Headache (cephalgia): why it appears, forms and their course, how to treat. What does it mean when you often have a headache? Variety of cephalalgia: how a headache can manifest itself

If you often have a headache– this is the result of stress, chronic fatigue, traumatic brain injury, a symptom of metabolic and hormonal disorders, viral and infectious pathologies. Medications, a set of simple exercises, and adherence to a daily routine help to cope with discomfort.

Frequent headaches can be a consequence of many diseases

Causes of frequent headaches

Periodic attacks of headaches (cephalalgia) occur after intense physical exertion, against the background of stress, and changes in weather. But if unpleasant sensations bother you every day, this may indicate the presence of severe pathologies of the brain, blood vessels, nasopharynx; discomfort develops due to intoxication or infectious diseases.

Types of headaches:

Vascular cephalgia– accompanied by pulsation in the temples, dizziness, severe aching pain in the forehead or back of the head, sometimes visual functions are impaired. With this form of the disease, it is difficult for a person to lie down, and the discomfort intensifies with any movement. Causes: pathologies of the cervical spine, atherosclerosis, blood clots, edema, brain tumor.
Liquorodynamic cephalgia– occurs when intracranial pressure changes against the background of increased secretion of cerebrospinal fluid, compression of the brain by a hematoma or tumor. Severe and frequent attacks of headache are accompanied by dizziness, nausea, and strong pressure in the frontal region. When the values increase, the discomfort is wave-like; when it decreases, the person experiences weakness and finds it difficult to stand.
Neuralgic cephalgia– the attack occurs suddenly, the pain is constantly cutting, acute, often radiating to the neck, jaw, eyebrows, painkillers do not help, the discomfort is constant, can last 4 or more weeks. The problem is accompanied by redness, increased sensitivity and swelling of the skin. The reasons are hypothermia, excessive physical activity, intoxication, neuralgia, all these factors lead to the appearance of microtraumas, and the nerve roots become inflamed.
Tension pain– a consequence of prolonged work at the computer, a sedentary lifestyle, inhaling very sweet smells, listening to loud heavy music, fear, stress. Cephalgia is accompanied by aching, aching in the temples, the back of the head, and sometimes severe itching.
Cluster headache– occurs predominantly in men, is localized in the eye area, and is characterized by very strong, frequent, but short-lived attacks over several days. Causes: dilation of the carotid artery, irritation of the optic nerves, changes in testosterone levels.
Psychogenic headache– a consequence of stress, depression, chronic fatigue, Parkinson’s disease.

The brain does not directly feel cephalalgia; nerve endings react to irritating factors.

Why does my head hurt?

Main causes of cephalalgia– exposure to external irritants, poor diet, lack of rest, sedentary lifestyle, diseases of internal organs.

– the discomfort is intense, but affects only the left or right side. The disease occurs due to vasodilation and is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and discomfort can last for several days. The exact causes of the development of the disease have not been fully studied, but stress, depression, overwork, noise, heat, and chronic lack of sleep can trigger an attack.

Any stress can trigger the onset of a migraine.

What diseases cause frequent headaches:

Vascular diseases– intense pain lasts several hours, bothers you in the morning or at night, discomfort is localized in the eye area. With hypertension, the head hurts in the back of the head, and blood often flows from the nose.
Neuralgia of the facial, trigeminal nerve– the pain is one-sided, radiating to the head from inflamed areas.
Traumatic brain injury, spinal injury– pain occurs due to compression of blood vessels, lack of oxygen, discomfort appears some time after the incident, analgesics do not bring relief.
Diseases of the cervical and thoracic spine– due to compression of blood vessels by the vertebrae, an insufficient amount of oxygen and nutrients enters the brain, pain occurs in the back of the head and in the temple area.
Vascular pathologies of the brain– cephalgia indicates hypoxia, vascular sclerosis, dull pain, covers the entire head, is accompanied by dizziness, limbs go numb, blood counts increase or decrease, sleep is disturbed, memory deteriorates.
Malignant and benign brain tumors– the tumor puts pressure on the blood vessels, causing constant pain in one part of the head.
Meningitis - intense and prolonged unpleasant sensations in the head occur against the background of inflammation and severe intoxication.
Hemolytic anemia– an autoimmune disease in which red blood cells are intensively destroyed, hypoxia develops, and the heart works at an increased rate. Symptoms are fatigue, breathing problems, headache, always cold extremities, pale or yellow skin, heart failure.

The flu, exacerbation of sinusitis, or sinusitis can provoke a headache in a child - dull discomfort occurs in the frontal, temporal part, covers the eyes and bridge of the nose, indicates intoxication, is accompanied by high fever, aching joints and muscles, and goes away after the illness. Unpleasant sensations in the back of the head or forehead, lacrimation, rhinitis, itching are symptoms of allergies.

