What does it mean if you have a headache? Headache (cephalgia): why it appears, forms and their course, how to treat. The nature of such phenomena is explained by experts by the presence

Headaches, or cephalgia, are a fairly common symptom of many diseases and conditions.

It is believed that headaches are more common in women than in the stronger sex.

In this case, the causes of frequent headaches should be sought in the physiological characteristics of women, due to their more complex anatomical structure and functionality.

The main, but far from the only, cause of headaches in women under thirty years of age is considered to be hormonal fluctuations in the body.

They are associated with the functions of ovulation, gestation and childbirth.

It should be borne in mind that frequent headaches in women of different age groups are symptoms of pathological disorders.

Let's consider the important questions that most concern people: “Why do women often have headaches?”; types of cephalgia; ways to deal with pain.

Classification

There is an ICD 10 disease classifier. Cephalgia belongs to the International code R51.

According to the international classification of diseases, cephalalgia is divided into the following types:

vascular;
tension cephalgia;
vasomotor cephaly;
headache when using medications;
migraine;
post-traumatic headache.

Vascular headaches are considered the most common type of cephalalgia.

The pathology manifests itself in the form of throbbing pain with a sharp expansion or narrowing of blood vessels.

The causes of headaches with hypotension are increased blood flow, stretching of small arteries, poor outflow of blood (venous) from any part of the head.

The pain intensifies when tilting the head and lying down. Outflow improves in a standing position.

Pain can be caused by compression of the neck vessels (tight tie, prolonged tilt of the head down), stress, hypertension.

This type of cephalgia manifests itself in various pathologies of internal organs, neurocirculatory dystonia (NCD).

A characteristic feature of headaches with hypertension are the following factors: increase after exercise; occurrence after sleep; manifestation in the back of the head.

Stroke (hemorrhagic) is characterized by acute development of headache against the background of increased blood pressure.

The causes of pain are the accumulation of blood spilled from a blood vessel in any part of the brain

The nature of the pain is severe and unexpected, accompanied by vomiting, nausea, photophobia, and loss of consciousness.

Tension cephalgia occurs in many people. Frequent headaches of aching nature occur when working, sitting in an uncomfortable or incorrect position in the form of spasms of the muscles of the neck and head (scalp).

Prolonged muscle tension leads to stretching of the meninges and affects numerous nerve endings.

Such pain can be prevented by taking breaks from work and performing gymnastic exercises.

Vasomotor cephalgia manifests itself as pressure in any head area.

Frequent headaches are provoked by: tension in the muscles of the shoulders and neck; sedentary lifestyle; lack of rest; large doses of medications; smoking; stress.

A unilateral spasm of the blood vessels of the brain during migraine affects the trigeminal nerve, causing severe, unbearable headaches of a pulsating nature.

Migraines are often accompanied by vomiting and nausea. During attacks, the patient cannot tolerate noise or light.

Migraine is considered a neurological hereditary disease.

Causes

The main causes of headaches in women are pathological disorders and negative conditions.

Viral and infectious diseases.
Aneurysm.
High or low blood pressure.
Diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
Meningitis.
Intracranial pressure.
Nervous and physical overload.
Diseases of internal organs (genitourinary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal systems).
Trigeminal neuralgia.
Iron deficiency (anemia).
Optic nerve tension.
Temporal arteritis.
Apoplexy.
Cervical osteochondrosis.
Stress.
Traumatic brain injuries.
Eye diseases.
Inflammation or swelling of the brain.
Alcohol abuse.
Muscle strains.
Violation of sleep and eating patterns.
Oxygen starvation.
Tobacco smoking.
Strict diet.
Change of weather.
Heatstroke or sunstroke.
Fluid deficiency.
The impact of medications on the body (exceeding the norm).

The list of factors that provoke headaches is long. So why does cephalalgia often occur?

According to statistics, the frequency of headaches in women is higher than in men. The causes of frequent headaches are hidden in physiological differences.

Sharp changes in hormonal levels and organ function (increased load) occur during ovulation, at different stages of pregnancy, during the prenatal and postpartum periods.

Possible concomitant causes of headaches during these periods are chronic diseases.

The following factors contribute to the manifestation of cephalalgia:

tension and compression of the muscles of the skull;
irritation of the occipital or trigeminal nerve;
blood thickening (viscosity);
psychogenic;
eye diseases;
nasal infections.

One of the common types is muscle tension cephalgia (80% of the world's population).

It manifests itself as a result of prolonged muscle contraction and compression of blood vessels.

Blood flow decreases, and oxygen starvation of the muscles occurs, which leads to the accumulation of toxic substances and effects on the nerves.

They transmit a signal to the brain. The result is a constant headache.

With such cephalgia, pressure in the temporal or frontal part increases.

The duration of the discomfort depends on individual characteristics person and ranges from half an hour to several days.

