“ Headache ” : The signs that lets you know when to worry

Headache is a symptom that everyone must have experienced. Normally, the headache that we usually have is not severe and can be cured by taking care of ourselves or taking pain killer pills. But in some cases, it’s not just an ordinary symptom. It might occur because of brain tumor or other dangerous diseases. Therefore, it’s important to know the types of headache symptom, and when to worry in order to receive the treatment on time. Here are the types of headaches:

Severe Type of Headache

The cause of this type of headache could be dangerous brain diseases
such as intracerebral hemorrhage, brain infection, or brain tumor. Even though it rarely occurs, the patient has to go to see the doctor to diagnose it by CT-Scan or MRI. The headache symptoms that need to see the doctor are as follows:

• Sudden severe headache without any warning signs.
• Symptom is getting more severe that even a pain killer pill can’t help.
• Can’t sleep or wakes up in the middle of the night
• Having other abnormal symptoms such as fever, blurred vision, double vision, numbness and muscle weakness in the legs and arms, and vomiting.
• First time to experience headache after 50 years old.

For people who don’t have the above mentioned symptoms, usually it’s
a non-severe type of headache.

Non-severe Types of Headache

• Tension Headache: It usually occurs on everyone in all age groups. It’s caused by the head muscles contraction which is generated by stress, lack of sleep, or any actions that cause neck and shoulder muscle contraction and cause a dull aching kind of feeling. Normally, it can be cured by taking pain killer pills, getting enough sleep, and stress reduction.

• Migraine Headache: it usually occurs on young women more than men. The patient will have the throbbing pain around the temporal
  area, eyes, and occipital area with a nausea kind of feeling. Before having this type of headache symptom, the patient might have Photophobia or Phonophobia, for example, flashing. Other factors
  are heat, stress, some scent, some kind of food, or menstrual period. However, it may range in severity and the pain will last for 4 – 72 hours. The patient should take some rest in a peaceful place and avoid every factor that causes the symptom. The patient might take no steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Naproxen or Ibuprofen, or migraine medication, such as Ergot or Triptans. However, it should be prescribed by the doctor.

• Cluster Headache: It usually occurs on middle aged men more
  than women. It’s caused by the abnormal function of the trigeminal
  nerve and related blood vessels as well as automatic nerve
  function. The patient will have headache symptom at the same
  time everyday that the patient has the symptom and it lasts for 1
  hour. Basically, this type of headache is more severe than
  migraine headache and the patient usually have pain around the
  eyes and might have red eyes, tears, runny nose, and ptosis.
  Undergoing oxygen therapy along with pain killer medication is the
  way to cure this type of headache. Thus, if you have this type of
  headache, you should go to see the doctor to receive proper
  treatment.

In conclusion, there are several types of headache and different procedures of treatment. If you are having doubts about your headache, you should go see the doctor to diagnose and receive the best treatment. The patient shall not buy medicines without doctor’s consultation because it might cause side effects or drug overdose.