What should I do if I have a headache? Get answers on effective ways to quickly get rid of a headache, including over-the-counter medications, home remedies, and when to see a doctor.

Prevalence of Headaches in Adults

Headaches are incredibly common, affecting millions of adults worldwide. Studies show that approximately 50% of adults globally experience headaches, with some estimates as high as 75% in certain regions. Headaches can significantly impact daily life, leading to missed work, reduced productivity, and decreased quality of life.

Common Types of Headaches

There are several distinct types of headaches, each with its own unique causes and symptoms. The most common types include:

• Tension Headaches: Characterized by dull, aching pain or pressure across the forehead, temples, or back of the head.
• Migraines: Severe, throbbing headaches that are often accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting.
• Sinus Headaches: Caused by inflammation or congestion in the sinuses, resulting in pain and pressure around the eyes, cheeks, and forehead.
• Cluster Headaches: Sudden, severe headaches that occur in groups or “clusters,” often on one side of the head.

Causes of Headaches

Headaches can be triggered by a variety of factors, including:

1. Stress: Emotional and physical stress can lead to muscle tension and constriction of blood vessels, causing tension headaches.
2. Dehydration: Not drinking enough fluids can cause the brain to temporarily contract, leading to headaches.
3. Poor Posture: Prolonged poor posture, such as hunching over a computer or phone, can put strain on the neck and shoulders, contributing to tension headaches.
4. Hormonal Changes: Fluctuations in hormone levels, particularly in women, can trigger hormonal headaches, including migraines.
5. Certain Foods: Some foods, such as processed meats, aged cheeses, and alcohol, can trigger headaches in some individuals.

Diagnosing and Treating Headaches

If you experience persistent or severe headaches, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional. They can help determine the underlying cause and recommend appropriate treatment options, which may include:

• Over-the-Counter Medications: Pain relievers like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen can be effective for managing mild to moderate headaches.
• Prescription Medications: For more severe or persistent headaches, your doctor may prescribe specific migraine or headache medications.
• Lifestyle Changes: Incorporating stress-reduction techniques, staying hydrated, improving posture, and identifying and avoiding potential triggers can be helpful in preventing and managing headaches.
• Complementary Therapies: Options like acupuncture, massage, and herbal supplements may also provide relief for some individuals.

When to Seek Medical Attention

In most cases, headaches can be effectively managed with self-care and over-the-counter medications. However, it’s important to seek medical attention if you experience any of the following:

• Sudden, severe headaches that come on quickly
• Headaches that are accompanied by neurological symptoms like vision changes, numbness, or weakness
• Headaches that are progressively worsening in frequency or intensity
• Headaches that do not respond to over-the-counter treatments

Your healthcare provider can help determine the underlying cause and provide appropriate treatment to help you find relief.

Preventing and Managing Headaches

While headaches can be a frustrating and debilitating condition, there are several steps you can take to prevent and manage them:

1. Identify and Avoid Triggers: Keep a headache diary to help identify your personal triggers, such as certain foods, stress, or hormonal changes.
2. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help prevent dehydration-related headaches.
3. Manage Stress: Practice stress-reduction techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to help reduce tension and prevent stress-induced headaches.
4. Maintain Good Posture: Be mindful of your posture, especially when sitting or working at a computer, to avoid neck and shoulder strain.
5. Get Enough Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night, as sleep deprivation can be a common headache trigger.
6. Consider Complementary Therapies: Options like acupuncture, massage, and herbal supplements may provide additional relief for some individuals.

By understanding the causes and types of headaches, and implementing a combination of self-care strategies and medical treatment when necessary, you can effectively manage and prevent headaches, allowing you to maintain a better quality of life.

Ways to Get Rid of a Headache Quickly

SOURCES:

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: “Have a Headache at Work? 13 Quick Fixes.”

National Headache Foundation: “Hot and Cold Packs/Showers,”  “Bruxism.”

National Health Service (UK): “Sinus headache,” “10 Headache Triggers.”

Blau, JN. Headache, published online May 2004.

The International Headache Classification ICHD-2: “External Compression Headache.”

Mount Sinai Hospital: “Managing Your Migraines”

American Headache Society: “Dental Appliances and Headache,” “Types of Headaches,” “Sinus Headache or Migraine?” “Acute Therapy: Why Not Over-The-Counter or Other Nonspecific Options?” “Ten Things That You and Your Patients with Migraine Should Know.”

The Migraine Trust: “Medication for Migraine.”

Lawrence C. Newman, MD, President, American Headache Society and Director, Headache Institute, Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital, New York City.

American Academy of Neurology: “Migraine Headache. “

American Migraine Foundation: “Headache Hygiene – What is it?”

American College of Physicians: “Managing Migraine.”

Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Chronic Daily Headache.”

Mayo Clinic: “Acupuncture,” “Migraine,” “Migraines: Simple steps to head off the pain,” “Rebound headaches,” “Tension headache.”

Cleveland Clinic: “Self-Care Treatments for Headaches: Procedure Details,” “Headache Treatment Overview,” “Self-Care Treatment for Headaches,” “When to Call the Doctor About Your Headache Symptoms,” “Headache Treatment Overview.”

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Acupuncture: In Depth,” “Butterbur,” “Feverfew.”

Cephalalgia: “Double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) addition in migraine acute treatment.”

Phytotherapy Research: “Comparison between the efficacy of ginger and sumatriptan in the ablative treatment of the common migraine.”

FamilyDoctor. org: “Hydration: Why it is so important.”

HealthyChildren: “Choosing Over-the-Counter Medicines for Your Child.”

Drugs for Headache Pain Relief

Types, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

Overview

Multidisciplinary team takes new approach to headaches.

How common are headaches in adults?

If your head is throbbing, you’re not alone. Headache is one of the most common pain conditions in the world. Up to 75% of adults worldwide have had a headache in the past year.

Headaches are a major cause of absenteeism from work and school. They also take a toll on social and family life. For some people, continually battling headaches can lead to feeling anxious and depressed.

What are the types of headaches?

There are more than 150 types of headache. They fall into two main categories: primary and secondary headaches.

Primary headaches

Primary headaches are those that aren’t due to another medical condition. The category includes:

• Cluster headaches.
• Migraine.
• New daily persistent headaches (NDPH).
• Tension headaches.

Secondary headaches

Secondary headaches are related to another medical condition, such as:

• Disease of blood vessels in the brain.
• Head injury.
• High blood pressure (hypertension).
• Infection.
• Medication overuse.
• Sinus congestion.
• Trauma.
• Tumor.

Symptoms and Causes

Are headaches hereditary?

Headaches have a tendency to run in families, especially migraines. Children who have migraines usually have at least one parent who also suffers from them. In fact, kids whose parents have migraines are up to four times more likely to develop them too.

Headaches can also be triggered by environmental factors shared in a family’s household, such as:

• Eating certain foods or ingredients, like caffeine, alcohol, fermented foods, chocolate and cheese.
• Exposure to allergens.
• Secondhand smoke.
• Strong odors from household chemicals or perfumes.

What causes headaches?

Headache pain results from signals interacting among the brain, blood vessels and surrounding nerves. During a headache, an unknown mechanism activates specific nerves that affect muscles and blood vessels. These nerves send pain signals to the brain.

What causes migraines?

Migraines aren’t fully understood. But researchers think migraines result when unstable nerve cells overreact to various factors (triggers). The nerve cells send out impulses to blood vessels and cause chemical changes in the brain. The result is disabling pain.

What triggers headaches and migraines?

Common triggers of tension headaches or migraines include:

• Alcohol use.
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns.
• Depression.
• Emotional stress related to family and friends, work or school.
• Excessive medication use.
• Eye, neck or back strain caused by poor posture.
• Lighting.
• Noise.
• Weather changes.

What do headaches feel like?

Headache symptoms vary, depending on the type of headache you have.

Tension headaches

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. Tension headache pain tends to be:

• Consistent without throbbing.
• Mild to moderate.
• On both sides of the head (bilateral).
• Responsive to over-the-counter treatment.
• Worse during routine activities (such as bending over or walking upstairs).

Migraines

Migraines are the second most common type of primary headaches. Symptoms of migraines include:

• Moderate to severe pain.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Pounding or throbbing pain.
• Pain that lasts four hours to three days.
• Sensitivity to light, noise or odors.
• Stomach upset or abdominal pain.

Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches are the most severe type of primary headache. Cluster headaches come in a group or cluster, usually in the spring or fall. They occur one to eight times per day during a cluster period, which may last two weeks to three months. The headaches may disappear completely (go into remission) for months or years, only to recur later. The pain of a cluster headache is:

• Intense with a burning or stabbing sensation.
• Located behind one of your eyes or in the eye region, without changing sides.
• Throbbing or constant.

New daily persistent headaches

New daily persistent headaches (NDPH) come on suddenly and last for more than three months. They typically occur in people who weren’t having frequent headaches before. The pain of NDPH is:

• Constant and persistent without easing up.
• Located on both sides of the head.
• Not responsive to medications.

Sinus headaches

Sinus headaches are the result of a sinus infection, which causes congestion and inflammation in the sinuses (open passageways behind the cheeks and forehead). People, and even healthcare providers, often mistake migraines for sinus headaches. Symptoms of sinus headaches include:

• Bad taste in mouth.
• Deep, constant pain in your cheekbones and forehead.
• Facial swelling.
• Feeling of fullness in ears.
• Fever.
• Pain that gets worse with sudden head movement or straining.
• Mucus discharge (snot).

Medication overuse headaches

Medication overuse headaches (MOH) or rebound headaches affect up to 5% of people. They happen when you frequently take pain relievers for headaches. Eventually, this practice can actually increase your number of headaches. Signs of MOH include:

• Headaches becoming more frequent.
• More days with headaches than without.
• Pain that’s worse in the morning.

Headaches in children

Most kids have had a headache by the time they get to high school. For about 20% of them, tension headaches and migraines are a reoccurring problem. Similar to adults, triggers for headaches in children include:

• Certain foods that trigger headaches for the individual.
• Changes in sleep.
• Environmental factors.
• Stress.

What headache symptoms require immediate medical care?

If you or your child has any of these headache symptoms, get medical care right away:

• A sudden, new, severe headache
• A headache that is associated with neurological symptoms such as:
  • Weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Sudden loss of balance or falling
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Paralysis
  • Speech difficulties
  • Mental confusion
  • Seizures
  • Personality changes/inappropriate behavior, or
  • Vision changes (blurry vision, double vision, or blind spots)
• Headache with a fever, shortness of breath, stiff neck, or rash
• Headache pain that awakens you up at night
• Headaches with severe nausea and vomiting
• Headaches that occur after a head injury or accident
• Getting a new type of headache after age 55

Symptoms requiring an appointment with your health care provider or a headache specialist

Contact your health care provider if you or your child has any of the following symptoms:

• Three or more headaches per week.
• Headaches that keep getting worse and won’t go away.
• Need to take a pain reliever every day or almost every day for your headaches.
• Need more than 2 to 3 doses of over-the-counter medications per week to relieve headache symptoms.
• Headaches that are triggered by exertion, coughing, bending, or strenuous activity.
• A history of headaches, but have noticed a recent change in your headache symptoms.

