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Headache: Symptoms, Medical tests, Causes, Treatment

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Introduction

What is Headache?: Headache, known colloquially as Headache, is one of the most common pain aches in the human race. It occurs in different ways, depending on its intensity and symptoms. The most common types of headaches are migraine, tension, chronic daily, cluster, and other primary headaches.

Headaches are pains in all areas of the head. The headache may occur on one or both sides of the head, be localized, radiate from a single point across the head, or feel like a vise. Headaches can remain felt as a sharp pain, a throbbing sensation, or a dull ache. The headache can develop gradually or suddenly, lasting from less than an hour to several days.

Some of the most common causes of headaches are lifestyle-related, such as poor diet, stress, muscle tension, and lack of exercise. Underlying severe diseases, such as brain tumors, rarely cause headaches, but a doctor should always check out persistent headaches.

Any change in the pattern or nature of the Headache could be a symptom of a more serious health problem.

What Symptoms Does it Present?

The intensity of the pain is usually moderate or severe. At times, it can become disabling for the patient, forcing him to suspend his activity. The Headache can be localized in a specific area or affect the entire head more generally.

On the other hand, the frequency of headaches is variable, ranging from one to five per month. The duration of each episode does not usually exceed 24 hours.

In addition to these symptoms, the Headache may present other visible signs such as:

  • Droopy eyelids
  • Tearing
  • Vertigo
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Red eyes
  • Facial spasms
  • Anisocoria: difference in pupil dilation

Headache is a common ailment. 

Headache Medical Tests

Usually, there is no need for specific tests to diagnose it; A detailed consultation will suffice, in which the doctor will ask specific questions about the symptoms. However, in rare cases, a CT or MRI scan may be necessary to confirm the nature of the disease and identify the problems causing the Headache. More detailed clinical tests may be required to detect headache-causing conditions, such as blood pressure monitoring, urinalysis, and fundus examination

Causes of Headache

The most common causes of are:

  • Heredity: Most people with migraines have parents or siblings who also have it.
  • Age: migraine in childhood is less frequent and occurs equally in boys and girls. However, after adolescence, it is more common in women.
  • Stress
  • Food: chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, nuts, citrus fruits, fermented cheeses, and junk food additives, among others.
  • Alcohol
  • Hormonal changes: migraine worsens in women during ovulation and menstruation, as well as taking oral contraceptives. During pregnancy, it usually improves.
  • Climate changes
  • Lack or excess of sleep
  • Drugs

Can it be Prevented?

We cannot prevent itself, but it is possible to prevent it from developing beyond what it should. Some of the recommendations of the specialists are:

  • Practice physical exercise regularly
  • Avoid alcohol and tobacco
  • Avoid drug and caffeine abuse
  • Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables

Also read: What does a Nutritionist do in a Gym?

What Does The Treatment Consist of?

First, it is necessary to know the type of Headache that the patient suffers. There is no definitive cure for headaches, although many treatments can relieve symptoms or prevent them from getting worse, such as certain drugs or therapies by administering pure oxygen.

Which Specialist to Contact?

If you have a headache, you can contact specialists in Internal Medicine, Neurology, Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dentistry.