoms can lead to further dehydration.

Treatment: The best hangover headache cure is a pain reliever pill and sleep.

Attention! Self-medication can be harmful to your health, be sure to check with your doctor before taking any medication.

Help Doc.ua: you can make an appointment with a neurologist on the website.

90,000 7 types of headaches: how they differ and what they talk about | Healthy life | Health

In the meantime, headaches can turn into chronic and significantly spoil your life. Which headache indicates a serious illness? And which one is itself a disease? Let’s try to figure out how to distinguish between headaches and how to treat them.

Tension pain

This is the most common type of headache in the world – each of us has experienced it at least once in our lives.They are not often repeated; they acquire a chronic form in 3% of cases.

Features . Feels like pressure or tightness around the top of the head. The muscles in your forehead and eye sockets may seem too tense, but you cannot relax them. The duration of such pains varies from half an hour to a week, the intensity usually increases in the evening.

Possible causes . Tension pain can be associated with excessive stress or injury to the muscles of the head and neck.However, when diagnosed, the source of pain is usually “undefined.”

How to treat . Since pain is rarely regular, simple pain relievers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol are the best remedies for pain. If the pain does not go away for more than a week, you can try to do light exercise, regularly stretch your shoulders and neck, and be outdoors more in order to neutralize stress. Chronic tension pains are treated with medication as prescribed by a physician.

Migraine

Features . Migraine is a recurrent pain on one side of the head that lasts about 4 hours or longer. Typically, migraine episodes recur and can lead to dizziness, nausea, and photophobia (photophobia). Sometimes, before the onset of an attack, patients experience visual abnormalities – they see bright colored rings and stripes – or feel a slight tingling sensation throughout the body.

Possible causes . The mechanism of migraine headaches has long been a subject of controversy in scientific circles.Now doctors are sure that this is definitely not a mental illness. It is associated with a dysfunction of the brain, but with what, it is not known for certain. It is noted that during the onset of pain, the blood vessels of the head greatly expand, and abnormal electrical activity occurs on the cerebral cortex.

How to treat . Approximately 20% of people suffering from migraines experience pain after a certain external influence – a pungent smell, a loud monotonous sound, cigarette smoke, etc.e. Doctors simply advise such patients to avoid “risk factors”, while the rest are left to take medications as prescribed (triptans are most effective, but they act almost like a drug – the more you drink, the worse it cures). Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely cure migraines, and simple painkillers will hardly help you.

Cluster pain

These pains affect approximately 1% of the total population of the planet, and in 80% of cases they are men.

Features .This is intense throbbing pain on one side of the head, usually in the front of the head, near the eye. It lasts from 15 minutes to an hour and is accompanied by redness of the eyes, tearing, runny nose, rush of blood to the head. It usually occurs at the same time of the day with regular time intervals – once a week, a month, two, and so on. Sometimes it reaches such an acuteness that a person cannot not only function normally – even move and talk.

Possible causes .Unknown.

How to treat . This type of pain is difficult to treat because it occurs sporadically and can disappear as unpredictably as it appeared. For prolonged seizures, oxygen therapy is used (the patient breathes through a mask) and medicinal injections as prescribed by the doctor.

Hangover

Features . Are obvious.

Possible causes . There are many conjectures about exactly how alcohol contributes to the onset of headaches.One of them says that alcohol dilates the blood vessels of the brain and disrupts the work of the neurotransmitter serotonin, a substance through which electrical signals are transmitted from one nerve cell to another. Both of these symptoms are observed with migraine pains. In addition, alcohol dries out the body, and dehydration is also known to trigger migraine attacks.

How to treat . The best remedy is a paracetamol tablet and good sleep. But you shouldn’t be joking about a hangover.If your head hurts even after a small dose of alcohol, it is possible that you are suffering from migraines, and alcohol simply pushes the attacks.

Brain tumor

Hypochondriacs and simply worried patients often associate headaches with brain cancer. We hasten to reassure you: in fact, only 4% of tumor formations appear in this way.