In women during pregnancy, menopause, before menstruation, and in adolescents, headaches occur due to hormonal imbalance.

What factors can trigger a headache?

Cephalgia does not always indicate the presence of serious illness; an attack often develops under the influence of provoking factors.

The first thing you should do is consult a general practitioner, and he will refer you further if necessary.

The causes of cephalalgia are determined and the disease is treated. Additionally, an infectious disease specialist is required.

Diagnostics

Identifying the causes of cephalalgia begins with an examination and history taking; the patient needs to be told in detail where, how often and how severely the headache hurts.

Examination program:

clinical analysis of blood, urine;
blood chemistry;
cerebrospinal fluid puncture;
X-ray, MRI, CT scan of the head and spine;
vascular angiography;
myography;
ECG, measurement of arterial parameters;
measurement of intracranial pressure;
Ultrasound of the carotid arteries.

If a headache causes fainting, the victim should be laid on his back, put something under his feet, wipe his face with cold water, and at the same time call an ambulance.

What to do if you often have a headache?

Cervical exercises will help cope with headaches

Various medications are used to treat cephalgia; massage and gymnastics help.

Medicines

Treatment of cephalalgia is aimed at eliminating unpleasant symptoms, the causes that provoked an attack of pain, and reducing the risk of complications.

Severe headache - how to treat it:

analgesics – Milistan, Efferalgan;
anti-inflammatory drugs– Nimid, Nimesulide;
sedatives– Novo-passit, peony tincture, valerian;
medications to improve cerebral circulation– Vasobral;
antihypertensive drugs– Enap;
migraine medications– Sumamigren;
anti-vertigo medications– Vestibo, Betaserk;
antiemetics- Domperidone.

If you have a terrible headache, you need to lubricate your temples with a piece of lemon, cucumber, asterisk, or mint oil.

Exercises

A neck massage will help you cope with headaches and severe tension; it should be done by a professional. Simple exercises will also help get rid of unpleasant sensations; they are easy to do at home.

Simple exercises for headaches for every day:

Sit up straight, close your eyes, slowly tilt your head forward, back, to the sides. Do 10 repetitions in each direction, repeat 5-6 times a day.
Lie down and slowly massage all areas of the head with your fingertips in a circular motion. Start from the forehead area, then move to the parietal and temporal zones, ending with the back of the head. Session duration is 5 minutes, repeat three times a day.
In a standing position, clasp your hands behind your head, bring your elbows together in front, and lean forward slightly. Slowly straighten up, spread your elbows, lift your chin, repeat 6-8 times.
Clasp your hands at the back of your head, slowly lean forward, do not bend your knees.

Diaphragmatic breathing for 5 minutes will help cope with a sharp attack of cephalalgia.

Possible consequences and complications

Headache very often occurs against the background of cerebrovascular accident; without proper treatment, stroke and paralysis develop.

The main consequences of frequent attacks of cephalalgia are impaired hearing, vision, coordination, memory impairment, decreased concentration, emotional deviations, and depressive states.

Without proper treatment, headaches may develop hearing loss.

Following a daily routine, proper sleep, walks in the fresh air, a warm shower, giving up bad habits and junk food - all this will help prevent the appearance of cephalgia. If you have a headache very often, sedatives, painkillers, and medications to normalize blood circulation and eliminate the manifestations of migraines help get rid of unpleasant symptoms.

Many people habitually swallow pills when they experience a headache. However, not everyone knows that the effect of this can be the opposite: headache attacks will become more frequent. In addition, often the cause of headaches should not be looked for in the head. Perhaps this is just an “SOS” signal, which other organs of our body notify us that they need help.

She prevents us from living!

Of course, you don't have to take pills at all. There are many simple, non-medical ways to manage your headaches. But for this, it is very important that you determine what kind of headache you have, what type, and then begin effective treatment.

What kind of pain is yours?

So, let's try to decipher the Morse code of our headache. The fact is that our heads hurt due to many diseases, and they hurt in different ways. For example, it is known that 80 percent of all cases of headache are vegetative-vascular headaches. They often occur in people who are subject to constant stress or have concomitant diseases, in particular, thyroid dysplasia or hormonal imbalance. The most common types of headaches are:

. pressure,
. migraine,
. "histamine" headache,
. occipital,
. post-traumatic,
. vascular,
. caused by overvoltage.

There are also other types of headaches provoked by more serious factors, such as: cerebral hemorrhage, fever, high intracranial pressure, severe hypertension, inflammation of some arteries of the brain.

Some people experience headaches after eating foods such as ice cream, tomatoes, cheese, Chinese food, etc. You should identify for yourself the foods that cause headaches and avoid eating them. If you have stopped drinking tea or coffee, or stopped smoking, and it gives you a headache, put a cold compress on your head and try to get some sleep in a dark room. A cold compress will constrict dilated blood vessels in the brain, and sleeping in a dark room will help you relax.