Diagnosis and Tests

How are headaches evaluated and diagnosed?

If you have headaches often or if they are very severe, reach out to your healthcare provider. You can usually start with your family physician, where the diagnosis process will begin. It’s important to diagnose headaches correctly so that specific therapy can be started to help you feel better. Your healthcare provider will complete a physical examination, discuss your medical history and talk to you about your headache symptoms. This conversation is part of a headache evaluation. During the headache evaluation, your provider will ask you about your headache history, including:

• A description of your headaches.
• What the headaches feel like.
• How often the headaches happen.
• How long the headaches last each time.
• How much pain the headaches cause you.
• What foods, drinks or events trigger your headaches.
• How much caffeine you drink each day.
• What your stress level are.
• What your sleep habits are like.
• If you have any work issues.

Your headache can be more accurately diagnosed by knowing:

• When the headache started.
• How long you have had the headache.
• Whether there is a single type of headache or multiple types of headaches.
• How often the headache occurs.
• What causes the headache, if known (for example, do certain situations, foods, or medications usually trigger the headache?).
• If physical activity aggravates the headache pain.
• What events are associated with the headache.
• Who else in your family has headaches.
• What symptoms, if any, occur between headaches.

Your doctor will also ask additional questions about performance at work, family background, and if there is any history of drug abuse.

Clinical description of headaches

Describe how you feel when you have the headache and what happens when you get the headache, such as:

• Where the pain is located.
• What it feels like.
• How severe the headache pain is, using a scale from 1 (mild) to 10 (severe).
• If the headache appears suddenly without warning or with accompanying symptoms.
• What time of day the headache usually occurs.
• If there is an aura (changes in vision, blind spots, or bright lights) before the headache.
• What other symptoms or warning signs occur with the headache (weakness, nausea, sensitivity to light or noise, decreased appetite, changes in attitude or behavior).
• How long the headache lasts.

History of headache treatments

You should provide your physician with a history of prior headache treatments. Tell your doctor what medications you have taken in the past and what medications are you currently taking. Don’t hesitate to list them, bring in the medication bottles or ask your pharmacist for a printout.If any studies or tests were previously performed, bring them with you. This may save time and repetition of tests.

Physical and neurological examinations for headaches

After completing the medical history part of the evaluation, your physician will perform physical and neurological examinations. The physician will look for signs and symptoms of an illness that may be causing the headache. These signs and symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Infection
• High blood pressure
• Muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling
• Excessive fatigue, wanting to sleep all of the time
• Loss of consciousness
• Balance problems, falling
• Vision problems (blurry vision, double vision, blind spots)
• Mental confusion or changes in personality, inappropriate behavior, speech difficulties
• Seizures
• Dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting

Neurological tests focus on ruling out diseases that might also cause headaches, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and other cerebrovascular diseases. A disorder of the central nervous system might be suspected in the development of serious headaches. These include:

After evaluating the results of your headache history, physical examination and neurological examination, your physician should be able to determine what type of headache you have, whether or not a serious problem is present and whether additional tests are needed.

If possible, try to write down how you feel when you are experiencing a headache. Keeping a journal of your headaches and how they make you feel can be helpful when you are talking to your healthcare provider.

The information you give your healthcare provider about your headaches is the most important part of the diagnosis process. By giving your provider as much information as possible about your headaches, you’re more likely to get an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan that will help you feel better.

Although scans and other imagining tests can be important when ruling out other diseases, they do not help in diagnosing migraines, cluster or tension-type headaches. However, if your healthcare provider thinks that your headaches are being caused by another medical condition, there are several imaging tests that may be done. A CT scan or MRI can be used if your provider thinks your headaches are connected to an issue with your central nervous system. Both of these tests produce cross-sectional images of the brain that can show any abnormal areas or problems. X-rays of your skull are generally not done. An EEG (electroencephalogram) may not be needed unless you’ve ever passed out during a headache.

Management and Treatment

How are headaches treated?

One of the most crucial aspect of treating headaches is figuring out your triggers. Learning what those are — typically by keeping a headache log — can reduce the number of headaches you have.

Once you know your triggers, your healthcare provider can tailor treatment to you. For example, you may get headaches when you’re tense or worried. Counseling and stress management techniques can help you handle this trigger better. By lowering your stress level, you can avoid stress-induced headaches.

Not every headache requires medication. A range of treatments is available. Depending on your headache type, frequency and cause, treatment options include:

Stress management

Stress management teaches you ways to cope with stressful situations. Relaxation techniques are helpful in managing stress. You use deep breathing, muscle relaxation, mental images and music to ease your tension.

Biofeedback

Biofeedback teaches you to recognize when tension is building in your body. You learn how your body responds to stressful situations and ways to settle it down. During biofeedback, sensors are connected to your body. They monitor your involuntary physical responses to headaches, which include increases in:

• Breathing rate.
• Pulse.
• Heart rate.
• Temperature.
• Muscle tension.
• Brain activity.

Medications

Occasional tension headaches usually respond well to over-the-counter pain relievers. But be aware that using these medications too often can lead to a long-term daily headache.

For frequent or severe headaches, your provider may recommend prescription headache medications. Triptans and other types of drugs can stop a migraine attack. You take them at the first signs of an oncoming headache.

Drugs for high blood pressure, seizures and depression can sometimes prevent migraines. Your healthcare provider may recommend trying one of these medications to reduce headache frequency.

Prevention

How can I prevent headaches?

The key to preventing headaches is figuring out what triggers them. Triggers are very specific to each person — what gives you a headache may not be a problem for others. Once you determine your triggers, you can avoid or minimize them.

For example, you may find that strong scents set you off. Avoiding perfumes and scented products can make a big difference in how many headaches you have. The same goes for other common triggers like troublesome foods, lack of sleep and poor posture.

Many people, however, are not able to avoid triggers or are unable to identify triggers. In that case, a more personalized multidisciplinary approach with a headache specialist is often necessary.

Outlook / Prognosis

Can headaches or migraines be cured?

Treating health problems that cause headaches, such as high blood pressure, can eliminate head pain. Recently, there have been several new advancements in our understanding of what causes headaches. Although we are closer than ever before to a cure, at this time there is no cure for primary headaches. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing future episodes.

Living With

What if treatment doesn’t work?

There are many different ways to address headaches. When you start a treatment program, keep track of your results. A headache log can help you measure progress.

Ask yourself:

• Are my headaches less frequent?
• Are they less severe?
• Do they go away faster?

If you don’t notice an improvement, talk to your doctor at the next follow-up exam. You may need to try something new.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Most of the time headaches, although painful, don’t pose a serious threat. However, headaches can sometimes be a symptom of a life-threatening condition. Signs you should seek immediate medical care include:

• Confusion or slurred speech.
• Fever.
• Headache after head injury.
• Severe headache that comes on suddenly or headache that doesn’t go away.
• Seizures or loss of consciousness.
• Multiple headaches in children.
• Stiff neck, or pain in the ear or eye.
• Weakness or numbness.

Are there any headache remedies I can try at home?

You can treat the occasional, mild headache at home with over-the-counter pain relievers. Other self-care treatments for headaches include:

• Applying heat or cold packs to your head.
• Doing stretching exercises.
• Massaging your head, neck or back.
• Resting in a dark and quiet room.
• Taking a walk.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

The good news for headache sufferers is that you can choose from many kinds of treatment. If your first treatment plan doesn’t work, don’t give up. Your healthcare provider can recommend other treatments or strategies to find the right fix for you.

Types, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

Overview

Multidisciplinary team takes new approach to headaches.

How common are headaches in adults?

If your head is throbbing, you’re not alone. Headache is one of the most common pain conditions in the world. Up to 75% of adults worldwide have had a headache in the past year.

Headaches are a major cause of absenteeism from work and school. They also take a toll on social and family life. For some people, continually battling headaches can lead to feeling anxious and depressed.

What are the types of headaches?

There are more than 150 types of headache. They fall into two main categories: primary and secondary headaches.

Primary headaches

Primary headaches are those that aren’t due to another medical condition. The category includes:

• Cluster headaches.
• Migraine.
• New daily persistent headaches (NDPH).
• Tension headaches.

Secondary headaches

Secondary headaches are related to another medical condition, such as:

• Disease of blood vessels in the brain.
• Head injury.
• High blood pressure (hypertension).
• Infection.
• Medication overuse.
• Sinus congestion.
• Trauma.
• Tumor.

Symptoms and Causes

Are headaches hereditary?

Headaches have a tendency to run in families, especially migraines. Children who have migraines usually have at least one parent who also suffers from them. In fact, kids whose parents have migraines are up to four times more likely to develop them too.

Headaches can also be triggered by environmental factors shared in a family’s household, such as:

• Eating certain foods or ingredients, like caffeine, alcohol, fermented foods, chocolate and cheese.
• Exposure to allergens.
• Secondhand smoke.
• Strong odors from household chemicals or perfumes.

What causes headaches?

Headache pain results from signals interacting among the brain, blood vessels and surrounding nerves. During a headache, an unknown mechanism activates specific nerves that affect muscles and blood vessels. These nerves send pain signals to the brain.

What causes migraines?

Migraines aren’t fully understood. But researchers think migraines result when unstable nerve cells overreact to various factors (triggers). The nerve cells send out impulses to blood vessels and cause chemical changes in the brain. The result is disabling pain.

What triggers headaches and migraines?

Common triggers of tension headaches or migraines include:

• Alcohol use.
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns.
• Depression.
• Emotional stress related to family and friends, work or school.
• Excessive medication use.
• Eye, neck or back strain caused by poor posture.
• Lighting.
• Noise.
• Weather changes.

What do headaches feel like?

Headache symptoms vary, depending on the type of headache you have.

Tension headaches

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. Tension headache pain tends to be:

• Consistent without throbbing.
• Mild to moderate.
• On both sides of the head (bilateral).
• Responsive to over-the-counter treatment.
• Worse during routine activities (such as bending over or walking upstairs).

Migraines

Migraines are the second most common type of primary headaches. Symptoms of migraines include:

• Moderate to severe pain.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Pounding or throbbing pain.
• Pain that lasts four hours to three days.
• Sensitivity to light, noise or odors.
• Stomach upset or abdominal pain.

Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches are the most severe type of primary headache. Cluster headaches come in a group or cluster, usually in the spring or fall. They occur one to eight times per day during a cluster period, which may last two weeks to three months. The headaches may disappear completely (go into remission) for months or years, only to recur later. The pain of a cluster headache is:

• Intense with a burning or stabbing sensation.
• Located behind one of your eyes or in the eye region, without changing sides.
• Throbbing or constant.

New daily persistent headaches

New daily persistent headaches (NDPH) come on suddenly and last for more than three months. They typically occur in people who weren’t having frequent headaches before. The pain of NDPH is:

• Constant and persistent without easing up.
• Located on both sides of the head.
• Not responsive to medications.

Sinus headaches

Sinus headaches are the result of a sinus infection, which causes congestion and inflammation in the sinuses (open passageways behind the cheeks and forehead). People, and even healthcare providers, often mistake migraines for sinus headaches. Symptoms of sinus headaches include:

• Bad taste in mouth.
• Deep, constant pain in your cheekbones and forehead.
• Facial swelling.
• Feeling of fullness in ears.
• Fever.
• Pain that gets worse with sudden head movement or straining.
• Mucus discharge (snot).