Features . If the pain is still associated with a tumor, it usually appears in the morning and is accompanied by vomiting.The episodes are repeated periodically and get worse and worse over time. If, against this background, there is a sharp weight loss, personality changes and seizures, this is a reason to undergo a brain examination.

Possible causes . When a tumor grows to a certain size, an increase in brain volume leads to an increase in intracranial pressure. Hence the initial symptoms.

How to treat . Depends on the location, size and type of education.

Intracranial bleeding

Having received an injury to the head vessels, a person may not immediately understand this. Sometimes hemorrhage appears several hours after the rupture of the vessel, but it is potentially very dangerous.

Features . Sudden, growing pain anywhere in the head. It is accompanied by visual impairments, speech skills, coordination, personality disorders, nausea. Symptoms come on in succession and get worse over time. Eventually, the person may lose consciousness.

Possible reasons . The rupture of the vessel can occur as a result of injury (strong blow) or due to excessive thinning of its walls.

How to treat . First of all, the doctor will need to remove the accumulated blood from the cranium, since the hematoma will press on the brain, damaging it. Then it is extremely important to find out the cause of the hemorrhage: if it was not preceded by an obvious trauma, the ruptures may recur. Such patients need an examination of the vessels of the brain.

Temporal arteritis

The disease, as a rule, occurs in people 50 and older and without treatment can lead to complete blindness.

Features . Severe headaches occur with weight loss, insomnia, depression, sometimes fever and redness of the scalp. The shoulder and neck can also hurt.

Possible causes . Many different factors can push the disease, including viral infections. A strong attack on the immune system causes it to malfunction and causes the immune system to attack the walls of the blood vessels.Other “provocateurs” of arteritis include uncontrolled medication, intense exposure to sunlight, alcoholism, hypothermia and various injuries.

How to treat . The most commonly used drugs are steroids to stop the inflammation of the blood vessels. If you have concomitant vision problems (for example, lens opacity), an ophthalmologist should be treated.

Causes of pain in the parietal part of the head

As already mentioned, the causes of headache in the region of the crown can be different, but some of them are more common and have similar manifestations.

Pain in the vertex due to exertion

If the crown of the head hurts, then the reason may lie in the tension that occurs due to a long stay in an uncomfortable position, without the necessary movement and with insufficient lighting. Occupational pain in the crown of the head occurs due to the fact that the workplace does not meet ergonomic standards.

Painful sensations have a dull, oppressive, compressive character. With them, it feels like a tight helmet is put on your head.

Pain in the vertex due to neuroses

More than 50% of complaints of pain in the parietal region belong to patients with neuroses. They can be either permanent or periodic, differ in intensity and are accompanied by:

90,023 90,024 panic attacks;

90,024 experiences;

emotional instability.

If the pain symptoms are complemented by dizziness and numbness of the arms and legs, it is necessary to urgently seek medical help.

Pain in the vertex after trauma

Even minor craniocerebral trauma can cause pain in the crown of the head. It can be caused by the following:

violation of the movement of cerebrospinal fluid;
pinched nerve roots;
damage to the meninges.

“Companions” of pain symptoms in this case are:

decreased performance;
memory impairment;
Difficulty concentrating

Pain in the vertex due to vascular diseases

Diseases such as hyper- and hypotension, vegetative-vascular dystonia are also factors leading to the appearance of pain in the vertex.Due to the increased or decreased vascular tone, they are not able to provide the required blood pressure, which leads to spasms or compression of nerve cells.

More about vegetative-vascular dystonia

Diagnostics

Do not postpone a visit to a specialist if, along with severe pain in the vertex, the following clinical manifestations are observed:

increased pain;

90,024 visual impairment;

deterioration in general health;
memory disorder;

90,024 increase in overall temperature;

nausea, vomiting.

You can contact the CELT clinic, and our specialists will help you get rid of not only pain, but also the reasons that caused them.

In order to determine the cause of pain, our specialists carry out:

If necessary, an examination by an ophthalmologist or surgeon can be ordered.