Compression of blood vessels in the neck area manifests itself in the following symptoms:

low mobility of the neck muscles;
dull, stabbing or shooting pain;
vomit;
blurred vision;
dizziness;
ringing and tinnitus (should be differentiated from hypotension);
manifestation when tilting the head and (physical) loads.

The female population is more susceptible to irritation of the occipital or trigeminal nerve. Deterioration of blood flow and compression of the nerve leads to primary neuralgia.

Infectious diseases and the formation of tumors become the culprits of secondary neuralgia.

Pain occurs with neuropathic complications.

Of particular note is the cause of cephalalgia, such as blood viscosity. As the level of the liquid part of the blood (plasma) decreases and the red blood cells increase, viscosity increases.

Blood thickening occurs for the following reasons:

eating salty, sour, difficult to digest foods;
disruption of the structure of blood vessels and their inner lining;
liver dysfunction;
incomplete breakdown of food by enzymes;
deficiency of microelements and vitamins;
smoking;
food contamination with pesticides, toxins, insecticides;
increased spleen function;
abuse of strong alcoholic drinks;
increase in red blood cells;
adhesion of leukocytes, erythrocytes, formation of blood clots;
depressive state.

Chronic diseases, worms, and poor lifestyle negatively affect the systems that produce blood components and various hormones.

Accordingly, the effect is on viscosity. Thickened blood is poorly transported through the blood vessels and the main pump of the body - the heart - begins to work in increased mode.

When viscosity increases, the following conditions occur: unexpected headache; heaviness in the legs; varicose veins veins, nodes; dry mouth; frequent coldness of hands and feet; absent-mindedness; depression; despondency; general weakness; forgetfulness.

It is not always possible to detect increased blood viscosity during examination and medical history.

Sometimes the disorder is asymptomatic. To establish an accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive blood test, coagulogram, and hemoscanning.

During laboratory testing, the condition of blood vessels and blood clotting indicators are checked.

To determine the root cause of cephalgia, an electroencephalogram of the brain and computed tomography are prescribed.

Danger of thickening

Blood flow slows down due to body oxidation (red blood cells and platelets clumping together).

Blood viscosity increases and there is a danger of blood clots forming in the vessels and heart.

Thickened blood leads to the formation of blood clots. Blood microcirculation in small vessels, of which there are many in the head, legs, and arms, is disrupted.

There is a constant headache, coldness and numbness of the extremities.

In this state of affairs, fatigue increases, vision and memory deteriorate, weakness and drowsiness appear.

Things get even worse when large blood vessels are affected.

The formation of blood clots leads to atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart attack, and stroke.

Treatment

After conducting research and establishing a diagnosis, the doctor prescribes medications that strengthen blood vessels and thin the blood.

To strengthen the walls of blood vessels, the following drugs are prescribed:

vitamins C, B;
Aescusan;
Detralex;
Venarus;
Ascorutin.

The doctor prescribes blood thinning medications.

Warfarin or analogues.
Chimes.
Thrombo ACC
Cardiomagnyl.
Aspecarda.
Lospirin.
Aspirin Cardio.
Coumadin.

fruits (grapefruit, apples, pomegranate, all citrus fruits, lime);
seafood (crabs, mussels, squid, scallops);
sea fish;
cocoa, chocolate (dark);
berries (plum, raspberry, cherry, strawberry, blueberry, cranberry);
vegetables and grains (onions, garlic, fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, sprouted wheat grains, sunflower seeds, artichoke, beets, ginger, cinnamon).

You should exclude or limit the consumption of sugar, salt, smoked, fried, spicy foods, and marinades.

Useful video

Headaches are a very common problem, it is difficult to find a person who has never experienced it. Why does the head hurt: most often due to inflammation, circulatory disorders, muscle tension and other reasons that are caused by other diseases and disorders, headache is an indirect symptom. Headache develops independently within the framework of migraine, where it is not a symptom, but the basis of the disease.

Why does my head hurt - the main reasons.

A headache is unpleasant, it causes a lot of inconvenience and torment, but at the same time it is beneficial in nature. It signals that something is wrong somewhere in the body, sometimes warning us of very serious problems. If you experience systematic, unusual or very severe headaches, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination.