Medication overuse headaches

Medication overuse headaches (MOH) or rebound headaches affect up to 5% of people. They happen when you frequently take pain relievers for headaches. Eventually, this practice can actually increase your number of headaches. Signs of MOH include:

• Headaches becoming more frequent.
• More days with headaches than without.
• Pain that’s worse in the morning.

Headaches in children

Most kids have had a headache by the time they get to high school. For about 20% of them, tension headaches and migraines are a reoccurring problem. Similar to adults, triggers for headaches in children include:

• Certain foods that trigger headaches for the individual.
• Changes in sleep.
• Environmental factors.
• Stress.

What headache symptoms require immediate medical care?

If you or your child has any of these headache symptoms, get medical care right away:

• A sudden, new, severe headache
• A headache that is associated with neurological symptoms such as:
  • Weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Sudden loss of balance or falling
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Paralysis
  • Speech difficulties
  • Mental confusion
  • Seizures
  • Personality changes/inappropriate behavior, or
  • Vision changes (blurry vision, double vision, or blind spots)
• Headache with a fever, shortness of breath, stiff neck, or rash
• Headache pain that awakens you up at night
• Headaches with severe nausea and vomiting
• Headaches that occur after a head injury or accident
• Getting a new type of headache after age 55

Symptoms requiring an appointment with your health care provider or a headache specialist

Contact your health care provider if you or your child has any of the following symptoms:

• Three or more headaches per week.
• Headaches that keep getting worse and won’t go away.
• Need to take a pain reliever every day or almost every day for your headaches.
• Need more than 2 to 3 doses of over-the-counter medications per week to relieve headache symptoms.
• Headaches that are triggered by exertion, coughing, bending, or strenuous activity.
• A history of headaches, but have noticed a recent change in your headache symptoms.

Diagnosis and Tests

How are headaches evaluated and diagnosed?

If you have headaches often or if they are very severe, reach out to your healthcare provider. You can usually start with your family physician, where the diagnosis process will begin. It’s important to diagnose headaches correctly so that specific therapy can be started to help you feel better. Your healthcare provider will complete a physical examination, discuss your medical history and talk to you about your headache symptoms. This conversation is part of a headache evaluation. During the headache evaluation, your provider will ask you about your headache history, including:

• A description of your headaches.
• What the headaches feel like.
• How often the headaches happen.
• How long the headaches last each time.
• How much pain the headaches cause you.
• What foods, drinks or events trigger your headaches.
• How much caffeine you drink each day.
• What your stress level are.
• What your sleep habits are like.
• If you have any work issues.

Your headache can be more accurately diagnosed by knowing:

• When the headache started.
• How long you have had the headache.
• Whether there is a single type of headache or multiple types of headaches.
• How often the headache occurs.
• What causes the headache, if known (for example, do certain situations, foods, or medications usually trigger the headache?).
• If physical activity aggravates the headache pain.
• What events are associated with the headache.
• Who else in your family has headaches.
• What symptoms, if any, occur between headaches.

Your doctor will also ask additional questions about performance at work, family background, and if there is any history of drug abuse.

Clinical description of headaches

Describe how you feel when you have the headache and what happens when you get the headache, such as:

• Where the pain is located.
• What it feels like.
• How severe the headache pain is, using a scale from 1 (mild) to 10 (severe).
• If the headache appears suddenly without warning or with accompanying symptoms.
• What time of day the headache usually occurs.
• If there is an aura (changes in vision, blind spots, or bright lights) before the headache.
• What other symptoms or warning signs occur with the headache (weakness, nausea, sensitivity to light or noise, decreased appetite, changes in attitude or behavior).
• How long the headache lasts.

History of headache treatments

You should provide your physician with a history of prior headache treatments. Tell your doctor what medications you have taken in the past and what medications are you currently taking. Don’t hesitate to list them, bring in the medication bottles or ask your pharmacist for a printout.If any studies or tests were previously performed, bring them with you. This may save time and repetition of tests.

Physical and neurological examinations for headaches

After completing the medical history part of the evaluation, your physician will perform physical and neurological examinations. The physician will look for signs and symptoms of an illness that may be causing the headache. These signs and symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Infection
• High blood pressure
• Muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling
• Excessive fatigue, wanting to sleep all of the time
• Loss of consciousness
• Balance problems, falling
• Vision problems (blurry vision, double vision, blind spots)
• Mental confusion or changes in personality, inappropriate behavior, speech difficulties
• Seizures
• Dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting

Neurological tests focus on ruling out diseases that might also cause headaches, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and other cerebrovascular diseases. A disorder of the central nervous system might be suspected in the development of serious headaches. These include:

After evaluating the results of your headache history, physical examination and neurological examination, your physician should be able to determine what type of headache you have, whether or not a serious problem is present and whether additional tests are needed.

If possible, try to write down how you feel when you are experiencing a headache. Keeping a journal of your headaches and how they make you feel can be helpful when you are talking to your healthcare provider.

The information you give your healthcare provider about your headaches is the most important part of the diagnosis process. By giving your provider as much information as possible about your headaches, you’re more likely to get an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan that will help you feel better.

Although scans and other imagining tests can be important when ruling out other diseases, they do not help in diagnosing migraines, cluster or tension-type headaches. However, if your healthcare provider thinks that your headaches are being caused by another medical condition, there are several imaging tests that may be done. A CT scan or MRI can be used if your provider thinks your headaches are connected to an issue with your central nervous system. Both of these tests produce cross-sectional images of the brain that can show any abnormal areas or problems. X-rays of your skull are generally not done. An EEG (electroencephalogram) may not be needed unless you’ve ever passed out during a headache.

Management and Treatment

How are headaches treated?

One of the most crucial aspect of treating headaches is figuring out your triggers. Learning what those are — typically by keeping a headache log — can reduce the number of headaches you have.

Once you know your triggers, your healthcare provider can tailor treatment to you. For example, you may get headaches when you’re tense or worried. Counseling and stress management techniques can help you handle this trigger better. By lowering your stress level, you can avoid stress-induced headaches.

Not every headache requires medication. A range of treatments is available. Depending on your headache type, frequency and cause, treatment options include:

Stress management

Stress management teaches you ways to cope with stressful situations. Relaxation techniques are helpful in managing stress. You use deep breathing, muscle relaxation, mental images and music to ease your tension.

Biofeedback

Biofeedback teaches you to recognize when tension is building in your body. You learn how your body responds to stressful situations and ways to settle it down. During biofeedback, sensors are connected to your body. They monitor your involuntary physical responses to headaches, which include increases in:

• Breathing rate.
• Pulse.
• Heart rate.
• Temperature.
• Muscle tension.
• Brain activity.

Medications

Occasional tension headaches usually respond well to over-the-counter pain relievers. But be aware that using these medications too often can lead to a long-term daily headache.

For frequent or severe headaches, your provider may recommend prescription headache medications. Triptans and other types of drugs can stop a migraine attack. You take them at the first signs of an oncoming headache.

Drugs for high blood pressure, seizures and depression can sometimes prevent migraines. Your healthcare provider may recommend trying one of these medications to reduce headache frequency.

Prevention

How can I prevent headaches?

The key to preventing headaches is figuring out what triggers them. Triggers are very specific to each person — what gives you a headache may not be a problem for others. Once you determine your triggers, you can avoid or minimize them.

For example, you may find that strong scents set you off. Avoiding perfumes and scented products can make a big difference in how many headaches you have. The same goes for other common triggers like troublesome foods, lack of sleep and poor posture.

Many people, however, are not able to avoid triggers or are unable to identify triggers. In that case, a more personalized multidisciplinary approach with a headache specialist is often necessary.

Outlook / Prognosis

Can headaches or migraines be cured?

Treating health problems that cause headaches, such as high blood pressure, can eliminate head pain. Recently, there have been several new advancements in our understanding of what causes headaches. Although we are closer than ever before to a cure, at this time there is no cure for primary headaches. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing future episodes.

Living With

What if treatment doesn’t work?

There are many different ways to address headaches. When you start a treatment program, keep track of your results. A headache log can help you measure progress.

Ask yourself:

• Are my headaches less frequent?
• Are they less severe?
• Do they go away faster?

If you don’t notice an improvement, talk to your doctor at the next follow-up exam. You may need to try something new.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Most of the time headaches, although painful, don’t pose a serious threat. However, headaches can sometimes be a symptom of a life-threatening condition. Signs you should seek immediate medical care include:

• Confusion or slurred speech.
• Fever.
• Headache after head injury.
• Severe headache that comes on suddenly or headache that doesn’t go away.
• Seizures or loss of consciousness.
• Multiple headaches in children.
• Stiff neck, or pain in the ear or eye.
• Weakness or numbness.

Are there any headache remedies I can try at home?

You can treat the occasional, mild headache at home with over-the-counter pain relievers. Other self-care treatments for headaches include:

• Applying heat or cold packs to your head.
• Doing stretching exercises.
• Massaging your head, neck or back.
• Resting in a dark and quiet room.
• Taking a walk.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

The good news for headache sufferers is that you can choose from many kinds of treatment. If your first treatment plan doesn’t work, don’t give up. Your healthcare provider can recommend other treatments or strategies to find the right fix for you.

Tips for Migraine and Headache Prevention

Even though there are more treatment options for headache and migraine than ever before, preventing a headache can be a lot easier than trying to get rid of one. Once a headache strikes, especially if it’s part of a migraine attack, you might be out of commission for several hours or even days. Avoid your headache triggers — including dehydration, skipped meals, and too little sleep — and you may stay pain-free.

“You’re not going to be able to prevent all headaches,” says Mark Green, MD, a professor of neurology, anesthesiology, and rehabilitation and the director of the center for headache and pain medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

That’s because there are headache triggers you can control and those you can’t. Some triggers in the latter category are the weather and, if you’re female, the hormonal fluctuations that occur with menstruation and perimenopause.

The good news is you can minimize headaches and migraine attacks by managing your triggers, says Dr. Green. Even if you can’t stop every headache from happening, some simple changes can help you avoid at least a few.

What Causes a Migraine Attack?

Headaches and migraine attacks can be concerning for a lot of people, says Lauren Doyle Strauss, DO, a headache specialist and an assistant professor at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “People wonder, ‘Why am I getting a headache or migraine? What is causing such a big disturbance in my life?’”

There have been a lot of advancements in the understanding of headache and pain mechanisms in the past decade, says Dr. Strauss. “It’s really exciting, and it’s allowed for some new therapeutics to be developed, such as CGRPs (calcitonin gene-related peptide) pathway monoclonal antibodies,” she says. CGRP antibodies are new medications that are approved as a preventive medication for migraine.

“We’re learning new things and discovering new target sites, but unfortunately, we don’t fully understand the pathophysiology or all aspects of migraine and the related symptoms,” says Strauss.

“There is a genetic component to migraine, where we see multiple family members who have the disease, and we suspect there are multiple genes related in the development of migraine or inheriting migraine,” she says.