Treatment

Analgesics are one of the most effective remedies for headache control.However, do not forget that they do not eliminate the main cause that caused such a reaction, but only eliminate clinical manifestations, and after a while the pain will again remind of itself.

90,000 Modern local anesthetics in anesthesiology

Local anesthetic toxicity

Toxicity of local anesthetics can cause complications , with the most affected cardiovascular and central nervous system . Today the frequency of systemic toxic reactions with epidural anesthesia is 1: 10000, with blockade of peripheral nerve plexuses – 1: 1000. Basic systemic toxic effects local anesthetics manifest as negative effects on the heart (blockade of the atrioventricular node, arrhythmias, myocardial depression, cardiac arrest) and the brain (agitation, depression of consciousness, convulsions, coma). Hypoxemia and acidosis increase the toxicity of local anesthetics.It should be noted that resuscitation after an overdose of bupivacaine can be difficult, therefore, intravascular administration of drugs and even more overdose of local anesthetics should be avoided. Nerve blocks should be performed slowly with fractional administration of local anesthetics.
Clinic for systemic toxicity of local anesthetics may be mild , which is manifested by tingling, itching, numbness in the lips and tongue, tinnitus, metallic taste in the mouth, anxiety, tremors, fear, muscle fasciculation , vomiting, disorientation. With moderate severity , speech impairment, numbness, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, tremors, motor agitation, tonic-clonic convulsions, wide pupils, rapid breathing are noted. In severe intoxication – vomiting, sphincter paralysis, decreased muscle tone, loss of consciousness, periodic breathing, respiratory arrest, coma, death.

Central nervous system toxicity of local anesthetics

Local anesthetics can inhibit various receptors, increasing the release of glutamate and thereby suppressing the activity of some intracellular signaling pathways. Systemic administration of local anesthetics may affect the functioning of the heart muscle, skeletal muscle and smooth muscle tissue. The transmission of impulses can change not only in the central and peripheral nervous systems, but also in the conducting system of the heart. Local application of local anesthetics, their injection near peripheral nerves or main nerve trunks, as well as injection into the epidural or subarachnoid space lead to loss of sensitivity in various parts of the body. Toxic reactions can be not only local, but also systemic, which usually occur with accidental intravascular or intrathecal injection, as well as with the introduction of an excessive dose. Moreover, specific side effects may develop with the use of certain drugs, such as allergic reactions to amino ester anesthetics. Convulsions caused by inadvertent intravenous administration of a local anesthetic can be relieved by intravenous administration of a small dose of benzodiazepines (eg midazolam) or thiopental. High spinal or epidural block can lead to severe arterial hypotension. The review of lawsuits from patients with perioperative cardiac arrest confirmed reports of cardiac arrest in relatively healthy patients undergoing spinal or epidural anesthesia. These cases were associated with high block rates as well as overuse of sedatives. Cessation of blood circulation occurred after a period of hypotension and bradycardia; at the same time, there was often a delay in the recognition of a threatening condition, untimely respiratory support (especially in sedated patients), a delay in the use of direct adrenergic agonists, such as adrenaline.

Cardiovascular toxicity of local anesthetics

All local anesthetics, but especially bupivacaine , can lead to rapid and profound suppression of the function of the cardiovascular system. Cardiotoxic effects bupivacaine differ from lidocaine as follows:

The ratio of the dose that causes irreversible acute cardiovascular failure to the dose that has a toxic effect on the central nervous system (convulsions) is lower for bupivacaine than for lidocaine;
Ventricular arrhythmias and fatal ventricular fibrillation occur much more frequently after rapid intravenous high-dose bupivacaine than lidocaine;
Pregnant women are more sensitive to cardiotoxic effects.In the United States, a 0.75% bupivacaine solution is banned for use in obstetric anesthesiology;
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is obstructed by bupivacaine-induced cardiac arrest, and acidosis and hypoxia further increase the cardiotoxicity of bupivacaine.