Live harmoniously, and there will be no pain!

It's no secret that all our diseases, including headaches, are usually provoked by the unhealthy lifestyle that people lead in the modern world. Here are a few rules that, if you adhere to, you can forget about such an unpleasant phenomenon as a splitting headache.

Pay attention to your diet. Headaches can be caused by excessive consumption of heavy and acidic foods and very cold water. Poor digestion does not ensure complete digestion of food, and this is also the cause of headaches.

Change your lifestyle. Suppressing natural desires, sleeping during the day, not getting enough sleep at night, consuming alcohol, talking very loudly, and being exposed to cold, especially at night, are very common factors for headaches.

Choose your location. The environment can also affect your condition. Headaches can be caused by such factors as an unpleasant odor, long trips by transport, being in a dusty space, in a smoky room, or in smoke. Therefore, try to spend more time in nature, take long walks in the fresh air.

Avoid stress. Often a psychological factor plays a decisive role in the occurrence of pain attacks in the head. Mental stress, crying for a long time or fighting tears can cause headaches.

Calm your barometer. Some of us get headaches when there are temperature changes, changes in season, two or three days before a significant change in atmospheric pressure. Such people are able to predict a storm or cyclone no worse than any barometer and are called weather dependent. A similar phenomenon often occurs with vegetative-vascular dystonia, and it is most effectively treated with non-drug methods of vascular training. Regular contrast (but not ice) showers, physical exercise, “inverted” yoga poses (headstand, and for those who find it difficult, stand on the shoulder blades) will put the needles of your internal “barometer” in the “clear” position.

There are several types of headaches: strong, throbbing, pressing, dull, bursting, etc. Below are the main dull pains in, as well as some tips for dealing with these unpleasant sensations. A dull and monotonous pain spreads throughout the head, most often it occurs in the late afternoon. The cause of this is usually an overstrain that causes in the blood vessels of the brain. To improve your well-being, massage the back of your head, lightly massage your temples and stretch your neck muscles. Then take a comfortable position, close your eyes, relax and imagine that you are somewhere on vacation, and all your problems and worries are far away and do not concern you at all at the moment. Spend 12-15 minutes in this state. A dull aching pain in the head is accompanied by weakness, possibly dizziness, and appears closer to the middle of the day with minor physical activity. Most likely, the reason is that you are weather dependent. Your body is very sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure, temperature changes and wind direction, which contributes to the formation of vascular spasm. Determine your blood pressure using a tonometer or by the nature of the headache: if it is low, it occurs in the temporal region, if it is high, it occurs in the back of the head. If the pressure is low, it is recommended to lie down for a while with your legs elevated, and if the pressure is high, on the contrary, with your head elevated. Give a massage (suitable for any change in pressure). Use the pad of the index finger of your right hand to touch the center of your forehead. Then vertically lift your finger 1 cm above the hairline, press on the indicated point and hold your finger in this position for 2-3 seconds, then smoothly lower your finger to the point between the eyebrows (above the bridge of the nose), press again and hold for 2-3 seconds. Do this massage for 1 minute, then break for 3 minutes and repeat again. If you do not feel improvement after 10-15 minutes, call a doctor. A dull, pressing pain occurs in the left or right side of the head, sometimes accompanied by pain in the eyes, and your face turns pale or red. The cause is irritation of the trigeminal nerve, which occurs due to overwork, excessive excitement, and sometimes when the weather changes. Create twilight in the room and take a comfortable position. Take with you a small terry towel and a bowl of hot or cold water (if your face is red, you need cold water, otherwise hot). Wet the towel, wring it out and place it on your face, leave for 5-7 minutes. Then wet the towel again, wring it out and place it on your face. Repeat this procedure for 30-40 minutes. Dull pain in the head in the morning. This may be due to lack of sleep or caffeine addiction. Try to increase your sleep time and reduce the number of cups of coffee you drink to 1-2 per day. If methods without medication do not help you, consult a doctor and get examined. Depending on the severity of your illness, an experienced doctor will prescribe the necessary medications or herbal tinctures.

It is impossible to answer the question: “why does my head hurt”, because cephalgia (the medical name) manifests itself for a variety of reasons. Pain in the head can be triggered by both external factors associated with the environment and lifestyle, as well as internal ones - acute or chronic diseases. However, one thing is certain - you can’t tolerate headaches, but you also shouldn’t suppress attacks with inappropriate medications. If you experience frequent headaches, you should consult a specialist for a full diagnosis. Only by knowing the exact lever for the development of this syndrome can you select the correct and safe therapy.

The variety of cephalalgia: how a headache can manifest itself

The symptoms of headaches differ depending on what triggered it. An attack of cephalgia can manifest itself as moderate pain, which can be endured, or acute, completely disrupting the usual way of life. In addition, headache has a radiating nature, which is manifested by the ability to change its localization, gradually moving from one place to another.

