Managing with Headache

Headache happens to be one of the most prevalent health complaints in the daily lives of people. It may occur in one side or multiple parts of the head. It can also affect anybody irrespective of their age, gender or inheritance. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, nearly half of the adult population experience headache at least once annually.

Usually, all patients assign paramount importance to finding immediate relief to a headache by taking self-medication. But caution must be exercised particularly if they take other medicines which are likely to cause reactions with these drugs or have pre-existing medical conditions which can result in health complications. It is also crucial to closely watch the symptoms, signs and potential triggers that cause a headache. 

Types of Headache

Based on the cause, Headache is categorized as-

• Primary headache - These are not caused by any external factors and are stand-alone ailments. They occur due to over-exertion of the brain or problems in the head parts that are prone to pain like the blood vessels, muscles or nerves connecting the head and the neck. These headaches may also be an off-shoot of changes in the brain due to various chemical activities. Types of Primary Headache include-

• Migraine which are due to throbbing or pulsations only on one side of the head. Accompanying symptoms may include feelings of nausea or light-headedness, blurring of vision and auras (sensory disturbances).It may last for a few hours or days.
• Tension headache wherein there may be a feeling of tightening around the head, neck pain or a prevailing dull ache on either side of the head. It may occur in isolated episodes or last longer as in chronic cases.
• Cluster headache which are severe one-sided aches that may result in red, swollen areas around the eyes, drooping of eyelids and blocked nasal passages. It occurs in clusters of few days to months coupled with headache-free periods in-between.

• Secondary headache - These usually occur due to underlying causes which stimulate the pain-sensitive nerves in the head. This includes -

• Over usage of painkillers causing Rebound Headache.
• Thunderclap Headache caused by Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome (RCVS) which causes constriction of blood vessels hampering the blood supply to the brain.
• Hangovers resulting from alcohol consumption.
• Brain tumours.
• Toxic effects of carbon monoxide.
• Brain freeze (ice-cream headache).
• Panic attacks.
• Life-threatening ailments like Haemorrhage (bleeding) in or around the brain, Meningitis (brain fever), Aneurysms (artery enlargements) and Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (blood clots in the brain).
• Medical conditions like glaucoma, stroke, hypertension, Upper Respiratory Tract Infections and influenza
• Sudden caffeine withdrawal
• Head injury or trauma
• Head and Neck Cancer which mostly manifests itself as Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer

It is advisable to consult the ENT Doctor for identifying the secondary causes like respiratory infections and influenza for taking appropriate ENT Treatment.

Treatment for Headache

• Medications - Usually generic pain medications available as Over-the-Counter (OTC) drugs or preventive medicines prescribed by physicians like anti-depressants, anti-epileptic drugs or serotonin receptors are used.
• Surgical Remedies - For removal of brain tumours, surgery may be required. Cancerous growths additionally require chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
• Alternative Treatments - Alternative approaches like Meditation, Hypnosis, Acupuncture, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Herbal and Nutritional Remedies may be used for tension headache.
• Lifestyle Modifications - Regular exercise, sufficient sleep, healthy eating habits, avoiding stress and reducing caffeine consumption can prevent headache episodes substantially.

Please consult the Head and Neck Doctor or the ENT specialist to diagnose the exact cause if the headache worsens or becomes more severe, persistent or frequent. Any accompanying symptoms like fever, epilepsy, mental confusion, neck stiffness and sensory modifications require an emergency intervention for the headache or the neck pain treatment.