Treatment of complications of local anesthesia

Treatment of complications of local anesthesia is carried out immediately! Cardiopulmonary resuscitation after high-dose intravenous local anesthetic should include the following:

There are no drugs , that improve outcome in cardiac arrest or severe ventricular tachycardia after bupivacaine administration (except for Intralipid recommendations).It should focus on the basic principles of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which should include airway management, oxygenation and ventilation of the lungs and, if necessary, cardiac massage;
In view of the fact that resuscitation in case of cardiac arrest caused by local anesthetics is difficult, measures aimed at n and prevention of intravenous administration of these drugs are of decisive importance ;
Lack of blood in the syringe does not always preclude intravascular placement of the needle or catheter . Fractional administration of local anesthetics should be the rule , followed in all patients undergoing regional blockade. ECG changes are often precursors of circulatory arrest, therefore, careful observation of ECG changes (changes in QRS, heart rate, rhythm, extrasystoles) may allow the injection of the drug to be stopped before a lethal dose is administered;
If a patient develops a pronounced depression of the cardiovascular system after the administration of bupivacaine, ropivacaine or other local anesthetics, in parallel with the protocol of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, it is recommended to use intralipid:

A 20% fat emulsion solution is injected intravenously in a bolus over one minute at a dose of 1.5 ml / kg (100 ml for a patient weighing 70 kg).
Then the intravenous infusion of a 20% fat emulsion solution is continued at a rate of 0.25 ml / kg × min.
Continue resuscitation measures, including chest compressions to ensure the circulation of the fat emulsion in the vascular bed.
Repeat a bolus injection of a 20% fat emulsion solution at a dose of up to 3 mg / kg every 3-5 minutes until the heart is fully restored.
Continue continuous intravenous infusion of fat emulsion until hemodynamic stabilization is complete.If hypotension persists, increase the infusion rate to 0.5 ml / kg / min.
The maximum recommended dose of a 20% fat emulsion solution is 8 ml / kg.

The main mechanisms of action of lipid emulsion in systemic toxicity of local anesthetics is the binding of anesthetic (intravascular) with metabolic (intracellular) and membrane (sodium) channels. Selection of a specific lipid emulsion (intralipid, liposin, lipofundin, celepid, etc.) as an antidote has no significant value, since there are no proven advantages of some fat emulsions over others.

90,000 Ice Discord Archipelago: Spitz and Bergen Now Writing Separately – Articles – Armies and War

In ancient times, the vast polar archipelago of Svalbard, the discovery of which in 1596 is attributed to the Dutch explorer and navigator Willem Barents , who called the islands “sharp mountains” (previously Russian Pomors settled there), had an exclusively economic character.There bowhead whales were hunted, from which blubber was extracted – the fat for lighting lamps. Then they discovered coal, potential deposits of other minerals, including gold.

The current importance of Svalbard, shared by Norway and Russia, is largely military in nature. The very geographical location of the islands allows you to control shipping and air traffic in the Arctic Ocean. In fact, it is a kind of gateway to the Arctic. On condition only that the necessary military infrastructure will be located here – naval bases, airfields, radar and hydroacoustic stations.Back in Soviet times, Moscow made attempts to negotiate the deployment of military bases on Svalbard, but was refused – the archipelago remained a demilitarized zone. There are no Russian military there, but Norway, a NATO member country, has intensified its activity in this region, which worried the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The reason was the recent call at the port of Longyearbyen on Spitsberg by the Norwegian naval frigate Thor Heyerdahl, which was perceived in Moscow as the next step of Oslo in a series of successive actions to include this territory in the sphere of national military development.”Such a demonstration of military force raises serious concern as inconsistent with the spirit of the 1920 Svalbard Treaty, which defined the purely peaceful status of the use of this archipelago, and also contradicts the Oslo declared goal of maintaining low tension in high latitudes,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova .

She also recalled such decisions of the Norwegian side, such as the extension to Svalbard of the Norwegian Law on Ports and Fairways, which implies the use of the archipelago’s infrastructure in the military planning of the defense of Norway, including the reception of reinforcements from NATO allies.As noted by Zakharova, together with the Svalsat ground satellite tracking station operating in the archipelago, technically equipped to perform dual-purpose tasks, the practice of using the Longyear airport by Norwegian military transport aircraft, patrolling the waters of Svalbard by coast guard ships, indicates an increase militarization by the Norwegian side.