Considering the general picture of headaches, we can note the following signs:

pain in the eye area;
soreness of the back of the head;
in the forehead and crown area;
sharp pain around the head;
throbbing or dull pain in the temples;
a feeling of swelling in the back of the head (most often accompanied by neck tension);
one-sided pain accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the eyeball (with migraines).

As for the development and course of cephalalgia, it manifests itself in the following pain:

sharp and sharp;
growing;
dull but constant;
pulsating;
cutting;
pressing.

Depending on the type of provoking factor, cephalalgia lasts from several hours to a day. Sometimes the headache is so severe that it can only be eliminated with painkillers and should not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Mild pain in the head may not be treated with pills, as most often it goes away on its own. However, this applies only to those types of headaches that are quite tolerable.

Provocateurs of headaches

The causes of cephalgia in medicine are divided into two types: primary and secondary. The first type includes pain in the head, which manifests itself as an independent disease. This syndrome is diagnosed in more than 80% of all cases, and its treatment has its own characteristics.

Primary pains include

Name	Detailed symptoms	Causes
Tension headache (TTH)	It manifests itself as pressing pain in the back of the head, crown or frontal part. Sometimes it covers the entire head and such an attack can last for several days.	Typically, tension-type headache develops against the background of physical or emotional stress. Most often people who work at a computer complain about it.
Trigeminal neuralgia	The pain is not long-lasting, but very strong, stabbing. The main localization is in the parietal and frontal region. Often such a headache covers part of the face and teeth. The attack lasts for several hours.	Sudden compression of the trigeminal nerve, disrupting the conduction of nerve impulses.
Acute pain of a throbbing nature. Often appears after waking up (in the morning). A migraine headache can cover the entire circumference of the head or affect one hemisphere (from the crown to the eye). An attack can last up to three days and is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. With a migraine, the sense of smell, vision and hearing are heightened. Therefore, external noise, odors and light further aggravate the pain.	Stress, sudden changes in atmospheric pressure, insomnia, etc. The causes are not fully understood, but it is known for sure that migraines are inherited.
Cluster pain	Shooting pain that is unbearable. Arises spontaneously and acutely. The attacks are so severe that a person, in order to get rid of the pain, is capable of committing suicide. Usually localized in one cerebral hemisphere, affecting the eyes and forehead. With cluster headaches, facial redness and mild swelling are observed.	The causes of cluster pain are not fully understood. There is a theory that it occurs due to a malfunction of the body's biological clock.

Primary headaches cannot be controlled with painkillers. Her therapy is complex and includes not only medications, but also changes in the usual way of life, for example, correction of the daily routine and giving up bad habits.

As for secondary cephalgia, it develops as a symptom of some disease, most often chronic. Usually it accompanies a person after a traumatic brain injury, with hypertension, cervical osteochondrosis, vegetative-vascular dystonia and other ailments.

Diseases that cause headaches	Symptoms	Causes
Hypertension	Pain of a bursting nature, localized in the back of the head. The attack is accompanied by a feeling of heat in the head, noise, nausea and dizziness. Often, when blood pressure jumps, “spots” are observed before the eyes, and coordination of movements worsens.	Increased blood pressure in the arteries, leading to compression of veins and small vessels, which leads to a deterioration in the outflow of blood from the brain.
Cervical osteochondrosis	Usually the pain intensifies in the morning or in the evening. It is most often localized in one part of the head and is accompanied by severe neck tension, tinnitus and hearing impairment.	Pain develops after prolonged neck strain and with a sharp turn of the head. The attack is explained by a violation of cerebral blood supply, which leads to intracranial pressure.
Colds and flu	Severe dull headache localized in the temples, eyes and frontal region. Cephalgia is accompanied by fever and other symptoms of a cold.	Intoxication of the body due to harmful substances released by pathogenic microorganisms.
Sinusitis, sinusitis and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract.	Chronic, pressing, throbbing headaches of a long duration. They cover not only the eyes and forehead (the bridge of the nose), but also the cheeks. An attack against the background of these diseases is accompanied by nasal congestion, a slight increase in temperature and a runny nose.	The presence of an infectious focus in the head area.
Intracranial pressure	Prolonged tolerable pain in the head, followed by a sharp exacerbation. Cephalgia is accompanied by a feeling of internal pressure in the skull and swelling. The pain can be so acute and unbearable that it ends with vomiting, after which it subsides a little. With intracranial pressure, pain most often occurs after waking up.	Excess fluid in the body, poor venous outflow, brain tumor, hydrocephalus, spinal diseases and other diseases.

Secondary headaches can be treated with painkillers, but the effect is short-lived. To completely eliminate attacks, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease that provokes the development of pain in the head.

