Headaches are a very common symptom and almost everyone has experienced them. There are many causes of headaches, some are small things in life, such as lack of sleep, improper diet, emotional stress, etc., some are physical diseases, such as colds, high blood pressure, cervical spondylosis, etc., and some are neurological lesions, such as migraine, tension-type headache, increased intracranial pressure, etc.
The nature, location, degree, duration, and accompanying symptoms of headaches caused by different causes are also different, so we should judge whether our headaches are accidental or hidden according to the characteristics of our headaches, and seek help from doctors in time.
Below, we'll take a look at some of the common causes of headaches and how to recognize and deal with them.
Headaches caused by life factors: This is the most common type of headache, usually caused by some bad Xi or stress factors in life, such as lack of sleep, irregular diet, overwork, mood swings, environmental changes, etc. This type of headache is generally mild, presents as a dull or swollen pain in the whole head or half of the head, does not last long, has no obvious accompanying symptoms, and does not interfere with daily life.
The treatment of this type of headache is relatively simple, you only need to adjust your lifestyle, maintain a good schedule, diet, exercise, relaxation and other Xi, avoid excessive stimulation and pressure, and the headache will disappear naturally. If the headache is more severe, you can also take some painkillers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc., but do not overdose or take it for a long time to avoid drug dependence or other ***
Headaches caused by infections: This is a relatively common type of headache, usually caused by some bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc., causing symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, etc., and headache also appears. This type of headache is generally moderate in severity, presenting as a throbbing or piercing pain in the whole head or forehead, lasting for a long time, accompanied by symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, etc., which can affect daily life.
The treatment of this type of headache is mainly the cause of infection, taking some antibiotics, antiviral, anti-parasitic and other drugs, but also pay attention to replenishing water and nutrition, lowering body temperature, relieving inflammation, and the headache will be reduced or disappeared with the improvement of infection. If the headache is severe, you can also take some painkillers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc., but pay attention to the compatibility and dosage with anti-infective drugs to avoid drug interactions or allergic reactions.
Headaches caused by high blood pressure: This is a more dangerous type of headache, usually caused by increased blood pressure, resulting in constriction of blood vessels, poor blood flow, causing ischemia and hypoxia in the head, and also stimulating the pain nerve in the skull, causing headache. This type of headache is generally severe, presenting as throbbing pain in the back or sides of the head, lasting for a long time, accompanied by symptoms such as vertigo, tinnitus, blurred vision, etc., which can seriously affect daily life.
The treatment of this type of headache is mainly to lower blood pressure, take some antihypertensive drugs, such as calcium channel blockers, receptor blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, etc., and also pay attention to controlling diet, reduce the intake of salt, oil and sugar, increase the intake of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and low fat, and do more aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, swimming, etc., to maintain a calm mood and avoid emotional agitation, and the headache will be reduced or disappeared with the drop in blood pressure. If the headache is severe, you can also take some painkillers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc., but pay attention to the compatibility and dosage with antihypertensive drugs to avoid drug interactions or allergic reactions.
Headaches caused by cervical spondylosisThis is a relatively common type of headache, usually due to the degeneration of the cervical spine, resulting in cervical disc herniation, bone hyperplasia, ligament relaxation, etc., compressing or stimulating the nerves, blood vessels, muscles, etc. of the neck, causing headaches. This type of headache is generally moderate in nature, presenting as a soreness or dull ache in the back of the neck or on both sides, lasting for a long time, accompanied by symptoms such as stiffness, limited movement, numbness, tingling in the neck, etc., which can interfere with daily life.
The treatment of this type of headache is mainly the cause of cervical spondylosis, take some anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and blood circulation drugs, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, vitamin B, etc., and also pay attention to neck warmth, massage, traction, physiotherapy, etc., increase the blood in the neck**, relieve the pressure on the neck, and the headache will be reduced or disappeared with the improvement of cervical spondylosis. If the headache is severe, you can also take some painkillers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc., but pay attention to the compatibility and dosage with anti-inflammatory drugs to avoid drug interactions or allergic reactions.
Neuropathic headaches: This is a complex type of headache that is usually caused by an abnormality or lesion in the nervous system in the brain, resulting in an imbalance in the excitability or inhibition of neurons, causing headaches. There are many kinds of this type of headache, such as migraine, tension-type headache, cluster headache, intracranial hypertension headache, etc., their characteristics, causes, triggers, etc. are different, and they need to be diagnosed according to the specific type. This type of headache is generally severe, presenting as throbbing pain or tingling on one or both sides, with variable duration, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, photophobia, phonophobia, visual disturbances and other symptoms, which can seriously affect daily life.
The treatment of this kind of headache is mainly to prevent and relieve, take some anti-epileptic, anti-depressant, anti-migraine and other drugs, such as topiramate, amitriptyline, triptan, etc., but also pay attention to avoid some factors that induce headaches, such as drinking, smoking, allergies, stress, climate change, etc., maintain a comfortable environment, timely rest, headache will be reduced or disappeared with the balance of the nervous system. If the headache is severe, you can also take some painkillers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc., but pay attention to the compatibility and dosage with anti-neuropathic headache drugs to avoid drug interactions or allergic reactions.
These are some of the common causes of headaches and how to identify and deal with them. I hope you can find out the cause of your headache in time according to the characteristics of your headache, and take appropriate measures to relieve the pain of headache and protect your head health. If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to help and support you.