Note that so far the Minister of Defense of Russia has kept silent Sergei Shoigu , who has something to say about both the Russian and NATO presence in the Arctic region, which is being actively developed by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”Main caliber guns” are still silent. So what will happen to Svalbard, the name of which should already be written separately – Spitz and Bergen?

– Only one bibliography on the topic “Grumant / Svalbard / Svalbard” has several thousand titles of books and articles in different languages: from “A” – “Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard” to “Z” – “Yagel on Svalbard,” says historian and political scientist Alexander Zimovsky . – Therefore, it is proposed to follow a simple logical path. The historical centuries-old presence of Russian pomors at

Grumant / Svalbard and their development of the archipelago has been proven by archaeological research.The archipelago has 75 places where archaeologists, both ours and Norwegian, have discovered 75 large settlements of the Pomors; we are, of course, talking about their archaeological traces, artifacts, remnants of buildings and the presence of a tangible cultural layer. In total, taking into account individual finds and burials, there are about four hundred such places associated with the Russian Pomors. For Russians, Svalbard has been their own for many centuries. That is why the archipelago has such a unique legal regime. With our indispensable participation and our, of course, interests.

Now, according to the already familiar practice, we will look at the sailing and see that the calendar of ice conditions around Svalbard gives us a period of clear water off the western coast of the archipelago from June to November. In December, the coastal strip is finally blocked by impassable ice, which begins to free the passage for ships and vessels not earlier than May. The polar night lasts 112 days on Svalbard.

This short period is used by the Norwegian Navy to call warships at Svalbard / Svalbard.

Such visits are made annually. At the same time, the Norwegians:

a) do not inform Russia, at least not this year for sure;

b) declare that the 1920 Treaty, to which our Foreign Ministry just referred, I quote, “grants Norway full and unlimited sovereignty over Svalbard.”

For us, this is “the organization of the visit of the Norwegian warship to Svalbard.” For the Norwegians, “the entry of a Norwegian warship into a Norwegian port in the territorial waters of the kingdom.”

The military significance, or, more precisely, the meaning of the development of Svalbard for military purposes, today, like 80 years ago, is seen in the control of the meteorological / climatic situation. You can learn about how the naval war for Svalbard in 1940-1945 was going on by reading about the raid of the German battleship “Tirpitz” at the head of a rather large squadron on Svalbard (Unternehmen Zitronella), about the English Operation Fritham, and about the fact that the Germans on Svalbard they surrendered only in September 1945.The Germans were just engaged in meteorological support for the actions of the German fleet, mainly submarine forces.

Today, the technical capabilities of meteorologists have increased many times over, but still these achievements pale in comparison to the capabilities of reconnaissance and tracking equipment installed at the right time in the right place. Even during the years of the USSR Northern Fleet’s domination in the Arctic seas and the North Atlantic, few gave our ships as much headache as the Norwegian electronic reconnaissance ship “Maryata”.Today, the Norwegians are using the fourth generation of this series of ocean-going ships-complexes of global naval espionage. In combination with a hypothetical stationary long-range electronic reconnaissance site in Svalbard, this could seriously affect the planning and conduct of Russia’s naval operations in the Arctic region.

There is an obstacle – Article 9 of the 1920 Svalbard Treaty. According to it, Norway undertakes not to create or allow the creation of any naval base and not to build any fortifications in the specified areas (between 10 and 35 degrees east longitude from Greenwich and between 74 and 81 degrees north latitude), which should never be used in military purposes.But what is considered a “base” and what is “strengthening” is already a debatable question today.

And three more knots of controversy around Svalbard that should be mentioned. This is a two-hundred-mile fishery protection zone, which Norway has been expanding for a hundred years. Now we are sharing quotas with the Norwegians, agreeing at the same time what will go to third countries. The question is not idle, because since 1997 in the waters of Spitsbergen the Norwegians have been “pressing” Russian fishermen, right up to the landing of armed inspection parties on Russian trawlers and the arrest of ships.

