Everything about Headache totally explained
A
headache (in medical terminology) is a condition of pain in the
head; sometimes
neck or upper back pain may also be interpreted as a headache. It ranks amongst the most common local pain complaints and may be frequent for many people.
The vast majority of headaches are benign and self-limiting. Common causes are
tension,
migraine,
eye strain,
dehydration, low blood sugar, and
sinusitis. Much rarer are headaches due to life-threatening conditions such as
meningitis,
encephalitis,
cerebral aneurysms,
extremely high blood pressure, and
brain tumors. When the headache occurs in conjunction with a
head injury the cause is usually quite evident. A large percentage of headaches among women are caused by ever-fluctuating
estrogen during
menstrual years. This can occur prior to, or even during midcycle menstruation.
Treatment of an uncomplicated headache is usually symptomatic with
over-the-counter painkillers such as
aspirin,
paracetamol (acetaminophen), or
ibuprofen, although some specific forms of headaches (for example,
migraines) may demand other, more suitable treatment. It may be possible to relate the occurrence of a headache to other particular triggers (such as stress or particular foods), which can then be avoided.
Pathophysiology
The
brain in itself isn't sensitive to
pain, because it lacks
nociceptors. Several areas of the head can hurt, including a network of nerves which extend over the scalp and certain nerves in the face, mouth, and throat. The
meninges and the blood vessels do have pain perception. Headaches often result from traction to or irritation of the meninges and blood vessels. The membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord, called the
dura mater, is innervated with nociceptors. Stimulation of these dural nociceptors is thought to be involved in producing headaches. Similarly the muscles of the head may be sensitive to pain.
Types
There are five types of headache: vascular, myogenic (muscle tension), cervicogenic, traction, and inflammatory.
Vascular
The most common type of vascular headache is
migraine. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head, an upset stomach, and, for some people, disturbed vision. It is more common in women. While vascular changes are evident during a migraine, the cause of the headache is
neurologic, not vascular. After migraine, the most common type of vascular headache is the
"toxic" headache produced by fever.
Other kinds of vascular headaches include
cluster headaches, which are very severe recurrent short lasting headaches, often located through or around the either eye and often wake the sufferers up at the same time every night. Unlike migraines, these headaches are more common in men than in women.
Muscular/myogenic
Muscular (or myogenic) headaches appear to involve the tightening or tensing of facial and neck muscles; they may radiate to the forehead.
Tension headache is the most common form of myogenic headache.
Cervicogenic
Cervicogenic headaches originate from disorders of the neck, including the anatomical structures innervated by the cervical roots C1–C3. Cervical headache is often precipitated by neck movement and/or sustained awkward head positioning. It is often accompanied by restricted cervical range of motion, ipsilateral neck, shoulder, or arm pain of a rather vague non-radicular nature or, occasionally, arm pain of a radicular nature.
Traction/inflammatory
Traction and inflammatory headaches are symptoms of other disorders, ranging from stroke to sinus infection.
Specific types of headaches include:
A headache may also be a symptom of
sinusitis.
Like other types of pain, headaches can serve as warning signals of more serious disorders. This is particularly true for headaches caused by
inflammation, including those related to
meningitis as well as those resulting from diseases of the sinuses, spine, neck, ears, and teeth.
Diagnosis
While, statistically, headaches are most likely to be harmless and self-limiting, some specific headache syndromes may demand specific treatment or may be warning signals of more serious disorders. Some headache subtypes are characterized by a specific pattern of symptoms, and no further testing may be necessary, while others may prompt further diagnostic tests.
Headache associated with specific symptoms may warrant urgent medical attention, particularly sudden, severe headache or sudden headache associated with a
stiff neck; headaches associated with
fever,
convulsions or accompanied by confusion or
loss of consciousness; headaches following a blow to the head, or associated with pain in the eye or ear; persistent headache in a person with no previous history of headaches; and recurring headache in children.
The most important step in diagnosing a headache is for the physician to take a careful history and to examine the patient. In the majority of cases the diagnosis will be a "primary headache" which means that the headache, whilst unpleasant isn't an occurring as a manifestation of a more serious condition. The main types of primary headache are tension headache, migraine and the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias of which cluster headache is an example. As it's often difficult for patients to recall the precise details regarding each headache, it's often useful for the sufferer to fill-out a "headache diary" detailing the characteristics of the headache. When the headache doesn't clearly fit into one of the recognized primary headache syndromes or when atypical symptoms or signs are present then further investigations are justified.
Computed tomography (CT/CAT) scans of the brain or sinuses are commonly performed, or
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in specific settings.
Blood tests may help narrow down the
differential diagnosis, but are rarely confirmatory of specific headache forms.
Treatment
Not all headaches require medical attention, and many respond with simple
analgesia (painkillers) such as
paracetamol/
acetaminophen or members of the
NSAID class (such as
aspirin/acetylsalicylic acid or
ibuprofen).
In recurrent unexplained headaches, healthcare professionals may recommend keeping a "headache
diary" with entries on type of headache, associated symptoms, precipitating and aggravating factors. This may reveal specific patterns, such as an association with
medication,
menstruation or
absenteeism or with certain foods.
It was reported in March 2007 by two separate teams of researchers that stimulating the brain with implanted electrodes appears to help ease the pain of cluster headaches.
Prevention
Some forms of headache, such as
migraine, may be amenable to preventative treatment. On the whole, long-term use of painkillers is discouraged as this may lead to "rebound headaches" on withdrawal.
Caffeine, a
vasoconstrictor, is sometimes prescribed or recommended as a remedy or supplement to pain killers in the case of extreme migraine. This has led to the development of
paracetamol/
caffeine analgesic. One popular herbal preventive treatment for migraines is
Feverfew. Magnesium, Vitamin B2, and Coenzyme Q10 are "natural" supplements that have shown some efficacy for migraine prevention(5).
Massage therapy
A 2002 study found that
massage therapy targeted at neck and shoulder muscles reduced headache frequency and duration, starting in the first week and continuing through the eight-week study, though it didn't find a change in headache intensity. The study authors concluded that "the muscle-specific massage therapy technique" they used "has the potential to be a functional, nonpharmacological intervention for reducing the incidence of chronic tension headache."
Further Information
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