Inflammation affecting pain-sensitive brain structures. It occurs during infections and inflammations, such as encephalitis, meningitis. In this case, a headache is a signal of a very serious illness and it is necessary to consult a doctor in order to begin treatment on time. If you recently had a bad cold, walked around with a wet head in the cold, came into contact with sick people, or caught a tick, a severe headache is a very bad sign.
Intoxication is essentially poisoning. It disrupts the metabolism in the body, replacing necessary substances with harmful ones. This could be poisoning from volatile vapors or compounds, poisonous mushrooms or chemicals, and even alcohol.
Dilatation or tension of blood vessels - it usually appears with changes in atmospheric pressure in weather-sensitive people and with changes in blood pressure in people with hypertension and hypotension.
Increased intracranial pressure - it is associated with vascular activity and is often accompanied by nosebleeds. At the same time, after bleeding, the headache may go away, as the pressure has decreased.
Tumors - when a tumor occurs in the brain, it creates internal pressure on the skull, which causes headaches. Any tumors in the brain are very dangerous, even if they are benign; due to the limited space of the skull, they will put pressure on the brain structures and can damage them. A tumor may be the reason why you often have a headache.
Injuries - with injuries of any severity, it is quite normal to have a headache. These may include concussions, bruises, cracks in the skull bones and fractures. You might not even notice how you got injured, but a headache will definitely remind you of it.
Neuralgia - with disorders of a neuralgic nature, pain may occur for no reason. These are wandering pains that occur in different parts of the body and are not associated with organ disorders, but only with nerve endings.
Pinched nerve endings - in this case, pain in the head will radiate from the cervical region to the head and is more of a side symptom.
Psychological factors - due to stress, anxiety, overwork, a person develops tension in the cervical and shoulder regions, which impedes the flow of blood to and from the brain, as a result of which headaches may occur. IN chronic form this option looks like osteochondrosis; if you are constantly in an uncomfortable position and overexert yourself at work, then the headache can become chronic.
Migraines - the cause of a severe headache may be a migraine. This is an independent type of headache, it manifests itself in very severe pain, and additional symptoms: nausea, increased sensitivity to light, noise and smells, as well as possible visual disturbances: stars and zigzags jumping before the eyes, and blind spots. Many people suffer from migraines and are treated with medications and folk remedies.

How to treat headaches

Contact a neurologist - he will help you find out the cause of your headaches and either send you for further examination or provide you with treatment options.

Rest - if you have a headache during stress and overexertion, then you need to protect yourself from these stresses. Can help in this case and sedatives or infusions of chamomile, valerian or motherwort.

Massage - if the reason why your head hurts lies in tension in the neck and shoulders, then massage will help to relax them and restore blood circulation.

Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs - for headaches it is common to take pills, most often aspirin or analgin, but they may not cope with the cause or, on the contrary, be too strong. In this case, it is better to take more modern ibuprofen-based drugs.

Prevention - treat blood pressure disorders, colds and viruses in a timely manner, avoid stress and you can avoid headaches.

The phrase “headache” is used by people in almost all cases of ailment, so as not to explain for a long time what’s what, therefore headache (headache, cephalalgia, cephalgic syndrome) is a diagnosis for all occasions. Meanwhile, not all headaches are the same in origin, intensity, nature, location and duration. In this regard, finding out its cause often requires a large number of different analyzes and studies.

Why does there be pain in the head?

Why is the head so sensitive to all processes occurring in the body? This is explained by the presence of a large number of pain receptors located inside the skull (dura mater and its sinuses, large arterial vessels, meningeal arteries, V, VII, IX, X intracranial nerves, spinal cervical roots). Pain is also perceived by receptors that are located outside the skull (skin and tissue underneath, arteries, tendons, aponeuroses, oral and nasal cavities, teeth, middle ear). Only the superficial veins, the bones of the skull and the spongy substance of the bones of the cranial vault (diploe) remain indifferent in this regard.

Headache can be caused by any pathology that affects pain receptors and triggering the mechanism of development of cephalgia. Pain in the head is a symptom of many diseases, and sometimes it is the only symptom. In this regard, it is important to find out what kind of pain there is: squeezing, throbbing, bursting, squeezing, dull or sharp. Important criteria during diagnostic search are also:

Duration of pain (permanent or short-term);
Frequency of attacks ( headache that occurs frequently or occasionally);
Precursors signal an impending headache or the attack begins suddenly;
The presence or absence of neurological manifestations, dizziness, fluctuations in blood pressure, nausea and/or vomiting, visual disturbances and speech disorders;
Localization (temporal region, parietal, frontal or occipital pain, unilateral or covering the entire head).

In addition to the amazing variety of options for seemingly one symptom (GB), attacks vary in severity:

The pain can be mild, not particularly affecting the ability to work, just take a pill, lie down and everything goes away;
Moderate severity, which can be dealt with by various headache remedies (folk and medicinal);
In other cases, an attack can lead to incredible suffering, last painfully and for a long time, depriving a person not only of the joys of life, but also the opportunity to work.

Causes of cephalgia

Headache is caused by for various reasons, which also have a certain significance, because everyone knows that headache with an increase in temperature due to a cold will go away after recovery, while constant or frequently recurring episodic pain requires additional diagnostic methods.

The occurrence of cephalalgia may be due to:

Vascular mechanism - slowing blood flow, excessive intracranial, hypoxia;
Increased or decreased;
Tension of the muscles of the head and neck under excessive (static) loads and stress with activation of impulse transmission in neuromuscular synapses;
The impact of various pathological processes on nerve endings;
The combined action of the listed mechanisms.

