Headache is a very common medical problem. Nearly 25% of females and 8% of males in general suffer from headaches at some point in their life.

More than 90% of headaches are due to migraine. However headaches are also caused due to tensions and due to wrong lifestyle practices. If headaches are not treated and managed at the right time they can also complicate into - brain like hemorrhage, meningitis, brain tumors, etc.

Any new onset headache should be taken seriously as it could be because of a serious brain illness.

Common myths associated with headaches:
It's because of acidity - headaches are not caused due to acidity or'gas, as popularly highlighted.
Headaches could only be because of sleepless nights - they could be because of any strain on your body. Eyesight, tension, nasal issues, flu are few reasons.
Headaches are only because of tension - they could be because of a number of reasons, tension could be just one factor.
Headaches can be cured by self medication - persistent headaches need to be addressed by specialists. Ignoring the signs and symptoms can lead to complications.

Common symptoms of migraine are:
One sided or whole head pain
Head pain accompanied with nausea or vomiting
Irritation with loud noise and bright lights.
Increase in headache with even slight movement of head.

Reasons of headaches:
Migraine or headache episodes can be triggered due to the following reasons:
Irregular meal timings
Improper sleep
Excessive mental stress
Excessive alcohol intake
Due to intake of certain food items like red wine, chocolates, cheese, preservatives
Change of weather season
Excessive heat or cold

If headaches occur more than 1 or 2 times in a month, then medical attention becomes important. Headaches take away precious working hours from our routine, reduce your efficiency and can make you vulnerable to excessive consumption of pain killers. At a certain point of time even pain killers stops working. It is essential that you consult a specialist for medical advice and a holistic lifestyle management. Ignoring the same can lead to complications such as loss of vision &amp; paralysis of the body- after all your body's health, balance and maintenance is in your hands!

Headache- It's Better You Consult a Specialist on Time

One of the main reasons of a severe headache is a prolonged toothache. Toothaches are extremely painful and can prevent you from enjoying your food. It becomes difficult to speak if toothache is unbearable.

Causes of Toothache:

Tooth decay.

Tooth fracture resulting from an accident.

A painful infection at the root of your teeth or your gums. This is known as tooth abscess.

Chewing gum continuously and grinding the teeth.

How does toothache cause headache?

Sometimes, a tooth becomes very inflamed and since the nerve endings are connected to the brain, this, in turn makes the pain travel to different parts of your head. Generally, people with bad cavities or caries have major headaches and migraines.

The inside of a tooth consists of a pulp. This pulp can get infected. If this tooth happens to lie in the upper jaw, then the pain is transferred to the head which can cause a severe headache.

Headaches can also be caused by TMJD (Temporomandibular joint dysfunction). This usually occurs spreading from the face, jawline and neck right up to the head. In extreme cases, the jaws might be locked up and it makes clicking or grinding noises. Misalignment of the teeth can be a cause by TMJD which in turn affects the head greatly.

Treatments:

If you are detected with TMJD, your jaws need to be healed, first thing you should do is to visit an expert dentist in order to get the underlying cause of toothache treated. It is always recommended to get a proper treatment started, do not emphasize the use of self-medications.
If the headache persists due to toothache, it is advisable to take a painkiller as prescribed by your dentist.
Use an ice pack or a towel dipped in cold icy water, and hold it against the area of toothache. Do not put ice directly on your tooth as it might increase the pain ten folds due to tooth sensitivity.
You can also apply numbing gel so that your tooth stops hurting. This in turn, will make your headache reduce.
Toothache is also caused by small amounts of food which get stuck inside your teeth or between your gums, so it is necessary to clean your teeth thoroughly and floss it regularly to avoid toothache.
Avoid chocolates and sweets. If you still get a cavity, you should visit your dentist immediately.
Dental abscess also causes headache. In this situation, a root canal treatment is recommended.

How Toothache And Headache Are Related?

Everybody has experienced headaches at some time or other in their lives. It is the most common pain which one suffers from and usually goes away on its own without any treatment. In rare cases, this pain may be a sign of a serious medical condition and you need to see a specialist for headaches. Normally headaches which are moderate or severe in nature and are not responsive to over-the-counter pain relievers are a cause of concern.

