- A condition where pain occurs in the head
- Most common of pain complaints
- Majority of headaches harmless, require no treatment
- Some are indications of an underlying disorder
Causes- Tension
- Stress
- Straining the eye
- Sinus infection
- Dehydration
- Ice cream
- Sex
- Thunder
- Withdrawal from caffeine/drugs
- Brain related
o Aneurysms
o Tumours
oMeningitis
o Encephalitis
o Head injury
Types- Vascularheadache
e.g. - Migraine, fever headaches, high blood pressure
Pain on one/both side of head
Stomach upset
Difficulty in seeing
Common in women
- Muscular headache
e.g.Tensionheadache
Tightening of facial/neckmuscles
Radiate to forehead
- Cervicogenic headache
e.g Spondylitis
- Inflammatory headaches
e.g Sinusitis
Treatment- Most headaches treated with pain killer
- Common medications- actaminophen/parasitamol/aspirin
- Tension headache treated by lowering body temperature
- This is achieved by taking a cool shower
- If recurrent, keep aheadachediary
- This helps to identify the cause
- Chronic use of painkillers causes 'rebound headaches'
- Complementary treatments like chiropractic care, effective
Consult a doctor - If - Headache is recurrent and persistent
- If - Headache occurs with
o Fever/convulsions
o Memory loss/confusion
o Loss of consciousness
o Stiff Neck
Prevention- Caffeine, a vasoconstrictor, is used to preventseveremigraine
- Supplements with magnesium, vit B12 and Q10 used for prevention
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