The above pathogenetic mechanisms are triggered by certain factors that are considered the main causes of headaches:

Change in blood pressure as a result of increased sensitivity of brain vessels to lack of oxygen. Oxygen starvation is a provocateur and, naturally, a severe headache that accompanies it. Most often, headache associated with increased blood pressure is localized in the back of the head, but with high numbers, patients often note a knocking in the temples, nausea, dizziness, and visual disturbances;
The ratio of such factors like the temperature environment, humidity and air composition, atmospheric pressure, entails chain reaction disturbances in oxygen balance, which contributes to the occurrence of cephalgia, which especially affects people with;
Sudden change in weather conditions(flight from one climatic zone to another) causes meteotropic reactions, characterized not only by headache, but also by other symptoms. Nausea with vomiting, weakness, dizziness, cardialgia - a sign of disruption of biorhythms and stereotypes human body, which becomes uncomfortable when climate zones change. In addition, not only climate change, but also the flight itself may negatively affect the health of a person who already has vascular problems, so it becomes clear why hypertensive patients are not recommended to dramatically change climatic conditions, and even more so with the help of air transport;
Lack of physical activity(hypokinesia);
Stress, psycho-emotional and physical exercise, fasting.

Headache again... Frequent and chronic pain

The reasons for frequent headaches, when a person considers himself practically healthy, usually lie in an unhealthy lifestyle, when work in the office is so addictive that one forgets about going for walks. fresh air, the need to do physical exercise disappears, and the psycho-emotional background is not given due attention at all. Thus, the prerequisites for the occurrence of frequent headaches are:

- Hypoxia (oxygen starvation), which is doubly harmful for smokers, so there is no doubt that a “heavy, tired” head will remind you of itself day after day;
- Hypokinesia, developing into physical inactivity and leading to weakness, fatigue, weakness and... headaches;

Types of headaches according to international classification

The causes of headaches often determine their types and classification.

Excluding episodes of cephalalgia in healthy people, which occur from time to time simply due to overwork or lack of sleep, headache in ICD-11 is divided into primary and secondary. In addition, a separate (third) part includes a group represented by cranial neuralgia, central and primary pain and other headaches.

Variants of primary headache

TO primary cephalgia include:

Various options;
Tension headache (muscle tension, psychogenic factor, occipital neuralgia);
Extremely painful, truly “hellish” cluster headaches, which are called cluster headaches, as they occur in the form of a series of attacks (clusters, beams);
Other types of primary headaches.

Primary headaches that appear as a result of exposure to some irritants are sometimes difficult to attribute to one type or another. For example, idiopathic acute headache is most often caused by migraine, but may also have other origins. It occurs in the eye area, in the temples, in the parietal region, its duration is short-lived, just a few seconds (it stings and that’s it), its character is stabbing, it can appear sporadically or occur as a series of attacks.

Cold headaches, which are usually localized in the forehead, can be experienced when exposed to cold (weather, swimming in an ice hole, or even food such as ice cream). Headache radiating to the temples occurs with prolonged bronchitis (cough), and tension headaches in other cases can lie in wait at the most inopportune moment - during violent sexual contact. In general, all the reasons leading to primary cephalgia cannot be counted...

Causes of secondary cephalgia

Looks a little different secondary headache, which, being a consequence of a pathological process, usually does not take a person by surprise, since he already has a problem in the form of an underlying disease. Thus, a group of secondary headaches accompanying other diseases may be presented:

Post-traumatic cephalgia, which was the result of TBI (traumatic brain injury) and/or trauma to the cervical spine;
Pain in the head caused by vascular lesions of the head and neck;
HD in intracranial pathology of non-vascular origin;
Pain resulting from the use of certain medications or their sudden withdrawal;
HD caused by infectious diseases;
Cephalgia associated with a violation of the constancy of the internal environment;
Psychogenic cephalgia caused by diseases of internal organs;
Symptomatic headaches arising due to structural changes in the skull and cervical spine, disturbances in the organs of vision and hearing, pathology of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, dental diseases.

Sinus headache is secondary and occurs due to “non-brain factors”

The most common type is tension headache.

TTH is muscular in nature

Tension headaches (TTH) plague people of both sexes, regardless of age. This is the most common form, arising for a number of reasons that occur at every step. We can agree that it is difficult to protect yourself from anxiety, fatigue, calculate correctly physical activity and strictly follow all medical prescriptions. TTH can be triggered by factors in everyday life, which a person is not always able to prevent: a stuffy room, strong wind, transport, heavy lifting, alcohol and much more... And how varied are the reasons that caused the pain, so heterogeneous are its manifestations.

Patients compare the nature of cephalgia to having the head pulled together with a hoop, being in a vice or wearing a helmet, which indicates a tightening, squeezing (but not pulsating!) pain. Typically, tension headaches are monotonous, but each person has their own strength: mild, “tolerable” or painful, accompanied by other symptoms (irritability, nervous tension, weakness, intolerance to loud sounds and bright light). At the same time, with TTH, as a rule, there is no vomiting or nausea, and it does not have attacks.