External reasons

Rarely when a headache attack occurs due to the presence of some disease in the body. Most often, sudden cephalgia develops due to factors surrounding us that play the role of irritants.

Thus, a pressing or throbbing headache often appears with a sudden change in weather conditions. Aching pain can be a sign of a hangover or intoxication, which, in turn, occurs not only from food poisoning, but also from the use of illegal drugs.

Each person develops headaches for individual reasons. To determine the root of the problem, you need to listen to your body and monitor the characteristics of cephalalgia, as well as the frequency of its occurrence.

Overwork

Today, the most common cephalalgia is in the evening. Many people complain of regular and recurrent headaches after a long day at work and do not know how to deal with it. So why do you get headaches in the evening?

The main cause of such pain is overwork. The modern rhythm of life requires a lot of strength and energy from each of us, otherwise we simply will not have time to do anything. Most often, cephalalgia at the end of the day is observed in people living in cities, and it is provoked by the following factors:

excessive physical and emotional stress;
irrational use of one's strengths;
prolonged inactivity (during sedentary work);
stressful situations;
poor night sleep, which leads to chronic sleep deprivation.

Headache due to overwork is accompanied by rapid fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite and insomnia. It can be either regular or periodic. Pain often occurs in the frontal and parietal region, but can also be localized in the back of the head.

Why do you get headaches when wearing glasses?

Why does the top of the head and forehead, including the eyeballs, hurt? Patients often complain of the development of cephalgia when wearing glasses. This often happens when an ophthalmologist, having prescribed glasses for vision correction, does not accurately measure the center-to-center distance (from the bridge of the nose to the center of the pupil).

It happens that an optometrist determines the distance of only one eye and takes this measurement as a guide for making the entire frame. Such glasses constantly cause pain in the head, because this measurement is erroneous. It is known that a person’s face is asymmetrical, so in such glasses the center of the unmeasured eye will not fall into the desired area of the lens. In this case, the picture is distorted and the eye muscles have to overstrain, which certainly leads to a headache.

The reasons may also be the following:

narrow lenses;
changes in vision (glasses no longer fit);
poor quality lenses;
bad glasses (in the case of sunglasses).

Cephalgia from wearing glasses also develops with incorrectly selected lenses. For example, if they are too strong, the pain will bother you until your eyes get used to them. In addition, tight frames that squeeze the bridge of the nose can cause headaches, so you need to choose them carefully.

It's all the computer's fault

Young people and people whose work is associated with office activities most often complain about this type of headache. This is explained simply: looking at a monitor screen for a long time overstrains the muscles of the eyes and neck. This cephalalgia is characterized by pain in the back of the head and frontal region. The localization of pain often extends to the entire cranium.

Headaches also occur when sitting at the computer incorrectly, which leads to general muscle tension and poor circulation. In addition, the cause of the attack is often mental fatigue, which is quite familiar to those whose work involves a computer.

Cephalgia and heat

Why does my head start to hurt in stuffy and hot weather? The main reason is insufficient drinking. In summer, it is important to drink the daily amount of water and you can even increase it. Otherwise, dehydration occurs, because a large amount of moisture leaves with sweat, which leads to poor circulation.

With insufficient blood circulation, the brain experiences oxygen and glucose starvation, which undoubtedly leads to headaches.

In addition, cephalalgia at high ambient temperatures develops due to a sharp dilation of the blood vessels in the brain. This often occurs after a bath and when overheated in direct sunlight (sunstroke).

Sharp pain in the head in summer is usually a consequence of sudden relaxation of blood vessels in the trigeminal nerve. It is accompanied by dizziness, darkening of the eyes, nausea and often ends in loss of consciousness. Therefore, people with heat intolerance in summer should be careful: drink water and hide their heads from direct sunlight.

Or maybe the reason is an old head injury?

Why does my head hurt every day if the above-mentioned causes of cephalalgia are absent? Traumatic brain injuries often lead to consequences in the form of headaches that can accompany a person throughout his life. They appear either immediately or some time after the injury. It is not uncommon for patients to consult a doctor with attacks of cephalgia 6 months or even a year after a TBI.

Cephalgia against the background of an old head injury has its own characteristics, and it can be recognized by the following signs:

sudden pain similar to a migraine attack;
the pain is sharp and unbearable;
localization along the entire circumference of the head;
nausea, sometimes vomiting.

Such post-traumatic pain is associated with pathological changes in cerebral vessels that occur with intracranial hematomas and minor hemorrhages at the time of a head impact.

Head pain due to hormonal changes

According to statistics, headaches are more common in women than in men. Moreover, most of their attacks of cephalgia coincide with the onset of menstruation. This is due to monthly changes in hormonal levels, which are observed in every representative of the fair sex.

Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone have a direct effect on headaches. When their levels drop sharply a week before menstruation, a woman experiences PMS symptoms, including headaches.

