Headaches

Headache is a very common complaint of patients, at least in my practice. People are very worried about headaches for varied reasons: a hypertensive friend who had frequent headaches suddenly had a stroke, a friend who had headaches and was found out to have a brain tumor or a relative who died from aneurysm and complained of sudden intolerable headache. Most of these patients would want me to request for a brain CT or an MRI to see if there's something wrong with their brains.

Most of us have experienced having headaches once in a while. Others though have them almost every day. When headaches become so painful or so frequent, that's when we start to worry: could it be a symptom of a brain tumor or a warning sign of an impending stroke? How do you tell?

Chronic Headaches. The longer you've been suffering from headaches, the less likely it is that they indicate serious condition. When you suffer headaches for a period of several years with no change in intensity and no other symptoms, chances are they're harmless. There are different types of chronic headaches. Tension and Migraine Headaches.

Tension Headaches. This usually feels like a tight band around the head or a pain all over the head. This type of headache is frequent after a stressful day or improper body mechanics. Usually, it is brought about by tension due to emotional stress or problems. It is caused too by muscular spasms which produce tension in the muscles of the neck and head.

Migraine Headaches. This type of headache is much worse on one side and sometimes centered around or behind the eye. Some people see lights and different colors moving across their field of vision several minutes before the headache starts, we call this aura. Migraine headaches can be very excruciating. I had one patient who would bang her head on the wall attempting to get relief in the process. As common as it is, the etiology of migraine is still unknown, however, there is a great chance of having it when it runs in the family.

There are headaches that needs to be evaluated and warrant work- up. These three specific type of headaches should be evaluated by physicians.

Thunderclap headaches. This is a sudden and severe type of headache. This may be caused by rupture of an aneurysm or a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Aneurysms are weak areas in blood vessels which may rupture at any time. There are thunderclap headaches which are harmless, but, just the same, it is better to consult.

Some viral infections have headache as one of prodromal symtoms. When one has fever due to virus or bacteria, it maybe accompanied by headache.

There are a number of conditions that people fear:

Brain tumors. Headaches are not the very first sign of a brain tumor. Difficulty writing or speaking. weakness or clumsiness in a limb, epileptic seizures may signal trouble. Most headaches experienced by those with brain tumors are mild or sometimes non-existent.

High blood pressure. High blood pressure is a very uncommon cause of headache. Most hypertensives are asymptomatic that's why worldwide it is known as the "silent killer".

Stroke. People worry that severe headache is a stroke or will lead to one. This is not true. Symptoms of a stroke depend on which part of the brain is damaged. Neurologic symptoms such as weakness on one side or trouble with speech are common.

When you have headache, best thing to do is REST. When rest doesn't help, take a pain reliever such as Mefenamic Acid or Paracetamol. If troubles worry you much... try to find ways to solve your problems or see someone who is willing to listen.