In addition, headache is divided into episodic, lasting from half an hour to half a month (but no more than 6 months a year) and chronic, when the headache hurts for a week and does not go away, a second, a third, and in total it turns out that the person does not part with it. Chronic pain is monotonous, exhausting, leading to neuroses and depressive states; a person gets tired of it, he is not happy with life and, as they say, “the white light is not nice to him.” There is only one way out in a chronic situation - going to the doctor for examination and treatment. First, you can contact a family therapist, if you have one, or go to a clinic at your place of residence. Further treatment for headaches will most likely be done by a neurologist.

Cluster headache is a “privilege” of men

Cluster headache (CH) is a rare type of vascular headache, only 1% of people living on Earth know about it, and the vast majority (about 80%) are men. The female half has such “pleasure” extremely rarely, and only after complex surgical interventions caused by gynecological pathology.

Cluster or cluster headache is slightly reminiscent of widespread migraine, but it also has a number of differences, where the main one is considered to be a series of emerging attacks (clusters), which haunt a person from a day to a week, mainly at night. The attack lasts from half a minute, although it seems like an eternity, to several minutes, then the pain subsides for a short period of time (from 5 minutes to 1 hour) before resuming again. And so 5-6 times a night for several days. Cluster headache ends as suddenly as it begins, and after a series of attacks may not appear for several years, however, it is difficult for a person who has experienced incomparable, acute, “wild” headaches to forget about them. And sometimes it is even impossible to withstand them; in medical practice, there are cases of suicide caused by cluster headaches.

The causes of sharp headaches in such situations are not fully understood, just as the exact scheme of the mechanism of their development has not been found. Meanwhile, the assumption that the KGB sources are:

Dilatation of the carotid artery (vascular nature);
Irritation of the nerves behind the eyes, why there is pain in the eyes, which is considered characteristic feature cluster headaches;
Significant hormonal imbalance (structural changes in testosterone, the male sex hormone).

Describing their condition during an attack, patients mention sharp hot objects stuck into the eye and reaching all the way to the brain, torture, when the skin of a living person is torn off or dissolved in acid. In short, the symptoms of cluster headache are quite eloquent:

The blocked ear is quickly accompanied by a piercing acute headache “behind the eyes”;
The eyes turn red, tears flow;
stuffy nose;
Breaks into a sweat.

At the first attack, the pain is usually one-sided, but when repeated, it spreads to the entire head.

CBG does not require self-therapy, since traditional remedies for headaches are unlikely to give the desired effect, therefore, after surviving one night, it is better to visit a doctor (generalist or neurologist), who will determine the type, cause and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Cephalgia in children

For many years, it was believed that children rarely got headaches, although, as it turns out, this statement is not true. It’s just that young children are not able to correctly assess their sensations and indicate the location of pain. They are capricious, their temperature rises, and they may vomit, but, as a rule, adults attribute such manifestations to symptoms of infection, which is completely understandable, since infectious diseases also have this beginning.

Older children can describe feeling unwell in two words: “headache” and usually mark a place in the forehead. In most cases (more than 50%), these pains are of a vascular nature, caused by the presence. Migraine pain is considered a common occurrence. As it turned out, migraine often begins in childhood and in approximately 25% (of all headaches) causes severe headaches, from which girls suffer more.

Sinus headache in children is a common occurrence in the disease

Constant headaches plague children with various neurological pathologies. It “hurts” very much when simply touching the baby’s head with dropsy of the brain gives him a sharp headache.

Besides, sinusitis and sinusitis are often a complication of ARVI in children and subsequently can turn into constant headaches, which cannot be treated with pills very well.

The treatment of headaches in children is carried out by a pediatrician, or rather, a pediatric neurologist, who is sometimes called a cephalgologist. It should be noted that such a profession does not seem to exist at all, or it is so rare that it is the privilege of only large cities, however, it is clear that a cephalgologist is a neurologist specializing in the treatment of headaches. In such cases, adults go to their local doctor (general practitioner), who, if necessary, refers to a neurologist or other specialist, depending on the cause of headache.

Does pregnancy cause headaches?

Headache during pregnancy is a fairly typical phenomenon for this condition. In addition, headache and nausea in other cases are the first to tell a woman about upcoming changes in her life. In pregnant women, attacks of cephalalgia are caused, in general, by the same circumstances as in other people, however, it should be borne in mind that the body begins restructuring in order to prepare for childbirth, therefore it becomes especially sensitive and reacts more quickly to the environment.

Due to the changed hormonal influence, an increase in the volume of circulating blood necessary to provide nutrition to the fetus, fluid retention, especially in later, women often experience fluctuations in blood pressure, and, in addition, chronic diseases often worsen. For example, a migraine may progress, which already brings a lot of suffering, and in such a state leads to constant headaches.