Due to a surge in progesterone, headaches are observed in the first trimester after conception. This hormone is necessary for the normal course of pregnancy, but has an effect on the blood vessels of the brain, which causes pain.

Regular headaches can occur due to hormonal imbalance. At the same time, we are talking not only about women, but also about men. To get rid of this type of cephalgia, you need to seek professional help from an endocrinologist and neurologist.

Allergic headache

Cephalgia, which manifests itself against the background of an allergic reaction, is usually temporary and is observed mainly during the flowering season of vegetation. Headache is one of the signs of the presence of an allergen in the body.

Typically, such a headache is accompanied by the development of rhinitis or sinusitis. When the nasal mucosa becomes swollen, allergens begin to accumulate, which subsequently causes headache attacks.

Seasonal allergies are not the only reason why headaches develop. In a similar way, the body reacts to food allergens in products such as strawberries, nuts, eggs, citrus fruits, chocolate, etc.

Poisoning

A headache during poisoning is a normal reaction of the body. Unpleasant sensations arise due to general intoxication, which is a consequence of the release of toxins by harmful microorganisms.

Determining that the cause of pain was poisoning is quite simple, since it will be accompanied by the following symptoms:

temperature increase;
nausea, vomiting;
deterioration (weakness, apathy);
abdominal pain, etc.

Severe headaches are observed when pathogens such as botulism, staphylococcus, streptococcus and salmonellosis enter the body. GB appears 2–3 hours after consuming a contaminated product.

Poor quality food is not the only cause of cephalalgia. Headaches are also a concern during chemical and toxic poisoning, in which it is important to seek qualified help as quickly as possible.

Bad habits

The reason for the development of regular headaches often lies not in the disease or even in the characteristics of the body, but in the presence of bad habits. So, for example, pain in the head area will certainly begin to bother you if a person:

stoops;
when working at a computer or writing notes, leans on one elbow (uneven distribution of muscle load leads to overexertion);
tilts his head forward while reading;
sits too close to the monitor screen;
always crosses his legs (blood circulation is impaired);
leads a sedentary lifestyle.

In addition, cephalalgia is a constant companion of people who abuse alcohol and drugs, as well as those who smoke.

Internal causes of headaches

Why does my head hurt in my temples? Often, when carrying out diagnostic measures, it is revealed that the provocateur of regular headaches is one or another disease. This is mainly due to pathological changes in blood vessels, liver dysfunction and endocrine disruptions.

Cephalgia in the presence of internal ailments is most often characterized by aching and throbbing pain in the temples, therefore patients with such complaints are always referred for a detailed examination.

However, pain in the head due to internal development factors does not always manifest itself in the temple area. Its location depends on the type of disease and how it affects the blood supply to the brain.

Vascular cephalgia

Vascular headaches are diagnosed quite often today. Their reason lies in the deterioration of the tone of the vascular walls, which is why even a slight change in blood pressure manifests itself in severe pain.

This is why headaches often occur with VSD:

disruption of the blood supply to the brain due to weakening of the walls of blood vessels;
poor supply of oxygen to the brain (oxygen starvation);
periodic pressure on nerve bundles with increased blood pressure;
poor venous outflow, which is characterized by stagnation and swelling in the back of the head;
arterial spasm.

Cephalgia with vegetative-vascular dystonia is characterized by severe pain, dull or cutting in nature, aggravated by tilting the head and sudden rise. They manifest themselves especially acutely during the onset of a vegetative crisis, the peak of which often ends in vomiting and even loss of consciousness.

Vascular headaches can trigger a migraine attack. In addition, they are accompanied by the following symptoms:

dizziness;
unreasonable anxiety or panic;
drowsiness;
weakness;
body trembling;
nausea, etc.

What is characteristic of headaches of vascular origin is that they cannot be suppressed with simple painkillers.

Why does my head hurt when I'm hungry?

Why does my child have a headache during the day or after school? Most often, the reason for the development of such unpleasant sensations is hidden in prolonged fasting and malnutrition. This is explained by a sharp decrease in blood sugar levels, which the body needs for normal functioning.

It is quite simple to determine that pain is associated with hunger:

the pain is localized in the forehead;
there is a feeling of “hungry” nausea;
intensity is not higher than average (that is, the pain is tolerable);
the attack subsides shortly after eating food.

People on a diet often complain of “hunger” headaches. They appear 2-3 days after the diet begins and can continue for several more days after leaving the fasting state.

This type of headache is also well known to people with diabetes. Sharp changes in blood sugar levels are accompanied by attacks of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. So pain in the head develops not only when glucose decreases, but also when it suddenly rises.

Blood pressure surges as a cause of headaches

Blood pressure has a direct effect on brain activity, as it is responsible for the flow of blood to the head. Therefore, any changes in blood pressure are accompanied by a deterioration in general condition and headaches.