If one or both of your parents have migraine, there is a 50 to 75 percent chance that you will have the disease, too, according to the American Migraine Foundation.

Although you can’t change your genetics, you can control some of the factors that trigger a headache or migraine. Here are some expert tips on keeping headaches and migraine attacks at bay.

1. Keep a Diary to Learn Your Personal Migraine Triggers

If you have frequent migraine attacks or headaches, it can be really helpful to track what you’re experiencing, says Strauss. The type of information you can track can include the following:

• All medicines you take
• What time you wake up and go to bed
• When you eat meals and snacks
• All exercise and any other physical activities you undertake
• All beverages you drink, especially beverages with caffeine or alcohol
• All foods you eat

Log each headache or migraine attack you experience, the time of day when it occurred, and what you did to resolve it. It’s also a good idea to track what the weather was like and any hormonal changes you’re aware of, such as when you ovulated or began your menstrual period.

Write down your symptoms, says Strauss. “Where is the pain located? Are you tired or dizzy? Are you sensitive to light or sound? Do you have an upset stomach or vomiting? Keep track of those can help you understand your headaches,” she says.

After a while, you should begin to see patterns. For instance, do you notice headaches more on weekends when you sleep in? What happens on Mondays, when you have to get to work early? What happens on Friday nights when you drink wine?

This information will help doctors determine what’s causing your headaches, and what you can do to prevent them. “Every day of the week gives us hints,” says Green.

2. Take Acute, or Rescue, Medications as Soon as You Feel an Attack Starting

For people with mild to moderate migraine, over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve) may relieve migraine symptoms, according to the American Migraine Foundation.

Prescription drugs called triptans are often used for moderate to severe migraine attacks. These medications work in a variety of ways in the brain to help relieve pain and restore function, and they’re more effective when used early in a migraine attack while the pain is still mild, according to the National Headache Foundation.

There’s a new class of migraine drugs that target a different neurotransmitter pathway than triptans do, called CGRP receptor antagonists, or gepants, for short. There are currently two approved medications in this class, Nurtec (rimegepant) and Ubrelvy (ubrogepant). Like triptans, these drugs should be taken early in a migraine attack for best results.

3. Consider Preventive Medications if You Have Frequent Migraine Attacks

Many of the medications that are used to help prevent migraine have been “borrowed” from other conditions, says Strauss. These include blood pressure medications, such as beta-blockers, and antidepressants, she adds.

Although those drugs can be helpful, there are new medications specifically designed to target and prevent migraine, “which is exciting for some of our patients for whom other medications have failed,” she says.

Aimovig (erenumab), Ajovy (fremanezumab), and Emgality (galcanezumab) are once-monthly drugs that people inject at home to help prevent migraine. You’ll need a prescription from your doctor for any of these.

Magnesium supplements can also be taken daily as prevention, says Nada Hindiyeh, MD, a headache specialist and researcher at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, California.

There is evidence to support using magnesium, though the mechanism of action, or the “why” behind how it improves migraine, is not totally clear, she says. “It could be stabilizing cells or decreasing hyperexcitability or neuronal firing, but that’s all theoretical at this point,” says Dr. Hindiyeh.

4. Stick to a Sleep Schedule

“I think one of the most effective tools for my migraine patients has been focusing on healthy habits, and sleep is a big part of that; that can be especially challenging right now with all the changes that the pandemic has brought into our lives,” says Strauss.

Consistency is key, says Strauss. “I recommend going to bed and getting up at around the same time every day, even on weekends, and avoiding naps if possible,” she says.

This can be difficult, because sometimes sleep is the only thing that can help people during a headache, says Strauss. “The issue is if you’re taking excessive naps during the day, that makes it harder to go to sleep at night. Try to limit daytime sleeping, and move all your sleep to the night, and keep the same bedtime,” she says.

5. Stay Hydrated by Drinking Plenty of Water Throughout the Day

Hydration is one of the other healthy habits where consistency can make a big difference in migraine prevention, says Strauss. “So often, people realize at the end of the day that they haven’t been hydrating well, and then they try to catch up by drinking a lot. That’s usually not enough to make up for what your body needs,” she says.

Try having at least one full glass of fluid with each meal, Strauss suggests. “That’s three glasses, and then try to have a glass when you first wake up before you eat breakfast, and then one at night with any medications you might take,” she says.

6. Consume the Same Amount of Caffeine Every Day, or None at All

There are a few reasons people with migraine should be cautious about consuming caffeine, says Strauss, including its mild diuretic effect. “It makes you pee out water and fluid, so you may think you’re doing really well in hydration, but too much caffeine may be impacting that,” she says.

In addition, people with migraine can be really sensitive to caffeine, and it can affect the quality of your sleep, says Strauss. “Not getting good-quality sleep can be a trigger for migraine.”

It would be best if you could eliminate caffeine, but that’s not always possible or desirable for some people, says Strauss. “I would suggest trying to not have caffeine after breakfast time. That would be a good way to limit the effects it would have on sleep and also minimize the amount of caffeine that you’re having throughout the day,” she says.

7. Get Regular Aerobic Exercise, and Try HIIT

Exercise is one of the lifestyle modifications that can make a real difference, says Hindiyeh.

“Regular aerobic exercise can work as a preventive medication all on its own, and there are also some studies to suggest that yoga and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) can be helpful as well,” she says.

A study published in March 2018 in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports showed that high-intensity interval training was more effective at reducing the frequency of migraine attacks than moderate-intensity exercise, although moderate exercise also had a positive effect.

8. Follow a Migraine-Preventive Meal Schedule

One way to think about migraine is that it’s like your body’s “alarm,” and it can be set off by any type of change, says Strauss. If you skip meals, that can trigger the alarm, she says.

“There’s a reason why many people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you have dinner, and then you skip breakfast because you’re busy, that means your brain hasn’t gotten any fuel in a long time,” says Strauss.

It’s a good practice for people with headaches or migraine to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with some snacks throughout the day, she adds.

When it comes to which foods to avoid, that can vary from person to person, says Strauss. “Currently, we don’t have a lot of literature to support what some of our headache patients report to us. For example, I’m not convinced that chocolate is something that people with headaches really need to avoid,” she says.

“Moderation is a good idea: Don’t eat or drink anything to excess. Avoid things with a lot of heavy preservatives in them, such as processed meats or hard cheeses,” says Strauss.

9. Make Sure Your Home and Workspace Aren’t Triggering Migraine Attacks

“We are seeing a lot of new patients who are experiencing headache for the first time because of changes that COVID-19 has caused,” says Strauss. In addition to managing extra stress, many people are now working remotely from their home in a less-than-ideal, makeshift office setup.

Often, people set up their workspaces thinking this was going to be temporary, but the pandemic has gone on for a year now and may continue for a while, she says. “It’s a good idea to assess your situation, including where and how you sit most of the day,” says Strauss.

If your job requires a lot of screen time, take periodic breaks. “You also might look at reducing the brightness of your screen or switch your computer settings so that the background is black and the text is white,” says Strauss.

Additional reporting by Diana Rodriguez.

When should you worry about a headache?

Most headaches don’t point to any underlying illness or injury and can be treated at home.

Headaches are really common. In fact, Headache Australia says they’re one of the most common symptoms experienced by humans, with more than 5 million Australians affected by headaches and migraines.

Even though it’s so common, if you’ve got a headache that’s sudden, severe or lasting, you might be worried that there’s a serious problem. So how do you know when a headache is something you can treat at home, or when you should see your doctor?

Let’s explore what a headache is, how you might treat it at home and when you should get medical advice.

What is a headache?

Technically, a headache can be any pain in the head, face or neck area. Headaches might be caused by muscle tension, nerve pain and dehydration, be a symptom of another illness, or be bought on by certain foods and drinks or medications.

There are two overarching types of headache: primary and secondary. Primary headaches are the most common, describing headaches that ‘just happen’ without an underlying illness or injury causing them. These include tension headaches, migraines and cluster headaches. Secondary headaches have a separate cause, like an existing illness, hormonal changes, sinus or tooth inflammation or a side effect of medication or drugs.

Beyond these two broad classifications, Headache Australia lists 36 different types of headache. You can read more about different types of headaches, from hot-dog headaches to hangovers, on the Headache Australia website.

How to treat a headache

Because there are so many different types of headache, there are lots of different ways they can be treated.

If your headaches are frequent, keeping a diary that lists when you get headaches might help you figure out what triggers them. If there’s an obvious cause, like a tight neck, dehydration, or having too much caffeine, you might be able to avoid headaches by changing your behaviour or lifestyle.

When you have a headache, the below steps can help relieve the pain.

• rest and relax in a quiet space with good ventilation
• drink plenty of water
• put a cool cloth or ice pack on your head
• splash your face with cold water
• if you have a tension headache, massage your neck, jaw, shoulders and head
• talk to your pharmacist about what pain medication you can take – this might change depending your health, if you are taking any other medications and the type of headache you have.

Try these tips for preventing headaches:

• eat regularly, fuelling your body with nutritious foods, as dropping blood glucose levels can trigger headaches
• drink plenty of water, more if you’ve been exercising or it’s a hot day to avoid dehydration
• make sure you aren’t in a room that is too hot or too cold, and has plenty of fresh air
• exercise regularly
• try not to sit or stand in the same position for too long, as this can cause muscle tension
• avoid chocolate, caffeine, alcohol and tobacco, all of which can cause headaches
• see your optometrist for an eye test
• and avoid overusing headache medicines – too frequent use can cause ‘rebound’ headaches.

When should you see a doctor about a headache?

Headaches not only cause you pain, but can result in loss of productivity and income. If you have ongoing headaches, it’s important to see your doctor to try and figure out the cause, rather than just put up with the pain. Keep in mind that most headaches do not point to a serious illness, extra worry about your headache might make it worse!

See your doctor if your headaches are frequent, you’ve had a headache for more than a few days, or your headaches are causing you stress or worry.

Rarely, a headache might be a sign of a serious medical condition. You should seek immediate medical attention if you:

• have a sudden, very severe headache, and it’s the first time it’s happened
• are experiencing any of the signs of stroke including a dropped face on one side; droopy mouth or eye; cannot lift one or both arms; or have slurred or garbled speech
• have a headache accompanied by a stiff neck and fever
• have signs of severe dehydration or heat stroke
• may have been poisoned by ingesting, inhaling or touching a substance, or being bitten or stung by a poisonous animal or plant (call the Queensland Poisons Information Centre helpline on 13 11 26 for advice 24 hours, 7 days a week)
• or have injured your head from a fall, blow or bump.

Migraine | Office on Women’s Health

How are migraines treated?

Migraine has no cure. But your migraines can be managed with your doctor’s help. Together, you will find ways to treat migraine symptoms when they happen, as well as ways to help make your migraines less frequent and severe. Your treatment plan may include some or all of these methods.

Medicine. There are two ways to approach the treatment of migraines with drugs: stopping a migraine in progress (called “abortive” or “acute” treatment) and prevention. Many people with migraine use both forms of treatment.