It should be noted that “interesting position” can provoke the onset of migraine, that is, some women note that they considered themselves healthy, but began to experience severe headaches with the onset of pregnancy.

Many problems are caused by diseases of the spine, which also has to bear a significant load. Brain malnutrition, which often occurs with cervical osteochondrosis, is especially undesirable for a pregnant woman, as it leads to surges in blood pressure, that is, to symptoms. The repetition of such conditions has a negative impact not only on the well-being and health of the expectant mother, but also on the development of the fetus, which is unlikely to be comfortable from such stress.

Pregnant women feel the lack of fresh air especially acutely; they even know the smell of it, so they tolerate hypoxia extremely poorly. If a woman doesn’t walk much, leads a sedentary lifestyle, doesn’t watch her diet, and ignores moderate physical activity, is it any wonder that she often has a headache?

Meanwhile, frequent dizziness, nausea, vomiting and headache are considered symptoms of toxicosis and almost a natural state of a pregnant woman, referring to which one can miss a serious pathology. In this situation, a woman should not try to relieve a headache on her own, because this can harm the unborn child. The treatment of headaches during pregnancy is dealt with by a therapist or a neurologist (depending on the cause), and a consultation with these specialists is prescribed by a doctor (gynecologist) at the antenatal clinic, who observes the woman before giving birth.

Headache treatment

Cephalgia refers to those conditions that are said to you need to treat the cause, not the symptom.

Traditionally used ones (analgin, spasmalgon, paracetamol, askofen, etc.) help in cases of rare episodes of headache caused by some household reasons.

In other cases, it is necessary to treat a headache without forgetting about the underlying disease that caused it:

For a bursting headache in the occipital region, characteristic, act not only with antihypertensive drugs and medications that normalize the tone of arterial vessels, but also with other methods (massage, gymnastics, maintaining a sleep schedule, quitting smoking and drinking alcohol);
For treatment severe migraine headaches they use a number of drugs that are selected individually for each patient, since there is no clearly developed treatment regimen for this disease, since one is helped by vasodilators, and the other by vasoconstrictors;
Treat headache with cervical osteochondrosis localized in the back of the head and spreading to the forehead and temples, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with an analgesic effect (naproxen, ibuprofen, ketorol), simple analgesics, antispasmodics, muscle relaxants (tizanidine) help;
Take off headache due to neuralgia trigeminal nerve, often succeeds with carbamazepine and its analogues (finlepsin), phenibut, baclofen. By the way, the pain along the nerve (trigeminal) is very intense, usually burning, sharp and, like a cluster headache, suggestive of thoughts of suicide, so the intervention of a specialist in this situation is extremely necessary.

These are just a few examples; it is not possible to list all the medications for headaches, because each disease, the symptom of which is headache, requires its own approach, and regimens designed for long-term use must be indicated by the attending physician after examining the patient. In our home medicine cabinet we can only keep over-the-counter headache remedies designed to help a person who has a headache as a result of trivial circumstances.

Headaches can often be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers and lifestyle changes, such as getting more rest and drinking more large quantity liquids per day.

However, it is best to visit a doctor if the headache does not go away after taking over-the-counter pain relievers, or if the headaches are so frequent and painful that they interfere with a person's ability to carry out their daily duties or even force them to leave work.

Types of headaches

Tension headache

Tension headaches are one of the most common types of headaches that we tend to think of as “normal” and that generally do not cause us concern. A tension headache is a pain that affects both sides of the head and feels as if a band is tightly tied around the head.

Tension headaches are usually not so severe that they interfere with a person's ability to carry out daily activities. It usually lasts from 30 minutes to several hours, but may not last for several days.

The exact cause of tension headaches is unknown, but they can often be attributed to stress, poor posture, irregular eating habits, and dehydration.

Tension headaches can usually be easily relieved with common painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol. Lifestyle changes such as getting regular sleep, reducing stress levels and staying hydrated can also help combat tension headaches.

Migraine

Migraines are less common than tension headaches. A migraine headache is severe, throbbing, felt in the forehead or on one side of the head. Some people may have other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to sound or light.

Migraine is usually stronger than tension headache, so it often interferes with daily life person. Migraines usually last for at least several hours, and in some cases several days, forcing the person to spend this time in bed.

Most people successfully manage migraine symptoms with over-the-counter medications. But if your migraine is severe, prescription medications may be needed. They can relieve migraine symptoms and prevent their occurrence.

Cluster headache

Cluster headache is a rare type of headache that occurs over a period of a month or two at certain times of the year.

The headache of a cluster headache is extremely severe, causes pain around one eye, and often occurs accompanied by other symptoms (watery or red eyes, congestion or runny nose).

Medications do not relieve the symptoms of cluster headaches, but your doctor can recommend treatments to reduce the pain and prevent recurrences.