Then the development of the continental shelf. Russia’s position is that all parties to the 1920 Treaty have equal rights. Norway’s position is that the rights to the shelf around Spitsbergen are Norwegian, and it decides who and what will develop there.

The last but not least knot on the list is access to the Svalbard waters in principle. Russia believes that all parties to the 1920 Treaty have equal access, but not including fishing. Norway believes it has the sole right to decide who has access to the waters of Svalbard.At the same time, the Norwegians insist that they can arbitrarily, without asking anyone, establish not only unequal access, but generally establish a discriminatory access regime on the basis of “like it, don’t like it, sleep, my beauty”.

Now the Russian Foreign Ministry has reacted to the Norwegian “seizure” of Spitsbergen, Moscow has sent a “signal” to Oslo through diplomatic channels. The next word is for the military. And Shoigu has something to say about this. In addition to the fleets based in the North, aviation airfields and air defense systems, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have also settled in remote regions of the Arctic.Military camps and airfields were built in six districts – on Alexandra Land (Franz Josef Land archipelago), in the village of Rogachevo on Novaya Zemlya, on Sredny Island (Severnaya Zemlya), on Cape Otto Shidta, on Wrangel Island and Kotelny Island (Novosibirsk Islands ). On the latter, for example, the base “Northern Clover” was erected on the permafrost, where 250 people serve (in an autonomous mode, the base can exist for 18 months), there is a station for monitoring aircraft and the “Pantsir-C1” air defense complex.

The battle for the Arctic, in which the Russian military has firmly established itself, continues – a piece, though cold, but tasty. Interest in this region is extremely high for a number of reasons, among which, first of all, one can name natural resources and control over the Northern Sea Route, which, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin, has become “a truly global, competitive transport artery.” In the last decade, Russia returned to the Arctic (it seemed that after 1991 this region was practically forgotten) and not only indicated its presence, but made it clear that, they say, “this is ours, please do not touch it with your hands.”Queue for Spitsbergen? So far, NATO has not settled there.

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Deciphering Headache Types: A Comprehensive Guide to Pain Locations

The Importance of Headache Location

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Distinguishing Between Sinus and Tension Headaches

Back of the Head: Neck-Related Issues or Spinal Fluid Imbalances?

Potential Causes of Back-of-Head Pain

Temple Region: Migraines, TMJ Disorders, or Nerve Compression?

Conditions Associated with Temple Pain

One-Sided Headaches: Migraines or Cluster Headaches?

Characteristics of One-Sided Headaches

Whole Head Pain: Tension Headaches or Something More Serious?

Potential Causes of Whole-Head Pain

Recognizing Red Flags: When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Warning Signs That Require Urgent Evaluation

Lifestyle Factors and Headache Prevention: A Holistic Approach

Common Lifestyle Triggers for Headaches

Tracking Headache Patterns: The Benefits of a Headache Diary

Key Information to Include in a Headache Diary

Headache Location Meaning: What Can It Tell You?

Defining a Headache

Front of the Head

Back of the Head

Around the Temples

On One Side of the Head

Seeking Treatment for Chronic Daily Headaches

What does the location of my headache mean?

Headache locations: Where is the ache?

Do I need to see a doctor for my headache?

Common types of headache and their locations

Tension headache

Why do I have a tension headache?

Migraine

Why do I have a migraine?

Cluster headache

Why do I have a cluster headache?

Sinus headache

Treatment for a sinus headache

Key points:

How Your Headache’s Location Can Help You Treat It More Effectively

Front of Head or Face

Back of Head

Headache Treatment in St. Louis

Headache Locations, What They Mean, and Treatment

7 Headache Locations and Their Causes | What Headache Locations Mean

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When to Worry About a Headache: Location, Duration, and Type

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Migraine relief

Cluster headache relief

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Types of headaches

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Tension pain

Cluster pain

Migraine

Intracranial bleeding

Temporal arteritis

Brain tumor

Hangover headache

Tension pain

Migraine

Cluster pain

Hangover

Brain tumor

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