Acute treatment. Over-the-counter pain-relief drugs such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen relieve mild migraine pain for some people. If these drugs don’t work for you, your doctor might want you to try a prescription drug. Two classes of drugs that doctors often try first are:

• Triptans, which work by balancing the chemicals in the brain. Examples include sumatriptan (Imitrex^®), rizatriptan (Maxalt^®), zolmitriptan (Zomig^®), almotriptan (Axert^®), eletriptan (Relpax^®), naratriptan (Amerge^®), and frovatriptan (Frova^®). Triptans can come as tablets that you swallow, tablets that dissolve on your tongue, nasal sprays, and as a shot. They should not be used if you have heart disease or high blood pressure.
• Ergot derivatives (ergotamine tartrate and dihydoergotamine), which work in the same way as triptans. They should not be used if you have heart disease or high blood pressure.

Most acute drugs for migraine work best when taken right away, when symptoms first begin. Always carry your migraine medicine with you in case of an attack. For people with extreme migraine pain, a powerful “rescue” drug might be prescribed, too. Because not everyone responds the same way to migraine drugs, you will need to work with your doctor to find the treatment that works best for you.

Prevention. Some medicines used daily can help prevent attacks. Many of these drugs were designed to treat other health conditions, such as epilepsy and depression. Some examples are:

• Antidepressants, such as amitriptyline (Elavil^®) or venlafaxine (Effexor^®)
• Anticonvulsants, such as divalproex sodium (Depakote^®) or topiramate (Topamax^®)
• Beta-blockers, such as propranolol (Inderal^®) or timolol (Blocadren^®)
• Calcium channel blockers, such as verapamil

These drugs may not prevent all migraines, but they can help a lot. Hormone therapy may help prevent attacks in women whose migraines seem to be linked to their menstrual cycle. Ask your doctor about prevention drugs if:

• Your migraines do not respond to drugs for symptom relief
• Your migraines are disabling or cause you to miss work, family activities, or social events
• You are using pain-relief drugs more than two times a week

Lifestyle changes. Practicing these habits can reduce the number of migraine attacks:

• Avoid or limit triggers.
• Get up and go to bed the same time every day.
• Eat healthy foods and do not skip meals.
• Engage in regular physical activity.
• Limit alcohol and caffeine intake.
• Learn ways to reduce and cope with stress.

Alternative methods. Biofeedback has been shown to help some people with migraine. It involves learning how to monitor and control your body’s responses to stress, such as lowering heart rate and easing muscle tension. Other methods, such as acupuncture and relaxation, may help relieve stress. Counseling also can help if you think your migraines may be related to depression or anxiety. Talk with your doctor about these treatment methods.

90,000 Why my head hurts. Causes of headache

Bezukh Svetlana Mikhailovna

Physician neurologist of the highest category, MD, professor

May 13, 2017

12.3 thousand views

When a head hurts, it is difficult to concentrate, work and stay in good mood. I would like to get rid of painful sensations at once. However, headache pills may be contraindicated or may not be with you. And my head hurts. What to do?

Question No. 1.Where does the head hurt?

• Forehead – you may not get enough sleep. A couple of hours of rest will help.
• Parietal region – often the head in this place hurts from dehydration or hunger. Have a snack and drink some water.
• The back of the head – hurts when you are nervous. The best way out is to get rid of the source of stress, massage your shoulders, do a couple of exercises.
• Whiskey – hurts in the morning, from 2 sides, aching and annoying. It happens under reduced pressure. Have a cup of tea or coffee, do a couple of exercises.
• If the head hurts, as if it were squeezed by a “hoop” – this is a tension headache. Massage the collar area, preferably lie down for a while and relax.

Question No. 2. How to get rid of a headache at home?

Step 1. Take a contrast shower or soak your feet.
Step 2. Make a cool compress and drink a glass of water.
Step 3. Massage the whiskey with a drop of mint oil, lavender, lemon, or with “Star” balm.
Step 4.Try to sleep.

Question No. 3. How to get rid of a headache at work?

It is clear that it is not always possible to take a contrast shower and lie down during the working day. Therefore:

• Massage your forehead, temples and the back of your head
• Take a break from the computer for 20-30 minutes
• Get out into the fresh air
• Do a couple of calm neck and hand exercises
• Brew tea with mint, motherwort, lemon balm or valerian. Do not drink instant coffee.The headache will first pass, and then return with renewed vigor.

Question No. 4. How to prevent headaches from interfering with your work?

• Make your workplace as comfortable as possible – use an ordinary desk lamp for lighting.
• Change position. Don’t sit for 10 hours straight. Take breaks for a few minutes every 1-1.5 hours.
• Go out for the air more often.

Question No. 5. What to change so that the head does not hurt?

Question No. 6.What to do if your head hurts often?

Do not take medicine by yourself. Many medications are toxic, may be contraindicated for you, some of them themselves cause headaches. In addition, drugs “blur” the clinical picture, hiding the symptoms of diseases accompanied by headaches. However, this does not mean that the headache should not be treated with medication. Only they should be prescribed by a doctor and they should be used correctly.

Find out the cause of the headache – if the head hurts often, you should not self-medicate, no matter how harmless and natural it may be.Make an appointment with a neurologist. There are dozens of reasons for headaches. The doctor will examine and schedule an examination to determine exactly why you have a headache.

Pay attention to your condition. If the headache is accompanied by dizziness, occurs at night or in the morning after waking up, accompanied by tinnitus, flies before the eyes, nausea, increased pressure – do not wait and self-medicate. See your doctor immediately.

Question No. 7. How can we help you manage your headache?

1. Examine according to the methods of evidence-based medicine – conduct an examination and prescribe an additional examination – MRI, CT, ultrasound of the vessels of the head and neck, ECG, analyzes.
2. To appoint consultations of related specialists, if necessary – an ophthalmologist, cardiologist, nephrologist and others.
3. To make an accurate diagnosis and establish the cause of pain – based on the results of the examination, you receive an expert neurologist’s opinion and consultation, which means changes in the examination data.
4. Appoint competent treatment – according to your condition and concomitant diseases.

If your head hurts often and for a long time, you should not ignore it.The reason may be serious. Do not delay your visit to the doctor. Call us and make an appointment with a neurologist for the near future.

Constantly headache – what to do?

Headache (cephalalgia) is an extremely common condition, familiar to almost 90% of the population. It is important to know that headache is not an independent disease, but a serious symptom indicating internal, including rather serious, disorders. If the pain is temporary, rarely manifests itself, quickly passes and is easily stopped with the help of an analgesic, do not worry.However, persistent, frequent and intense headaches can be a sign of a serious illness and a reason to see a doctor. A comprehensive examination, a specialist consultation will help to identify the cause, prescribe the appropriate treatment, and receive valuable recommendations on the way of life.

Types of disease

Periodic or persistent headaches can manifest as a reaction of the body to physiological or psychophysiological changes in the structures of the brain, vascular disorders, disturbances in the tone of the muscles of the neck or skull.In neurology, several types of cephalalgia are distinguished, each of which has its own characteristics, character, localization and intensity:

• Migraine is a sharp and severe headache, often of a pulsating nature. It is accompanied by nausea, intolerance to light and strong odors. Painful sensations are often one-sided, extending to the lower jaw, cervical muscles. The attack can last from several minutes to several hours, appears in the evening. Migraine mainly affects women between 25 and 35 years old.
• Stress pain is the most common, occurs with the same frequency in women and men. By nature, pressing or squeezing, can cover the entire head or only the back of the head, forehead, crown. Often appears after physical or mental strain, stress, lack of sleep, prolonged work at the computer. It stops well with analgesics or goes away on its own after rest or sleep.
• Cluster (Hortonian) – one of the most severe types of headache, which can bother a person with prolonged attacks of a pulsating nature.Mostly unilateral, radiates to the eye area, temple. The attacks last from 20 minutes to several hours, then subside and repeat again.
• Post-traumatic – develops with a bruise or concussion. The intensity depends on the nature of the injury and the degree of damage to the structures of the skull.

There are many reasons for frequent headaches, you should not look for the source of pain on your own, you should consult a neurologist. According to medical observations, the main cause of persistent headaches is vascular disease.These include vegetative-vascular dystonia, hypertension, ischemia, subarachnoid hemorrhages, stroke and other life-threatening conditions. A pulsating character may indicate an impending stroke, supplemented by dizziness, impaired consciousness, palpitations and other pronounced signs. It is localized in the back of the head, frontal part, accompanied by tinnitus, “goosebumps”, nausea, discomfort behind the sternum. Disappears after stabilization of blood pressure.Dangerous headache, usually “pressing” or “bursting”, developing against the background of increased intracranial pressure. It can be caused by malignant or benign brain tumors, traumatic brain injury. In addition to severe pain, patients feel nausea, vomiting, dizziness.

Main causes of headache

The etiology of headache directly depends on the underlying cause. This symptom is characteristic of many pathologies, but mainly develops against the background of the following diseases and conditions:

• hypertension;
• migraine;
• increased intracranial pressure;
• osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
• chronic stress, psychosomatic disorders;
• infectious diseases;
• poisoning by toxic or poisonous substances;

90,017 trauma to the brain or spine;

• any intoxication of the body;
• neuralgia of the occipital nerve;
• tumors;
• hormonal imbalance.

Persistent headaches can appear not only against the background of diseases, but also be the result of an improper lifestyle. The provoking factors include:

• weather dependence;
• stress, depression;
• disturbed diet;
• fasting, diets;
• overwork;
• physical and mental stress;

90,017 smoking;

• dental diseases;
• alcohol abuse.
• taking strong drugs.

Any changes in the body can cause an attack of cephalalgia, but if it is poorly controlled by analgesics, there is no need to hesitate to visit a doctor, who, after a history and examination results, will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Neurologist

Neurologist of the highest qualification category

Diagnostics

To determine why the head hurts constantly, you should contact the neurologist .After collecting anamnesis, visual examination and studying the patient’s medical history, the specialist will prescribe a number of examinations:

• Electroencephalography (EEG) – evaluates the work of the brain, reveals vascular pathologies, hematomas, tumors.
• X-ray – detects trauma, sinusitis, sinusitis and other changes in the area of ​​the skull.
• MRI is an informative examination method that allows to evaluate the work of the brain with an accuracy of up to 98%, to reveal the slightest changes in its work.It is prescribed for vascular diseases, suspected brain tumors.
• CT – detects changes in brain structures, detects tumors, cysts, injuries, thrombosis and other pathologies.
• Ultrasound – diagnoses pathologies and abnormalities of blood vessels, impaired blood flow.
• Laboratory methods – detect infectious processes in the body, autoimmune disorders, determine the level of cholesterol in blood plasma and other important indicators.

The obtained examination results allow the doctor to obtain a complete clinical picture, make the correct diagnosis, and prescribe the necessary treatment.Persistent headaches cannot be ignored, early diagnosis and correct therapy will help eliminate serious consequences.

First aid

Pain in the head can appear at the most inopportune moment. How to help a person, especially if there are no painkillers on hand.

• Provide complete rest. Eliminate all sorts of annoying factors, muffle sounds, lie down, close your eyes and try to relax.
• Light head massage.
• Do not overload the body – exclude smoking and alcohol consumption, physical and mental stress.
• Place a flat pillow under your head.
• Drink medium-acting pain relievers. It is not recommended to take strong drugs or those drugs that have not been previously taken.
• Measure pressure. With increased rates, take an antihypertensive drug.
• You can put a cold compress on your forehead for 10-15 minutes.