However, here are some signs that can be warnings that should not be ignored:

It occurs more than three times per month
Headache with nausea and vomiting
Headache with fever
Headache with pain in the eye or ear
Headache accompanied by other neurological symptoms such as seizures or change in vision, numbness, and difficulty with speech or weakness
It awakens you from sleep
A sudden headache that feels like explosion or thunderclap
It causes confusion or loss of consciousness
Headache after head injury
Headaches beginning after the age of 50
The reason why you need to see a specialist in such cases is first to identify the cause of headache and then to get a pain management plan accordingly. The pain management specialist doctors have completed additional training and have additional certification in treating headaches. They may also work in a clinic dedicated to treating headaches. This empowers them to identify the cause of headache accurately. You might be surprised that headaches can be caused due to simple reason like dehydration or in some cases be an early sign of a life threatening brain tumor.

Pain management plans offered by the specialist
Depending on the signs and symptoms of your headache the pain management specialist will guide you if you have tension headaches, migraine headaches, or cluster headaches and treat it appropriately.

Tension headache   These are the most common headaches caused due to the stress of day to day living and the specialist will mostly treat it with a prescription of over the counter pain medication and sometimes meditation too.
Migraine headache - A person with a migraine headache has a more severe headache pain and may also experience sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and vomiting. Hence along with medication the specialist will guide you to keep a journal of the possible triggers and help you eliminate them.
Cluster headache - Cluster headaches typically occur on one side of the head and are quite rare. They are more painful and usually will not respond to over-the-counter medication. People with cluster headaches usually have to take medication every day to prevent their headaches, because they are difficult to stop once they have started and they are utterly incapacitating.
What the specialist will actually do for your headache depends not just on the type of headache but also its cause and severity. So reach out to a specialist if you have any of the above mentioned signs and symptoms for an accurate diagnosis and to recover sooner.

When To See A Specialist For Headache?

What is it?

Headache is a pain in any part of the head, including the scalp, upper neck, face (including the eye area).

A primary headache is caused by problems with or overactivity of pain-sensitive structures in your head. A primary headache isn't a symptom of an underlying disease.

What are the causes and triggers?

The three most common causes of a primary headache are:

1. Cluster headache
2. Tension-type headache
3. Migraine

Some primary headaches can be triggered by lifestyle factors, including:

1. Alcohol, particularly red wine
2. Certain foods, such as processed meats that contain nitrates
3. Changes in sleep or lack of sleep
4. Poor posture
5. Skipped meals
6. Stress
Doctors focus on determining whether a headache has another cause. They also check for symptoms suggesting that a headache is caused by a serious disorder. If no cause is identified, they focus on identifying which type of a headache is present.

Tips that could help before seeking consultation:

1. Try to keep stress in check. Stay organized and prepared to minimize stressful situations. Have some fun, and don't overdo it at work.
2. Try incorporating meditation or yoga in your daily regime
3. Apply a heating pad, hot water bottle or warm compress to aching muscles. Or take a hot shower.
4. Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the neck.
5. Practice good posture to ease muscle strain. While standing, keep shoulders back and head level, buttocks, and abdomen pulled in. While sitting, keep your head straight and thighs parallel to the floor.
When to seek consultation?

In people with headaches, certain characteristics are cause for concern; these people should immediately seek medical consultation:

   1. It occurs more frequently than usual
   2. Are more severe than usual
   3. Worsen or don't improve with appropriate use of over-the-counter drugs
    4. Prevent you from working, sleeping or participating in normal activities
    5. Headaches that cause you distress, and you would like to find treatment options that enable you to control them better
    6. Tenderness at the temple (as when combing hair) or jaw pain when chewing
    7. The presence of cancer or a disorder that weakens the immune system
    8. Use of a drug that suppresses the immune system
    9. Red eyes and halos seen around lights
   10. If you are experiencing certain other symptoms like- headaches that increase in frequency or severity, headaches that begin after age 50, worsening vision, weight loss

A headache can be a symptom of a serious condition, such as a stroke, meningitis or encephalitis. Go to a hospital emergency room or your local emergency number if you have the worst headache of your life, a sudden, severe headache or a headache accompanied by:    
   1. Confusion or trouble understanding speech
   2. Fainting, drowsiness, confusion
   3. High fever, greater than 102 f to 104 f (39 c to 40 c)
   4. Numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of your body
   5. Stiff neck
   6. Trouble seeing, speaking or walking
   7. Nausea or vomiting (if not clearly related to the flu or a hangover)

If people with none of the above symptoms or characteristics start having headaches that are different from any they have had before or if their usual headaches become unusually severe, they should call their doctor.

Doctors can usually determine the type or cause of headaches based on the medical history, symptoms, and results of a physical examination. Depending on their other symptoms, the doctor may advise taking an analgesic or ask them to come for an evaluation.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.

