Headache is a common symptom of several medical conditions that most people will experience. Often these are not dangerous, but certain types can indicate a serious underlying condition.
Care and management for headaches at the dental clinic in Easton usually depend on the type and cause. Let us delve into headache, its causes, types, and symptoms.
What is a headache?
A headache is a pain in your head or face that is often described as a pressure that is throbbing, persistent, sharp, or dull. Headaches can differ greatly regarding pain type, severity, location, and frequency.
What are the types of headaches?
Several types of headaches are broadly classified into primary and secondary.
Primary headache
- Tension headache
- Migraine
- Cluster headache
Secondary headache
- Dehydration headache
- Sinus headache
- Medication overuse headache
- Spinal headache
- Thunderclap headache
What causes headaches?
Headache pain results from signals interacting with your brain, blood vessels, and surrounding nerves. Multiple mechanisms activate specific nerves that affect muscles and blood vessels. These nerve endings send pain signals to your brain causing a headache.
Risk factors:
- Family history
- Certain foods like caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, fermented foods
- Exposure to allergens
- Secondhand smoke
- Strong odors
- Poor posture
- Lack of sleep
- Skipped meals
- Strenuous physical activity
- Flu and the common cold
What are the symptoms of a headache?
Headache symptoms often depend on the type of headache. These may include:
- Dull, or sharp shooting pain
- Slow or sudden onset
- Irritability
- Sleep disturbances
- Mood swings
- Radiating pain to the neck and back of your head
- Poor concentration
- Nausea
- Vomiting
How is a headache treated?
The goal of treatment for a headache is to stop its onset. Effective treatment options depend on the type and cause of the headache. Gese include:
Conservative Approach
- Avoid known triggers like fasting lack of sleep or certain foods
- Change your eating habits. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, and do not skip your meals
- Get proper sleep
- Exercise regularly
- Manage stress through meditation or Yoga
Medication
- Abortive medicines that act on specific receptors in the nerves and blood vessels to stop a headache in progress
- Rescue medicines
- Preventive medicines to reduce the onset of headaches
When should you call a doctor for a headache?
Most headaches can be managed through conservative methods. However, call your doctor right away if you have a severe headache, accompanied by:
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Convulsion
- Confusion
- Breathing issues
- Muscular weakness
- Double vision
Keynote
Headaches are common and can be easily managed. However, if your headaches are interfering with your daily routine or affecting your mood it is important to seek medical help.