Cervicogenic headache

Cervicogenic headache is a so-called referred pain, which means that it is felt in the head, but its cause is in the cervical spine. The cause of cervicogenic headache is always a problem with cervical region spine.

Cervicogenic headaches are often caused by excessive strain on the neck. Cervical headache can occur due to osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, spondylosis, etc. whiplash injury to the neck. Bone structures (eg, facet joints) as well as soft tissues of the neck (eg, muscles) may also contribute to cervicogenic headaches.

Cervicogenic headache is an aching pain that often extends to the neck and the area between the shoulder blades. Pain from cervicogenic headaches can also be felt in the forehead, back of the head and temple, despite the fact that the problem is in the cervical spine.

Cervicogenic headache pain often begins after a sudden movement of the head, such as after sneezing. In addition to headaches and pain in the back of the head, cervicogenic headaches may include symptoms such as neck stiffness, pain in one or both arms, as well as symptoms characteristic of migraines, namely nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, increased sensitivity to sound or light (cervical migraine).

Most problems in the cervical spine are diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a study that provides high-quality detailed images of not only bone, but also soft tissue of the spine (muscles, ligaments, nerves, intervertebral discs) in several projections. In addition, when diagnosing the cause of cervicogenic headaches, nerve conduction studies may be used to determine whether there is damage to nerve tissue and, if so, how severe it is.

Treatments for cervicogenic headaches vary depending on the cause. Often these are standard methods of treating problems with the cervical spine, for example, horizontal traction (extension) of the spine, physiotherapy, different kinds therapeutic massages, painkillers and hirudotherapy. In rare cases, surgery may be considered.

Headache caused by painkillers and other medications

Sometimes the headache may be side effect taking a certain medicinal product. Frequent headaches may be a consequence of taking painkillers too often.

Headache caused by abuse medicines, usually goes away within a few weeks after the person stops taking the drug that causes it, although it is sometimes preceded by a few days of worsening headaches.

Headaches caused by hormonal imbalances

Headaches in women are often caused by hormones, for example, many women notice a connection between headaches and menstruation. Taking hormonal birth control, menopause and pregnancy can also potentially cause headaches.

Reducing psychological stress and improving your sleep and eating patterns can help manage headaches associated with your menstrual cycle.

Other causes of headaches

Headaches can also occur for a number of other reasons, including:

drinking too much alcohol;
head injury or concussion;
colds, flu;
problems with the temporomandibular joints;
sinusitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses;
carbon monoxide poisoning;
Sleep apnea syndrome is a condition in which the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep, interfering with the normal breathing process.

More serious causes of headaches

In the vast majority of cases, a headache is not a sign of a serious problem. However, in rare cases, a headache may be a symptom of a stroke, meningitis, or a brain tumor.

The following signs and symptoms should alert you and prompt you to seek medical help as soon as possible:

The headache occurs suddenly and is very severe, such as you have never experienced before;
The headache does not go away, but only gets worse over time;
Headache appears after severe head injury;
Headache occurs suddenly, after coughing, sneezing, laughing, changing position or physical activity;
You have symptoms that may indicate problems with the brain or nervous system, including weakness, slurred speech, disturbances of consciousness, memory loss and drowsiness;
You have symptoms such as fever, rash, jaw pain when chewing, vision problems, scalp pain, and redness in one or both eyes.

What to do?

If you often have headaches, you need the help of a doctor.

A headache is not only an exhausting feeling of discomfort that interferes with a person’s full existence, but also a specific symptom that indicates the development or presence of serious brain diseases. Primary short-term cephalalgia caused by overwork or the influence of external irritants does not cause concern, but the occurrence of constant painful sensations in the back of the head, temples or pain that covers the entire head should be alarming.

Often, constant headaches are accompanied by a decrease in activity, memory and thinking, and weakness, which negatively affects overall well-being and lifestyle. That is why it is important to establish the exact cause of the pain syndrome in order to promptly begin treatment or take preventive measures to localize it.

Causes of constant headaches

Medical experts identify the main causes of persistent headaches depending on the type of pathological process:

dysfunction of the central nervous system caused by hemorrhage or tumors of various origins in the cerebral cortex;
changes in intracranial or blood pressure caused by internal pathologies or external factors(For example, poor nutrition, overwork, stress, injury);
lack of oxygen access to the brain and poor circulation;
toxicosis in pregnant women or toxic poisoning by harmful chemical substances;
metabolic and hormonal disorders;
consequences of TBI;
viral and infectious diseases.

Pain that becomes constant may be a symptom of the following serious diseases:

arterial hypertension – characterized by pain in the temples and back of the head;
tumors of the central nervous system of various types - dull pressing pain is concentrated at the location of the tumor;
diabetes mellitus – caused by insufficient blood supply and oxygen starvation of the brain;
or acute sinusitis - almost constant bursting pain, increasing with turns and tilts of the head.

