Most of us had it many times, headaches is a nuisance that’s relieved by an over-the-counter pain reliever, headaches are severe or unusual, then you might worry about stroke, a tumor, or a blood clot. However, these problems are rare, still if you should know the urgency of a headache and how to control the vast majority of headaches that are not threatening to your health.
No doctor exactly know and understand what causes most headaches, they know about the brain tissue and the skull are never responsible since they don’t have nerves that register pain. Headaches are often treated like taxes or bad weather: a minor annoyance that we have to put up with. Surprisingly, there are more than 150 different kinds of headaches and it can be difficult to know if what you are going through is normal or a warning sign that something else serious is going on.
According to the International Headache Society took out the latest classification system for headache as there are so many people suffer from headache, and the treatment is difficult sometimes, the Society has hoped that the new classification system would help health care professionals that make a more specific diagnosis. The Headache Society recommends health-care professionals to consult the guidelines to make certain of the diagnosis. The three major categories of headache back upon the source of the pain:
1. Primary headaches
2. Secondary headaches
3. Cranial neuralgias, facial pain, and other headaches.
There are guidelines notes that a patient has symptoms consistently with more than one type of headache, and more than one type of headache can occur as the other ones.
Recurring headaches
Chronic headaches are defined as headaches that occur 15 days or more per month for more than three months. They can disrupt your daily life and be difficult to manage without medical advice.
See a doctor if you regularly have two or more headaches a week and the symptoms interfere with your daily activities. There are many possible underlying causes. They range from simple tension headaches to serious brain problems.
Your doctor will be able to determine the most likely cause and the best treatment. He or she will help you identify the factors that trigger your headaches and make changes to your daily routine to reduce your symptoms.
Persistent Headaches
A long-lasting headache can be a miserable experience that often leads to missed days of work or school. However, it is generally not a cause for concern in itself.
Although a persistent headache is not automatically a sign of a serious underlying condition, it can be a sign of a head disorder. You should seek professional advice if you have a headache that lasts more than a week.
If you have difficulty functioning in daily life or if you need to take frequent medication to manage pain, talk to your doctor.
Changes in personality or mental function
If you or someone else has a severe headache, confusion, weakness or loss of coordination, seek emergency medical help immediately. These symptoms may be warning signs of an attack.
Knowing the signs and symptoms of a stroke will help you know what to look for. If a person has difficulty walking and talking, or if they have trouble speaking, take them to the emergency room immediately. An untreated stroke can cause irreversible brain damage.
Your doctor will be able to perform an emergency assessment. Treatment varies depending on the type of stroke.
Intense pain
If you have a headache that you describe as the worst in your life, you should see a doctor immediately. Sudden, severe headaches (often called thunderstorm headaches) are not always severe, but they can be a sign of a life-threatening condition.
A sudden, severe headache may indicate an aneurysm or bleeding in the brain. Other signs include blurred vision, loss of consciousness and seizures. An untreated aneurysm can lead to coma or death.
Only about 10% of thunderclap headaches are caused by bleeding in the brain, but a doctor should be consulted immediately. A doctor may order a CT scan to rule out an aneurysm or give treatment if necessary.
Headache with fever and stiff neck
If you have a fever and stiff neck in addition to a severe headache, you may have meningitis. Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord. Other symptoms include muscle pain, vomiting, drowsiness and a skin rash.
Meningitis requires immediate medical attention. Some forms of the disease will resolve on their own, but bacterial meningitis progresses rapidly and can lead to severe long-term disability or death.
If you think you or someone else has meningitis, seek medical help immediately. Your doctor will determine what treatment is needed.
Headaches after a blow to the head
Head injuries should always be assessed by a health care professional. Even if the injury appears minor, they must rule out serious damage that may not be immediately obvious.
A headache after a blow to the head may not be serious, but it may indicate that you have suffered a concussion or other brain injury. In this case, tests and scans must be done to determine the severity.
Symptoms of a concussion include loss of consciousness, dizziness, nausea and confusion. If you think someone has suffered a concussion, take them to the emergency room immediately. If you are the affected person, have someone drive you there. Do not drive yourself.
You may experience symptoms such as headaches and difficulty concentrating for months after the initial injury. These symptoms usually disappear with time and rest, but they should be monitored. Your doctor can help you manage these symptoms.
Headaches with nausea and vomiting
It is not uncommon for occasional nausea and vomiting to accompany a bad headache, especially if you suffer from a migraine. Migraines are usually associated with symptoms such as blurred vision and dizziness that can lead to nausea and vomiting. These symptoms are unpleasant and sometimes debilitating, but they are usually not life-threatening and disappear with time and treatment.
If you experience frequent vomiting that lasts more than a day or two, it is best to consult a doctor. Continuous vomiting can cause dehydration, which can lead to serious complications.
When to worry about a headache
If your headache lasts for a long time, keeps coming back or interferes with your life in general, you should consult a health care professional to help you manage your discomfort. If you or someone close to you is suffering from a very severe headache or has additional symptoms such as confusion and loss of consciousness, it may be an emergency.