With low blood pressure, cephalgia has the following symptoms:

persistent pressing pain;
increases with sudden changes in body position;
darkening of the eyes and dizziness;
fainting state;
severe weakness and nausea.

Often headaches with hypotension are accompanied by arrhythmia and pain in the heart. All of these symptoms appear due to a decrease in the speed of blood flow in the arteries of the brain.

Why does the back of my head hurt? Pain in this area indicates increased blood pressure. Cephalgia with hypertension has the following symptoms:

feeling of swelling in the back of the head;
throbbing pain of increasing nature;
burning in the back of the head;
pain in the eyes (upper part of the eyeballs);
nausea and vomiting;
disorientation.

High blood pressure is accompanied by stretching of blood vessels and veins, which leads to compression of brain cells and nerve endings. The higher the blood pressure, the greater the compression and, accordingly, the stronger the pain.

Cephalgia with hypotension and hypertension cannot be eliminated with conventional painkillers. Moreover, they do not bring any effect. To get rid of pain, it is necessary to normalize blood pressure.

Why does my head hurt so much when I have a concussion?

Why does my head hurt so much after a blow? Cephalgia with a constant course after a traumatic brain injury is a symptom of a concussion. It usually occurs when a strong blow is applied and is accompanied by the following accompanying symptoms:

dizziness;
nausea and vomiting;
pain in the area of impact or around the entire circumference of the head;
weakness and increased drowsiness;
loss of appetite;
deterioration of memory and concentration;
vegetative disturbances (sweating, palpitations, sometimes in the heat, sometimes in the cold, etc.).

A concussion never goes away without severe headaches, which should be treated by a specialist. They arise due to damage to nerve endings, blood vessels, soft tissues and meninges.

Severe cephalgia, cutting and squeezing in nature, may indicate the formation of a hematoma and hemorrhage in the brain. This condition, after a head injury, requires immediate hospitalization.

Liver problems

Frequent, causeless headaches are a signal that it’s time to have your liver checked. It is this organ that is responsible for the normal functioning of the body, as it prevents toxic substances from entering the blood. In addition, the liver takes part in digestion, so the supply of glucose to the brain also depends on its functioning.

When the liver gets sick, its ability to thoroughly dispose of everything that can harm other organs deteriorates. Some of its cells stop functioning and an accumulation of toxins occurs, which, when released into the blood, provoke the process of self-poisoning of the body and, subsequently, lead to headaches.

Brain tumor

Why does my head hurt in the morning, manifesting itself as a sudden acute attack? This symptom may indicate the presence of a tumor in the brain. With this disease, headache most often occurs immediately after waking up and often appears even during sleep.

This phenomenon is explained by the fact that when lying down, fluid accumulates in the brain due to a decrease in blood pressure, and compression of the tumor occurs. In this case, the conduction of nerve impulses is disrupted and small vessels are compressed, which causes severe pain.

Symptoms of cephalalgia with a brain tumor:

sudden unbearable pain;
pulsating, bursting or squeezing;
it intensifies precisely when taking a horizontal position;
not eliminated by painkillers.

In addition, headaches due to neoplasms may be accompanied by confusion, morning vomiting, numbness of the limbs, panic attacks and epileptic seizures.

The larger the tumor, the greater the pain. If at the beginning of the development of the disease it can be temporarily suppressed with painkillers, then as the tumor increases, a person needs other drugs (of a narcotic nature), which are prescribed exclusively by a specialist.

Anna Mironova

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“Headache” - we hear and pronounce these words so often that we have become accustomed to them, perceiving a headache as something annoying, but temporary and insignificant. “I guess I’ll take some pill” - this became the treatment for headaches. However, a headache is often a symptom of any serious diseases and problems in the body, some of which are life-threatening.

How to distinguish the nature of a headache and notice the disease in time?

The main causes of headaches - what can trigger them?

Headache can have different localization, character and intensity:

Headache of vascular origin – the cause is compression, narrowing of the lumen of the blood vessels of the head, as well as their expansion.

Various factors can provoke this:

Thrombi or emboli closing the lumen of small or large vessels.
Atherosclerosis of blood vessels of the brain.
Edema, swelling of the brain and membranes, blood vessels.

Headache due to muscle tension - occurs with prolonged uncomfortable position of the head, heavy loads and physical stress, after sleeping in an uncomfortable position, due to an incorrectly selected bed - mattress and pillow.
Headache of liquorodynamic mechanism of origin – occurs when certain areas of the brain are compressed.

Causes:

Pathological increase or decrease in intracranial pressure.
Compression of the brain by a hematoma, cyst, tumor.

Neuralgic headaches – occur when nerve fibers are damaged or when they are exposed to some pathological process.