In more severe cases, you need to call an ambulance or take a person to a hospital. If, with constant headaches, the examination does not reveal the disease, you should pay attention to the lifestyle. This symptom often affects people who experience chronic fatigue, do not sleep enough, sit on “hungry” diets, smoke a lot, abuse alcohol or have a tendency to depressive conditions. In this case, doctors recommend changing the daily routine, paying more attention to your health, rest and nutrition.

Treatment methods

In case of persistent headaches, you cannot do without competent advice from a neurologist. Treatment will directly depend on the underlying cause. A wide range of medications is recommended to relieve pain syndrome, including analgesics, anti-inflammatory, vasodilator, antispasmodic, anticonvulsant drugs. It is extremely important, at the same time, not to self-medicate, only a doctor can prescribe the correct therapy, the time and frequency of taking medications.Persistent headaches are a sign of internal diseases, so the doctor, when making a diagnosis, will prescribe other medications in accordance with the diagnosis. As an auxiliary therapy, the following can be prescribed:

• acupuncture;
• osteopathy;
• physiotherapy;
• physiotherapy exercises;
• Methods of extracorporeal hemocorrection.

An integrated approach to treatment will help speed up recovery, eliminate unpleasant symptoms, and improve the quality of human life.

Prevention

The following recommendations will help reduce the risk of developing persistent headaches:

• Correct and healthy nutrition.
• Adequate sleep and rest, at least 8 hours.
• Airing the room before going to bed.
• Elimination of stress, depression.
• Elimination of physical and mental fatigue.
• Regular measurement of blood pressure.
• Fight against dehydration.
• Walks in the fresh air.
• Cessation of smoking and alcohol consumption.

Compliance with basic rules will help not only reduce the likelihood of headaches, but also minimize the development of other diseases. It is important to understand that such a symptom can bother almost every adult, but if your head hurts constantly, you should not self-medicate. A timely visit to a neurologist will help solve the problem, eliminate serious consequences.

90,000 Psychosomatics of headaches. Self-help methods

All people, in one way or another, are familiar with such ailment as headache.

Headache , and sometimes migraine, can be the answer to many very different malfunctions in the body (sinusitis, sinusitis, high and low blood pressure, colds, etc.), including, can also have a psychosomatic nature .

Often headache occurs in response to internal stress , due to difficulty making decisions, making choices, getting out of conflict, fear of performing an overly difficult task, or performing an action against desire.Such difficulties are usually called “internal conflict” , and in this case the headache indicates an overload of the psyche, as if the brain asks “do not think.”

Similarly, headache can occur in response to intense emotions that cannot be given an outlet . It can be anxiety, panic, aggression, horror, a presentiment of danger, a feeling of humiliation, helplessness, resentment, etc.

How does it work?

The origin of headache lies in the receptors of spasmodic blood vessels, receptors of the meninges.The brain does not feel pain directly. The vessels spasm in response to an increase or decrease in blood pressure, when the vessels begin to work in a mode dangerous for the body, it tries to regulate the rhythm of blood flow necessary to maintain health, and can narrow or dilate the vessels to complete this task. And, as we know, the cause of a sharp change in blood pressure can be emotional reactions that are not always perceived by us as stressful, the body recognizes them earlier.

Fortunately, headache can be quickly relieved with medication. But, as usual, the effect is eliminated, not the cause.

It is known that nothing hurts just like that. Pain is designed to inform us about problems and malfunctions in the body. A headache informs about the possible damage that can be caused to the body due to a sharp drop in blood pressure (heart attack, stroke, hypertensive crisis, etc.). She calls for attention to those psychological factors that contribute to the development of diseases, including headaches.It follows that, while relieving pain with drugs, we ignore the body’s needs to normalize the threat situation, operate it in an extreme mode, and this cannot but affect the general well-being, health, and, ultimately, life expectancy …

Many of us take great care of our cars and know that maintenance must be done in time for the duration and efficient operation of the machinery systems. But we often deny ourselves a “technical service”.Sometimes, because it is a pity for time, sometimes, there is no opportunity, sometimes, we simply do not pay attention to the needs of the body, because there are more important tasks, etc.

Naturally, it is up to you and only you to decide how to dispose of your own body. This is your life and your health. Nietzsche, at one time, refused to treat the worst multi-day migraines, because he noticed that when he was not in pain, he did not write. There is some truth in this.There is a hypothesis that the most talented people have all sorts of problems, from real somatic diseases to neurotic complex structures of internal conflicts, and place inner pain in their work. Nietzsche himself expressed this idea as follows: “The artist is born of exceptional circumstances, they are deeply related to painful phenomena and are connected with them; so, apparently, it is impossible to be an artist and not be sick. ” Thus, it can be assumed that his muse was a migraine.

Who is affected by headaches?

People suffering from headaches, as a rule, are highly educated, intellectually developed, responsible, independent, often creative individuals, striving for knowledge and understanding of the world around them and themselves in it . These are the people for whom “the meaning of life” is not an empty phrase. Often, these are people of high moral standards, rather strict with themselves and their achievements, and demanding of others.

What to do?

It is possible to try to find the cause of the headache on your own. Is it enough to try to understand what is unpleasant, what causes discomfort? You may be forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to. Perhaps you are looking for a way out of a difficult or conflict situation, and cannot find it. Or maybe your internal attitudes dictate one thing to you, but in fact you want something completely different. Once you find a reason, you should take care of yourself, eliminate the cause of the stress, or, if you can’t, agree with yourself about a deferral , or use the services of a specialist.

Let’s look at examples of some of the possible headache triggers and self-help strategies.

Let’s start with the simplest one. Woman was doing general cleaning in the apartment, is tired, she really wants to please herself with some cakes for tea. Let’s try to see here variants of internal conflict. Here is an internal dialogue: “I did so much, I’m tired, I deserve a cake. But it’s necessary to get ready, go, but I don’t have the strength.Where am I so disheveled and scruffy I will go, scare those around me … But you really want that pretty berry cake !!! No, this pleasure is not worth spending a lot of time on training camps … And in general, my husband said that you need to lose weight … And my friend said that I was rounded … No, I won’t go … But I really want to … “And the most interesting thing is that the more arguments against, the more you want to. It is unlikely that such an internal conflict will cause a stroke, but if you butt yourself with yourself for a long time, you can easily get a headache, and your mood will deteriorate, and your husband, having come home from work, will “fall under the distribution,” because he also contributed to that voice, what is against the cake.

Such an internal conflict can help a woman to think of it to such an extent that she becomes incredibly sorry for herself, and when her husband comes, he will be shown that he does not love at all, does not help, does not support, and generally a bastard … And no one will understand what is the matter , and even the wife herself will not remember that it all started with a cake … She will just feel unhappy.

Our needs arise in order to be satisfied, and if they are not satisfied, then we must satisfy the reasons “Why not?” In this case, the first argument about fees was more or less acceptable, and the second was clearly critical, and therefore caused anger and resentment.

What could have been done in this situation?

For example, call your spouse and say: “ Today I was doing general cleaning, I’m very tired, and I really want to pamper myself with something. I’ll go to the bath, clean up a little. I can ask you to go to the store and buy us something for tea. For me, please buy that beautiful cake with berries … “ The husband must be an absolute” cracker “to refuse his wife such a request.And if you are for a healthy lifestyle and cannot afford such a luxury as a cake, then look for what reason will be most acceptable for you . It can be the number of calories and the negative effect of carbohydrates on the body and the desire to live happily ever after in good health, offer yourself an alternative, something no less tasty, but more useful, for example, a pear, mango, pineapple, something that suits you … The main thing is to exclude from the internal dialogue any criticism addressed to you or addressed to your desires. Any criticism causes resistance and internal conflict. You should avoid the categories good – bad, right – wrong, condemn yourself for your weakness and evaluate your appearance. Start from phrases, such as I want to be healthy, beautiful, rather than from phrases, how an unplanned cake will affect your appearance. In general, any of your needs deserves respect. And the more in contact you are with yourself, and the more attentively you are about your needs, the less chances you will get into a situation of internal conflict.Try not to put pressure on yourself, but to negotiate. Do not appeal to “must”, but rely on real desires and opportunities.

Let’s look at another situation.

Very often an internal conflict is based on the principle: “I don’t want to, but I must”. For example, a person wants to be nice and pleasant, and when asked for a favor, he practically always answers with consent, without taking into account the real circumstances and his capabilities. There are many chances of getting a headache, both literally and figuratively, especially when his desire to help others concerns not only him. The family may not be happy with the fact that he is spending time with strangers that he could spend with her. In addition, such selfless people often have to make a choice, who to help? Since no one can be in several places at the same time, it means that there is no ideal solution, and someone will certainly be deprived of attention and offended.Dilemma. And by the way, the choice is most often made in favor of those who are less close, because those who are close and close will understand and forgive. In addition to a real headache, in this situation, there are more serious consequences, relatives sometimes get tired of waiting for their turn …

Here, of course, you need to pay attention to your value system: “Why do I consider it necessary to help everyone who comes to me? Why is it hard for me to refuse? What happens if I refuse? etc.” A person is afraid of being branded as cold and insensitive, afraid that they will not communicate with him, they will no longer be respected 90 320 , etc.e. In fact, it turns out that when this person himself gets into trouble, most of those who used his kindness quickly “fall off”, and it turns out that there is no one to help. Such people often ask: “But how can it be, I am for them … and they …” Remember the saying: “Who is lucky, they go on that?” It’s right here. And, unlike our altruist, many do not have such a “grown” sense of duty and easily refuse, relying primarily on their own desires and needs … Of course, faced face to face with the consequences of their actions, a person is often able to realize and understand himself mistakes in prioritization.But, if it is already clear today that something is wrong and the headache is reporting it, you can begin to understand the situation and take measures to prevent the emergence of a serious crisis.

Now let’s look at a more complicated situation.

You need to go to the management with a talk about the promotion. Your spouse and mom say that you have worked flawlessly for so many years, you deserve a promotion, they will consider you a weak-willed weakling if you cannot do it.You don’t know what to say and how, don’t like to ask, you think is beneath your dignity to humiliate yourself in front of your boss, and you’re afraid of his reaction, what if he’s fired altogether? You think that if a person is worth something, he will be noticed anyway. Recognizable, right? It seems to be a common everyday situation, someone will not even see a stress factor here. In fact, is a multi-level stressful situation, which is not so easy to overcome.

Look, the pressure of the wife and mother is one layer.

The fear of being untenable in this situation is another layer.

Fear of the boss is the third.

Uncertainty about one’s own merits – the fourth.

Striving to avoid conflict situations – the fifth …

There are many levels in this situation, especially if you also take into account internal attitudes, life experience, self-esteem , etc.So this person is in such a stressful situation that g headache is not the worst thing that can happen . It is practically impossible to solve a similar situation without losses from the nervous system on your own. If a person could solve this situation easily, then he would not get into it. The person we are describing had all the prerequisites for falling into such a “whirlpool”.

In this case, it is better to seek help from a psychologist.

