What is a headache?
A headache is a pain in the upper part of the head, from above the eyebrows to the lower part of the back of the head. A headache is a symptom, or a feeling of discomfort. The nature of a headache can be a drilling pain, a dull pain, a swelling pain, a throbbing pain, a pins-and-needles pain, a knife-like pain, a cracking pain, a tightening pain, etc. In short, headaches can be felt in a variety of ways. Headache is a signal that many diseases can cause headache, so it can be seen as a signal that other diseases are about to occur. It may be a benign signal, such as headache from overthinking, headache from work fatigue, headache from cold and flu, which reminds people to take proper rest; or it may be a precursor of some serious diseases, such as brain tumor, brain hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, meningitis, etc.
Causes of headache
1.Headache caused when the intracranial arterial vessels are strained or displaced, such as intracranial occupying lesions (brain tumor, hematoma, abscess); increased cranial pressure (cerebral edema, hydrocephalus, venous sinus thrombosis); low cranial pressure headache after lumbar puncture.
2.Vascular headache caused by abnormal constriction of intracranial and extracranial arteries, such as migraine, cluster headache, secondary vascular headache caused by fever, intoxication, CO poisoning, hypertension, etc.
3.Headache caused by irritation of meninges and nerve roots. Headache occurs when blood from exudate of intracranial inflammation or hemorrhagic disease (subarachnoid hemorrhage) stimulates meninges and trigeminal, glossopharyngeal, vagus nerve and cervical 1~2 spinal nerve roots.
4.The headache caused by continuous contraction of the head and neck muscles is called tension headache. It can be divided into two categories: one is the continuous contraction of head and neck muscles due to mental factors or occupational relationship; the other is the reflexive contraction of neck muscles due to cervical joints or neck trauma.
5.Involvement headache can spread or reflect to the head when there is disease in the five senses or the neck to produce involvement headache.
6.Some biochemical factors play a role in the occurrence of headache, such as norepinephrine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, bradykinin, prostaglandin, etc. are related to the occurrence of migraine. There is also a relationship between hormones and the occurrence of migraine. Migraine often starts in adolescence; some female patients have migraine attacks before or during menstruation.
Which headaches require early medical attention?
The red flags for headaches are those that say that when they occur they may be a sign of a serious illness. These signs are.
1. Any sudden onset of severe headache that has not been experienced in the past and that lasts for a week with increasing severity and persistence.
2.A headache with fever that does not improve after a week.
3.Any headache accompanied by epileptic seizure.
4.Headache with indifferent expression, unresponsiveness, drowsiness, and confusion.
5.Headache with vomiting, which has nothing to do with eating, but is ejective vomiting when the headache is immediate.
6.Headache that can make people wake up at night with pain.
7.Headache that is aggravated by coughing, sneezing, bending and exertion.
8.After head trauma, the headache is aggravated again with vomiting after half a month or a month.
9.Headache confined to one eye, one ear or a specific area.
10.Sudden onset of headache in elderly people who usually have not had such headache.
11.Headache that has a long history of headache, but suddenly changes its characteristics and type.
What tests are needed for headache?
There are tests for different causes.
1.Measurement of blood pressure It is possible to determine headache due to hypertension.
2.Neurological examination In particular, we should look at the fundus of the eyes, whether there is optic papillary edema, whether there is arteriosclerosis and so on. And pay attention to the presence of meningeal irritation signs (neck resistance).
3.X-ray examination For suspected paranasal sinusitis, take Geva position, for suspected cervical spondylosis, take cervical lateral and oblique position, for suspected cranial lesion, take cranial plain film.
5.Electroencephalography is of great significance for encephalitis and epilepsy.
6.Transcranial Doppler ultrasound can determine cerebral arteriosclerosis, cerebral vascular spasm, cerebral blood supply deficiency, vascular headache, etc.
7.Lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid examination can measure the level of cranial pressure, which is valuable for confirming meningitis and subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, it is contraindicated for those with severe headache with vomiting, obvious edema of the optic papilla in the fundus and other signs of high cranial pressure to avoid brain herniation.
8.Cranial CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination For patients with severe headache and suspected intracranial organic lesions, it is necessary to do cranial CT and MRI examination, which can provide a more accurate diagnosis for brain tumor, brain abscess, intracranial hematoma, intracerebral parasitic disease (such as cerebral cysticercosis), acute cerebrovascular disease, etc.
Special treatment of headache
The cause of headache should be identified as early as possible, and early treatment of the cause should be carried out together with appropriate symptomatic treatment. Zhengzhou People’s Hospital Brain Hospital takes the lead in establishing headache treatment specialties in Henan Province, and selects different treatment methods according to different types of headaches to relieve patients’ pain as much as possible. The ward is mainly treated by a combination of Chinese and Western methods, such as acupuncture, acupoint injection, nerve closure, stellate ganglion block, psychological suggestion and medication. Patients will be typed first to accurately diagnose the cause of their headaches, and then a comprehensive treatment approach will be targeted.
How to prevent headache attacks?
1. Self-massage
During the day, you can use your fingertips to scratch your head like washing your hair or use a natural bristle brush or a wooden tooth comb to massage your head. The specific method is: from the sideburns towards the forehead to the back of the head in a slow circular motion, no matter which way you take, the massage will feel very comfortable and relaxed.
2, maintain the correct sleeping position
Do not sleep prone, because this sleeping position will make the neck muscles numb. If you sleep poorly and repeatedly turn over, you can use a special pillow, the shape should be suitable for the natural bend at the neck of the spine, so that the neck has a reliable support. Use sleep to get rid of Some people sometimes suffer from headaches because of lack of sleep. Therefore, you can choose a comfortable, dimly lit room to sleep comfortably, because sufficient sleep can also get rid of the headache. But you should be careful not to cover your head with a quilt when you sleep, so as not to reduce the inhalation of oxygen and increase carbon dioxide, otherwise, you will be very prone to headaches when you wake up.
3.Pay attention to scientific diet
Avoid eating chocolate, coffee and cocoa because they contain substances that can constrict blood vessels and cause pain in the head with the expansion of blood vessels. For people suffering from frequent headaches, is due to the lack of magnesium in the human body. Therefore, to eat more soybeans, whole grains, seafood, walnuts and other foods rich in magnesium. At the same time, do not crave wine, it is best not to drink dark wine, because dark wine is more likely to cause headaches.
4.Reduce the burden of vision
If you watch TV or operate a computer for a long time, it will inevitably increase the burden on your eyesight. Therefore, every hour or so, cover your eyes with the palm of your hand, let your eyes rest for no less than 30 seconds, then remove your hand and slowly open your eyes. In addition, the eyes undergo imperceptible flicker can also cause headaches due to brain fatigue. Therefore, it is best to use lighting equipment is soft light ordinary desk lamp and floor lamp.
5.Tilt your head and chest
In daily life, such as walking and sitting, you should keep your head and chest up, and never lower your head or arch your back, otherwise it will cause excessive muscle tension.
6.Early treatment
Some doctors believe that the best countermeasure is to take medicine in time under the guidance of a doctor when the headache first appears, that is, when it is in a budding state. According to Chinese medicine, the head is the remainder of all the yang, and it is also the place where the marrow is located. Therefore, the external attack of the six evil spirits or the imbalance of yin and yang in the internal organs can lead to the rebellion of qi and blood, and the stagnation of meridians and channels for a long time will lead to the loss of brain nourishment and headache.