Many experts classify it as a disease accompanied by constant cephalalgia. In fact, with migraines, the pain is protracted or episodic, and the duration and severity of attacks depends on the condition of the blood vessels in the brain.

Why headache pills no longer help

The wide range of medications in pharmacies and the incompetence of pharmacists who advise “effective” tablets quite often lead to the fact that a patient suffering from constant cephalgia refuses to visit the doctor. He begins to self-medicate, and at first he focuses on taking painkillers, thereby aggravating an already serious condition.

Indiscriminate use of analgesics and other painkillers can both dull the symptoms of dangerous diseases and cause complications of pathological processes, contribute to the syndrome of addiction and intoxication of the body.

Addiction syndrome occurs as a result of frequent use of such drugs, when the usual dose does not relieve pain and it is necessary to increase it to achieve an effect. In a short period of time, harmful substances accumulate in the blood, and intoxication of the body occurs, which aggravates the patient’s condition and in most cases requires hospitalization. This condition leads to a decrease in immunity and increases the risk of a weakened patient contracting severe viral infections.

Getting used to painkillers contributes to the frequency of attacks of cephalalgia and their duration, as a result of which the patient takes the drugs again and again. His condition worsens, due to depression of the central nervous system, the activity of serotonin cells and reflexes responsible for pain decreases, interest in everything that happens is lost, the person is constantly in a depressed mood.

If you begin to take painkillers every day and there is no relief from the condition, you must urgently consult a doctor who will prescribe a course of treatment that involves not only neutralizing the true cause of the headache, but also removing accumulated toxins.

If the headache becomes permanent and there is a tendency to worsen it, you should consult a doctor. The primary examination is carried out by a therapist, determines the nature of the pain, and also prescribes laboratory tests, ultrasound and MRI of the brain if necessary. It is extremely important to provide him with information about chronic diseases, which can cause constant cephalalgia, as well as a calendar with marks of the frequency and duration of attacks. Based on the results obtained, the therapist makes a conclusion about the causes of constant pain and, depending on the diagnosis, refers to a specialist, for example, a neurologist, cardiologist, immunologist or oncologist.

Pain caused by pathological changes in the cerebral cortex must be treated with medication or surgery. In the absence of indications for surgical intervention The patient is given a course of treatment and physiological procedures, the duration of which depends on the nature of the disease.

If the headache does not go away, and there is no way to see a doctor, you can relieve the attack in one of the simple but effective ways:

prepare a decoction of chamomile or lavender, drink it and try to fall asleep in complete silence;
make a compress by diluting a drop of lavender or mint essential oil in water room temperature, moisten a towel in the resulting liquid and apply it to your temples and forehead;
make movements from the crown to the ears, forehead to the back of the head, temporal zone, while the head should be slightly tilted forward;
ensure free access of oxygen to the room, constantly ventilating the rooms, and, if possible, go out into fresh air more often.

If the cause of persistent cephalgia is known, then medications can be used to relieve the attack. This should be done with caution, strictly observing the dosage of the medicine. For example, with increased intracranial or blood pressure, diuretics are prescribed; for vertebral artery syndrome and vegetative-vascular dystonia, vasodilators can be taken.

The use of traditional anesthetics (analgin, aspirin or ibuprofen) can temporarily relieve pain, but their constant use or exceeding recommended doses can lead to addiction and significantly aggravate the condition. It is not recommended to take these drugs for pregnant women and children. For minor painful sensations It is better for them to resort to natural antioxidants: natural juices, fresh fruits and vegetables.

In addition to the methods described, it is necessary to limit the consumption of foods that provoke vascular spasms - spicy, fried and smoked foods, chocolate, sausages, nuts and spices. You should also avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.

Headache prevention

Drug treatment of diseases accompanied by cephalgia significantly alleviates the patient’s condition, but we must not forget about preventive measures that prevent the development of pain. To do this, you should perform the following activities:

Correct daily routine with full daytime rest and walks in the fresh air. Night sleep should last at least 8 hours in a well-ventilated room.
Take breaks more often during the work day if you have to be at the computer for a long time.
Create a balanced menu in which foods that cause vascular spasms are replaced with wholesome and healthy foods.
Engage in recreational activities and sports that have a positive effect on your mood (such as roller skating or ice skating) if symptoms of depression occur.
Use essential oils, but you need to be careful with the choice of flavor and dosage so as not to get the opposite effect.
Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking.
If the result of constant pain is osteochondrosis, then you need to purchase an orthopedic pillow and mattress.
Periodically take warm baths with a decoction of medicinal herbs.

Is something bothering you? Illness or life situation?

Each of the described measures has a beneficial effect on the blood vessels of the head and the functioning of the body as a whole, but their comprehensive, constant implementation greatly increases the effectiveness of prevention and allows you to forget about headaches for a long time.