What could you have done yourself?

This is difficult, but possibly .

First try understand: “Do I want to be promoted?” If yes, then first of all concentrate on the main task and free yourself from additional stressors. The first thing to do is to come to an agreement with relatives: “Dear ones, I realized that I definitely want a promotion, but the boss is a difficult person and I need time to develop the right behavior strategy to achieve my goal.I ask you not to touch on this topic for a month, so that I can calmly think about everything. ”

Next, consider the fear situation. What is the worst thing that can happen if you do not cope with this task? What is the worst thing a chef can do to you? Much depends on the personality of the manager, of course, but test your fears for reality: “Can you really be fired for such a conversation? Is he really capable of something that you will not be able to bear? If the boss is really crazy, then at this stage you need to think about changing jobs.If not, then you should try to look at the situation not as a conflict of interest, but as a cooperation, consider what benefits both parties benefit from your promotion? If you have doubts about your talents, involve loved ones to compile a list of your professional merits.

This is followed by to think over the conversation, taking into account the personal characteristics of the leader and tune in internally. Internally, it is necessary not only to make sure that you have every right to this position, but also to tune in to a conversation with a respected person on an equal footing, as a partner.That is, it is necessary to test the proposed dialogue for the manifestation of unacceptable formulations “from the top” or “from the bottom”, meaning the text that is adequate from the point of view of the hierarchy. Read your monologue to friends, relatives, ask what they heard? Did they hear exactly what you wanted to say? Here, approximately according to this scheme, you can try to act.

If you do not want an increase, and you have every right to do so, you can proceed differently. Perhaps you are absolutely satisfied with the position you are occupying, or you are not ready to take on additional responsibility.Truth in this case will be the best way out. You need to clarify the situation for your loved ones . This is also not easy. Well, for example: “I understand that it is extremely important for you to see me successful, or you lack the funds that I earn. But, the fact is that the position I occupy is very pleasant to me and I would not want to change it. I promise you to think about how you can increase my income without changing the field of activity. Perhaps I will find a similar, but higher-paying position, or find a suitable part-time job.We will definitely find a solution that suits everyone. ” Of course, in this example there are many options for solving, but it is not possible to consider this in the format of this article.

Sometimes a headache may not be directly related to current events , especially chronic, but may be an echo of a similar situation in the past. For example, you need to write some sociometric test at work. This is a completely simple situation, and not stressful like. But the way you were seated to fill out the test reminded you of the extremely stressful situation for you when assessing your knowledge at the institute for the state exam.Anxiety went up, my head ached.

Chronic pain was formed much earlier, and there are less chances of success with independent work, but you can and should still try. “He who seeks will always find.”

General recommendations for improving well-being:

Control physical and emotional stress, do not allow overwork.

Observe the daily routine, spend more time outdoors.

Sleep at least eight hours a night.

Find your favorite activity that will allow you to recover most effectively (hobby, sports, walks, games, pleasant contacts …)

Try to switch from professional activity to rest, leave work mentally at work, or outside the door of the house, or in a drawer, etc.

Try to give up bad habits.

Balance your diet.

It is important to stay in touch with your feelings and needs and not forget about yourself even while “saving the world”.Living in harmony with yourself is the best prevention of psychosomatic headaches.

We wish you health !!!

The article was prepared by psychologists of the branch 4 GBUZ “PKB No. 13 DZM”

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? All people, in one way or another, are familiar with such an ailment as headache. ? Headache, and sometimes migraine, can be the answer to many different problems in the body (sinusitis, sinusitis, high and low blood pressure, colds, etc.).may also have a psycho-somatic nature. • Headache often occurs in response to internal stress due to difficulty making a decision, making a choice, getting out of conflict, fearing an overly difficult task, or performing an action against one’s will. Such difficulties are usually called “internal conflict”, and in this case the headache indicates an overload of the psyche, as if the brain asks “do not think.” ? Also, a headache can occur in response to intense emotions that cannot be given an outlet.It can be anxiety, panic, aggression, horror, a presentiment of danger, a feeling of humiliation, helplessness, resentment, etc. ❓How does it work? ? The origin of headache lies in the receptors of spasmodic blood vessels, receptors of the meninges. The brain does not feel pain directly. The vessels spasm in response to an increase or decrease in blood pressure, when the vessels begin to work in a mode dangerous for the body, it tries to regulate the rhythm of blood flow necessary to maintain health, and can narrow or dilate the vessels to complete this task.And, as we know, the cause of a sharp change in blood pressure can be emotional reactions that are not always perceived by us as stressful, the body recognizes them earlier. “Fortunately, headache can be relieved fairly quickly with medication. But, as usual, the effect is eliminated, not the cause. Read the sequel on our website or in the story! https://pb-13.ru/novosti/psihosomatika-golovnoj-boli-sposoby-samopomoshhi/ # headache ## psychiatry # youneone # psychotherapy # psychologist help # psychosomatics # pkb13

A post shared by Psychiatric hospital13) (@ pbkb13 on Aug 26, 2020 at 4:05 am PDT

90,000 Why do you need an MRI for headaches?

Alexey V. Lipatov, Deputy Chief Physician for Diagnostics, Radiologist at the ILC Medical Radiation Center, answered the questions of the journalist of the Progorodsamara portal.

Alexey Valentinovich, let’s start with the main thing – what is an MRI?

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a method for examining various diseases, which is based on fluctuations in the electromagnetic field. The technique itself is that the patient is placed in a magnetic field, where the hydrogen ions in the body are excited and become in a certain order. At the same time, special radio frequency coils determine information about the amount of hydrogen ions in the body, and build a picture, which the radiologist further analyzes.

MRI results help solve your problem in making the correct diagnosis.

Why is an MRI of the brain often prescribed for head examinations?

Unlike MRI of the brain, other research methods do not give such a clear picture of brain tissue. Many techniques, for example, ultrasound, simply cannot “see” what is under the skull due to their technical features.

What pains are most often referred to for MRI of the brain at the ILC?

Most often these are headaches and dizziness.To find the source of the problem, we investigate changes in the pituitary gland, hormonal disorders, cerebral circulation, and the consequences of traumatic brain injury. This is the main thing with which patients turn to MRI of the brain at the ILC.

If you suffer from headaches and dizziness, is it enough to do just an MRI of the brain?

Most often, patients with headaches undergo the No Headache complex, which includes 3 studies at once: MRI of the brain, MRI of the arteries of the brain and MRI of the cervical spine.This complex was developed on the basis of the most frequent prescriptions of our neurologists, for whom these studies are decisive and help to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment. This study takes about 30-40 minutes, gives a complete picture of a fairly large area, most often answers the question of why the patient is worried about headaches. Now there is a favorable 20% discount on the “No headache” program.

If you have a headache, do you need to go to the doctor first or can you immediately sign up for an MRI of the head?

Of course, you may not have to wait for a specialist consultation, but simply sign up and have an MRI of the brain done at the ILC.I repeat that MRI is a safe examination method that does not carry radiation exposure to the human body. But my advice to you is to make an appointment with a neurologist or therapist first. The doctor will help you determine what kind of examination you need to carry out in your case. At the “ILC” you can easily make an appointment with an experienced doctor and go through the necessary examination immediately after the appointment.

Do I need to do an MRI of the brain in dynamics?

In some cases, yes.There are types of diseases that need to be investigated in dynamics – that is, to carry out a comparative analysis with what happened before and after the treatment. How the process has changed, how the organ has responded to treatment, what is the likelihood of a relapse – this all concerns not only the brain, but also other organs and diseases of a person.

How long does an MRI take? Is it possible to get the result on the same day?

The examination itself is carried out from 15 minutes. In most cases, you will receive a detailed description of the survey results in the ILC literally within 30 minutes after the end of the survey.There are complex medical cases in which a consultation of doctors and your consultation with your doctor are required. It takes time, but we try to do everything as clearly and quickly as possible so that you get results within one day. For your convenience, we can send the results by email.

Deputy Chief Physician for Diagnostics,
radiologist
Alexey Valentinovich Lipatov

Why does a teenager have a headache and what to do about it

Schoolchildren of all ages have headaches and fatigue, but teenagers, for example, have some nuances.

Anna Chernousova, osteopathic doctor at the Osteon Clinic

Parents notice that at a certain age, their children begin to complain of discomfort more often than before. Of course, the stress at school, a sedentary lifestyle, unbalanced diet and constant lack of sleep do their job. Letidor turned to an expert for clarification.

Root Causes

Not getting enough sleep Most teenagers go to bed very late and have to get up very early.Parents need to pay special attention to this. Below in the article we will talk about sleep rates.

Stress This factor should be given great importance, because the stress of schoolchildren is very different. These are fears of teachers, fear of going to the blackboard, fear of classmates – all these phobias provoke a violation of posture, which makes the head seem to be pressed into the shoulders.

Poor posture Children slouch, try not to stand out instinctively, so that they are invisible.When writing, students, as a rule, lean on one side: either turn to the stand with books, or simply write askew all the time, lift their shoulder, usually right-handers – right, left-handers – left. Most kids wear their backpacks incorrectly. Children in primary school usually carry them over their shoulders and under the supervision of parents who take care of both the anatomical backrest and the light weight of the textbooks. But older students consider backpacks unfashionable, carry a bag on one shoulder and warp, especially if they travel to school from afar.

Inactivity or overload Parents often complain that schoolchildren have little physical activity. Not all children go in for sports all the time, and children often like to shirk from physical education lessons at school. They simply stopped walking a lot.

It also happens vice versa – there are children-athletes who have constant stress from excessive physical exertion. Often they do not correspond to the inner potential of the child, that is, physically children can exercise, but they do it through force, because the parents and the coach demand it.Naturally, such processes cripple the spine; children develop hernias with inadequate overload.

Consequences of childbirth or intrauterine development There is indeed a violation of the structures of the base of the skull, which occurred during intrauterine life: the child was not very physiologically lying in the mother’s stomach. Or, during childbirth, there was some kind of bone shift that did not compensate on its own. Or a child was born as a result of a cesarean section and, for example, he has functional torticollis in infancy, which is compensated by massages, physical activity, gymnastics, exercise therapy, but is not fully cured.

Children born as a result of difficult prolonged labor have problems with posture. As a rule, in the first year of life, this is manifested by high or low tone, strabismus, and mild neurological abnormalities. In principle, our nature is tailored to compensate for everything on its own. Nevertheless, in conditions of constant tension, a complex school curriculum, new and not always smooth relationships with peers and teachers, the body reveals its weaknesses.

Types of headaches in schoolchildren

I, as an osteopath, distinguish pain due to:

• neck muscle tension Pains of a cervicogenic nature are often observed in schoolchildren.Cervix – neck, that is, these pains arise due to the tension of the cervical muscles, provoked by stress, fear, uncomfortable position at the desk, improper wearing of bags and backpacks.
• mental, mental and emotional stress
• Disorders of venous outflow from the head In adults, such pains occur mainly in the morning, and in children they can be during the day, regardless of the degree of fatigue. The problem is a violation of the outflow along the internal jugular vein, which passes through the base of the skull and draws venous blood out of the skull.