Headache - Certain facts one should know

Almost everyone these days is familiar with headaches. The throbbing pain that invades your headspace when you are in the middle of your meeting or work   where you need to focus. It is unforgiving and a big nuisance.

Mostly common conditions like fatigue, lack of sleep, stress, sinus and migraine cause pain in the head. But recent studies show that high blood pressure, or what is commonly known as hypertension, may also lead to severe headaches. Most of the time high blood pressure do not exhibit any symptoms and hence is referred to as  the silent killer . More often than not people do not even realize how a mild headache can be a result of hypertension.

The Link between Hypertension and Headaches
Hypertension or high blood pressure usually occurs when the force of the blood flow in the arteries increase. A headache resulting from high blood pressure usually affects both sides of the head, particularly the temple regions. One major and common cause of high blood pressure is stress. Although people may not be able to find a relationship between the two, one may experience mild but steady pain throughout the head particularly in the forehead or at the back of the head. 

In high blood pressure, a palpitating sensation in the temple region often accompanies the sensation of pain in the head. Pain in the temple region is usually accompanied by mild headaches for which you should seek medical attention. Hypertensive emergency is normally considered when the blood pressure reaches above 180/110. Besides headaches, high blood pressure can also take a serious toll on your health leading to stroke or heart attack, if not treated on time.

There are three types of hypertension conditions that are followed by mild to severe headaches:

Malignant Hypertension- Sudden or rapid increase in blood pressure causes malignant hypertension, which requires medical attention. This is more common among young adults and women with pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension- This condition is characterized by increased blood pressure around the brain and is commonly diagnosed with symptoms like vision problems, shoulder pain, thumping noise in the ears, nausea, and severe headaches almost every day.
Hypertensive Encephalopathy- An extreme version of elevated blood pressure, can cause swelling in the brain, severe headaches that may worsen, nausea, dizziness, seizures and even coma.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can be deadly, and is more common among smokers and older people. The condition can be controlled by adopting certain dietary measures- diet rich in vegetables and fruits, but low in fat, salt, sugary and sweetened beverages, and red meat. However, with proper medications and a balanced diet, one may be able to keep their blood pressure in check. Once the blood pressure normalizes, the headache also disappears in no time.

High Blood Pressure And Headache - Is There A Relationship?

Mind your headaches (All about headaches)

Headaches and migraines are one of the most common types of pains that patients can face. There are many types of headaches that may afflict people and there are a number of reasons that can be attributed as their cause.

Let's look at some of the types of headaches and their causes:

Facial headaches

This is an ache, which is usually centered on the face, the crown, and the forehead. In this headache, movements of the head and face may also cause problems.

Causes: The main cause for facial headaches tends to be sinusitis, a condition in which the cavities in the skull get blocked. Sinusitis may also happen due to a cold as this has often been accompanied by a runny nose as well.

Treatments: The best treatment for this issue would be to treat the underlying condition, i.e. the cold or the blockages. Using the prescribed variety of decongestants and inhalers can vastly improve the situation.

Migraines

This is an intense pain on one side of the head that can last for a few hours to a few days. Most of the pain is sometimes centered behind the eye, and many people report extreme sensitivity to light as well as sound. It can be debilitating to some people who suffer from a severe form of it.

Causes: Migraines are one of the most complicated problems to diagnose and there can be a variety of reasons for it. Triggers may include food or lack of it and also be caused by other underlying physiological reasons.

Treatments: Although there are certain painkillers, which are available, it is best to consult a doctor to know the root cause and thus, avoid the triggers or take appropriate medicines if necessary.

Tension Headaches

These headaches are induced by periods of stress, anxiety, anger and other mental distresses.

Causes: These headaches are a result of stress, which may result in the decrease of the blood flow to the brain due to the stiffening of the head and neck muscles.

Treatments: Over the counter drugs such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can help improve them, but it is better to consult a physician before undertaking self-medication.

Cluster Headaches

These are the most potent form of headaches that can be very painful. They usually originate as a piercing pain in the head with pressure on the eye and can even lead eye inflammation, and watery and droopy eyes.

Causes: Certain neural functions originating from the hypothalamus can cause this issue and this type of headache may be triggered by alcohol, smoking or other forms of strong smells.

Treatments: Generic painkillers may not be able to correct the issue quickly enough and this may require the administering of special injections or nasal sprays.



All You Need To Know About Headaches

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