Causes:

Various neuralgia (most often - the trigeminal nerve, occipital nerves).
Damage to the vestibular nerve.

Headache of psychogenic origin – usually develops against the background of mental disorders and apathy.

Causes of psychalgia:

Stress.
Depression.
Prolonged emotional experiences.
Chronic fatigue.
Parkinson's disease.

There are more than 200 factors that provoke headaches. If cephalalgia occurs against the background of complete health, then This most often occurs after:

Alcohol intake (vasodilation, intoxication).
Prolonged exposure to the sun, heat, sauna (overheating, sunstroke or heatstroke, sudden dilation of blood vessels, loss of fluid through sweat).
Consumption of products containing caffeine.
High humidity.
Sleep disturbances, after lack of sleep or a shift in the usual schedule.
Wearing contact lenses or incorrectly fitted glasses.
Intense mental activity.
Stressful situations, fear, strong excitement, worries.
Injuries, bruises, head concussions.
Excessive or uneven sports loads.
Visits to the dentist and dental treatment.
Massage sessions.
Smoking.
ARVI, other infectious, colds or inflammatory diseases.
Hypothermia, contrast shower.
Started a diet, fasting.
Intake of certain foods - chocolate, smoked meats and marinades, nuts, hard cheeses, etc.
Sex.
Taking any medications or inhaling toxic fumes.

Headache diagnostic program - how to independently determine why your head hurts?

The headache itself does not require diagnosis. But it is always necessary to find out what causes this pathological condition. The doctor may prescribe an examination program, depending on the patient’s condition, age, nature and location of pain.

Diagnostic program for headaches

Laboratory diagnostic procedures , including a general blood test and a general urinalysis. Sometimes a study of cerebrospinal fluid is required, which is collected through a puncture.
X-ray the head in the required projections, the spine.
Magnetic resonance imaging head and spine.
CT scan head and spine (including positron emission CT).
Angiography cerebral vessels.
Ultrasound.
EEG, RheoEG, myography.

It's helpful to have a chart on hand that can help you guess the root cause of your headaches.

But do not try to diagnose yourself, much less self-medicate. Contact a specialist!

Table of primary diagnosis of headaches

If you often have headaches, keep a diary, in which note the time, nature of the headache and after what it began.

How to relieve a headache with home remedies and when should you see a doctor?

First of all, you should know about the dangerous diseases and conditions that accompany headaches.

Headache, increased blood pressure, irritability, sleep disturbances, and dizziness often indicate cerebrovascular accidents. It is unacceptable to tolerate such symptoms - they can result in a stroke. Moreover, in recent years, stroke has become significantly younger and is increasingly affecting people who every day face excessive workload and a high degree of responsibility: managers, business owners, fathers of large families. When symptoms of cerebral circulatory disorders appear, doctors often recommend taking combination drugs to improve vascular function, for example, Vasobral. Its active components stimulate metabolic processes in the brain, improve the condition of blood vessels, eliminate the effects of oxygen starvation of brain tissue associated with deterioration of blood supply, and have a stimulating effect, which reduces the risk of stroke.

You should be wary and consult a doctor immediately if:

The headache appeared for the first time, suddenly.
The headache is simply unbearable, accompanied by loss of consciousness, breathing problems, rapid heartbeat, facial flushing, nausea and vomiting, and urinary incontinence.
With headaches, visual disturbances, muscle weakness, speech and consciousness disturbances are observed.
Due to a severe headache, a person partially or completely loses the ability to move.
Headache is accompanied by other symptoms - rash, high temperature, fever, delirium.
Severe headache in a pregnant woman, with epi-status and sharply increased blood pressure.
I have a headache for a long time.
The headache intensifies with movement, changing body position, physical work, or going out into bright light.
Each headache attack is more intense than the previous one.

How to relieve headaches with home remedies?

If you are sure that your headache is caused by overwork or, for example, stress, then you can get rid of it in the following ways:

Head massage fingers, a special massager or a wooden comb improves blood circulation, relieves vascular spasm and soothes. Massage your head with light movements from the temples, forehead and neck to the crown.
Cold and hot compresses. Soak two cloths, one in hot water and one in ice water. Place a cold compress on your forehead and temples, and press a hot compress to the back of your head.
Potato compress. Cut the potato tuber into 0.5 cm thick circles. Place the mugs on your forehead and temples, cover with a towel and tie. Once the potatoes get warm, replace them with new ones.
Warm shower– neither hot nor cold! Stand in the shower so that the water hits your head. Can be combined with a head massage with a comb.
Chokeberry tea. Particularly useful for hypertensive headaches.
Compress on temples. Rub your temples and forehead with a lemon peel or a slice of cucumber. Then apply pieces of lemon peels or cucumber slices to your temples and secure on top with a scarf.

The website warns: the information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not self-medicate under any circumstances! If you have any health problems, consult your doctor!