What osteopathy knows about headaches

We note that children with fatigue and headaches usually have an incorrect bite, posture, visual defects, flat feet, valgus or varus feet. But only an osteopath sees the body as a complex and knows that there is rarely one defect. During the diagnosis, something else is found, but during the treatment we immediately affect the entire system of the body.

People who have not been treated in childhood with different eyes often seek help, for example, when one eye is larger and the other is smaller.It is possible to get rid of the consequences of difficult childbirth even in adulthood, only osteopaths can move the bones of the skull. Results can be quick or slow.

Children often have headaches due to spasm of the muscles of the neck, blood vessels, vertebral arteries. If the muscles of the neck are spasmodic, they disrupt the biomechanics of the vertebrae, and when they move, they disrupt the direct course of the artery. When diagnosing children’s headaches, it is often revealed that the vessels of the vertebral artery, the branches of which go to the brain, are narrowed on one side.

These are the problems an osteopath can solve: – Improve the biomechanics of the spine – Restore the structure of not only the neck, but the entire spine – Relieve tension from the neck muscles – Improve blood supply to the brain.

Recommendations for parents of schoolchildren

Reasonable physical activity Each child has its own constitution: it is easy for someone to ski, for someone it is extremely difficult, and the love of sports must be instilled, and not require records from the child.Overloads give rise to complexes in relation to themselves, and they do not bring health. Children should engage in feasible physical activity, choosing it on their own, listening to the advice of parents and the recommendations of coaches.

Two physical education lessons per week are not enough, you can take children to general physical training, gymnastics to strengthen the muscle corset. Not bars and rings, but just good physical education, yoga, Pilates for children.

It happens that a child does a lot of dancing, for example, but still suffers from headaches.That is, it seems that physical activity is constantly present in a child’s life. This means that we must look for the problem in something else.

Proper sleep and rest If a child gets up at 7 am, then he should go to bed at 9 pm. He may not fall asleep right away, but he will already be preparing for bed. You can read books, you can do a light massage, talk, but this is already a prelude to sleep. Relaxation is also part of relaxation. A ten-hour sleep for young schoolchildren is a must.They get tired very quickly when they don’t get enough sleep. And children in elementary school are still supposed to sleep during the day.

Walking It is good when children walk from home to school. But in the conditions of modern life, this happens less and less, many children are taken. I would like to advise parents to park further away, arrive a little early and take a walk with the child to school. Walking perfectly restores the body: lymphatic drainage improves, we breathe fresh air, of course, with a reservation for the surrounding urban environment.It’s better than sitting in a car and breathing exhaust fumes anyway.

At school, you need to alternate lessons with lunch, a walk, if there is an extended period, then you can do the lessons, and then go for a walk again, but at least 2 times a day for an hour at least. In principle, such things must be observed if the weather allows it again, and up to minus 15 it is quite normal, even if there is wind, rain and snow. There is no bad weather, there are bad clothes.

Nutrition Everyone knows about the harm of fast food and soda.Children want what is forbidden, and taste enhancers do their dirty work.

It is difficult, of course, when you yourself are not an adherent of healthy food, to impose proper nutrition on children. If a child sees that his parents have sandwiches on the table, and he must eat oatmeal, then a certain dissonance arises. We must start with ourselves, instill in the family a culture of proper nutrition.

Children need proteins, fats and carbohydrates. All three components. The child definitely needs oil, not only vegetable, but also of animal origin.The cholesterol we fear is not only harmful, but also beneficial. It is a building material.

Everyone has their own constitution, someone can be a vegan in childhood and feel good at the same time, and someone needs red meat, beef, which saturates the body and brings hemoglobin.

You need everything, the only question is how much. You don’t need to eat meat every day, 2-3 times a week is enough. As a snack, you do not need to give sweets and breads, dried fruits and nuts are better.Eat more seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Puzzle: why and where the head hurts with coronavirus

https://radiosputnik.ria.ru/20201214/bol-158

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Puzzle: why and where the head hurts with coronavirus

Puzzle: why and where it hurts head with coronavirus – Radio Sputnik, 12/14/2020

Puzzle: why and where the head hurts with coronavirus

Radio Sputnik, 12/14/2020

2020-12-14T09: 00

2020-12-14T09: 00

2020 -12-14T09: 00

said on air

covid-19 coronavirus

pain

health – society

society

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https: // cdn22.img.ria.ru/images/149318/32/1493183205_246:3659:1920_1920x0_80_0_0_0e5874519717f8c0da170a804ae1c4e6.jpg

Severe, acute and throbbing: how to understand the cause of the headache on a regular basis

There are hundreds of reasons for its occurrence. But, it turns out, it is possible to guess what kind of problems the body is experiencing by the localization of unpleasant sensations. Pain in the back of the head or in the temporal region, in the parietal zone or all over the head at once – based on these signs, the doctor can draw up an approximate examination plan in order to make a diagnosis as soon as possible.High blood pressure, oxygen starvation, pinching, the development of tumor processes – where exactly does the headache in each individual case, recognized experts tell in the podcast “Doctor, what’s wrong with me?”
Podcast authors Eugene Maystruk and Elizaveta Pavlova ask questions. The answer is Alexander Budik, a neurologist, neurophysiologist, and Vladimir Khoroshev, a surgeon, general practitioner.

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In which part of the head is the pain throbbing? By answering this question, doctors can make a preliminary conclusion about the causes of its occurrence.Pain in coronavirus is no exception. Where COVID-19 has a headache, says a doctor on Sputnik radio, headache is one of the most common symptoms of an infectious disease. The coronavirus is no exception. This headache is called “secondary” because it is just one of the manifestations of the disease. Says neurologist, neurophysiologist Alexander Budik: If the nature of the headache has changed dramatically, for example, a person previously had a squeezing, not very severe headache, and suddenly it became more intense, nausea, vomiting was added – this is a reason to be alert and consult a doctor.Presumably, it is possible to say that the cause of a headache is precisely an infectious disease, it is possible also by its localization. In such cases, pain often occurs in the parietal region. Here’s how the cardiovascular surgeon, general practitioner Vladimir Khoroshev tells about the causes of headaches in coronavirus: We tell you in detail about whether it is possible to determine the cause of the headache depending on its location in the podcast “Doctor, what’s wrong with me?” on business. Only selected quotes in our Telegram channel.

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coronavirus covid-19, pain, health – society, society

In which part of the head is the pain throbbing? By answering this question, doctors can make a preliminary conclusion about the causes of its occurrence. Pain in coronavirus is no exception. Where the head hurts with COVID-19, says the doctor on Sputnik radio.

12 December 2020, 14:47

Scientists have identified another painful symptom of COVID-19

Headache is one of the most common symptoms of an infectious disease. The coronavirus is no exception. This headache is called “secondary” because it is just one of the manifestations of the disease. Says neurologist, neurophysiologist Alexander Budik:

“Coronavirus is the main disease and an additional symptom is a headache. Most often this is due to the fact that the cerebral membranes are involved in the process, specific encephalitis develops against the background of coronavirus, so a person feels weak, lethargic, he has a headache, nausea, “says Dr. Alexander Budik.

If the nature of the headache has changed dramatically, for example, a person previously had a squeezing, not very strong headache, and suddenly it became more intense, nausea, vomiting was added – this is a reason to be alert and consult a doctor.

“If the headache is associated with an increase in temperature, it is an important signal that indicates that there is a focus of inflammation, and, most likely, the headache is just an additional symptom,” explains the neurophysiologist.

Presumably it is possible to say that the cause of the headache is an infectious disease, and it is possible by its localization.In such cases, pain often occurs in the parietal region. Here is how the cardiovascular surgeon, general practitioner Vladimir Khoroshev tells about the causes of headaches in coronavirus:

“Headache is one of the leading signs of coronavirus. All life-supporting centers are located in the brain, especially in the brain stem – vasomotor, respiratory Imagine what happens during a coronavirus infection: there is a unique, created by nature, membrane through which oxygen passes into the blood and combines with hemoglobin.It thickens with COVID-19, the transfer of oxygen from the gaseous state and its introduction into the blood are disrupted. This leads to oxygen starvation and, as a consequence, to headaches. “

Whether it is possible to determine the cause of the headache depending on its location, we tell in detail in the podcast” Doctor, what’s wrong with me? “ Briefly and to the point. selected quotes in our Telegram channel .

What to do if you feel dizzy? – publications of the family clinic Childhood Plus

Dizziness (vertigo) is a condition in which a person feels as if his body or objects around him are moving, although in fact they are motionless.This is a common reason for seeing a doctor. Unpleasant sensations give a person discomfort and serve as a symptom of pathology occurring in the body, especially if they appear constantly and have a long-term effect. Therefore, it is very important to find out the causes of frequent dizziness.

Diagnostics

The condition when the head is often dizzy is a symptom of many diseases. Accordingly, there are many reasons that can cause it.That is why diagnostics should be carried out in a comprehensive manner.

Specialists use various methods for diagnosis:

• physical examination – the doctor finds out the patient’s complaints;
• general analysis of blood and urine;
• biochemical blood test – systemic dizziness may be the result of low serum iron levels, etc.;
• X-ray – allows you to detect osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae;
• Ultrasound of the vessels of the brain – the state of the vessels and blood flow is assessed;
• magnetic resonance imaging – makes it possible to detect inflammation, atherosclerosis, tumors, etc.P.;
• ECG – to identify cardiac pathologies, which may be the causes of persistent dizziness;
• to conduct an EEG – to assess the state of the cerebral cortex;
• computed tomography – the condition of the veins and arteries is assessed.

Causes of severe and prolonged dizziness

Constant dizziness in women and men, in contrast to rare dizziness that occurs with sudden movements, poisoning or alcohol intoxication, can be caused by serious illnesses, so you need to know their symptoms and treatment.

Neurological causes

Frequent attacks of dizziness can occur due to damage to the nerve endings, as well as the circulatory system of the brain. Systemic vertigo causes migraine, meningitis, encephalitis, tumors of various origins, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, strokes in the brain stem structures and in the cerebellum, vertebro-basilar syndrome arising from insufficient blood flow to the brain tissues.

ENT pathology

Chronic dizziness causes inflammation of the vestibular apparatus, which occurs in the organs of hearing or nerve fibers located nearby.In these cases, chronic nausea often occurs. These are pathologies such as trauma to the internal organs of hearing, ischemia of the vessels of these organs, purulent processes in them, Meniere’s disease and others.

Cardiovascular disorders

Frequent dizziness in a woman can be caused by menopause or menopause. In addition, there are cases when permanent vertigo occurs due to ailments of the heart and blood vessels, arrhythmias, diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, and sudden surges in blood pressure.

Psycho-emotional disorders

Psycho-emotional reasons are hidden in external factors. This is stress, intense excitement. An overly emotional woman, for example, may feel dizzy several times a day, becoming chronic. This condition is often aggravated by tachycardia, rapid breathing, weakness of the arms and legs.

What to do when you feel dizzy?

At the time of the attack, the person should be laid on the bed, put a wet towel on the forehead.Provide fresh air supply to the room. The patient should try to fix his gaze on one fixed object. You can give him a glass of water to drink. If such attacks are systemic in nature or do not go away for a long time, you should make an appointment with a doctor (at home).