Headache Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

No one likes dealing with headaches, but everyone has to deal with several during their lifetime. What are the symptoms of a headache? What causes headaches and why do we have them? How do we treat headaches? When should you seek medical attention for headaches? Let’s explore.

What are the symptoms of a headache?

The most obvious symptom of headaches is pain in the head. Many times, though, depending on what the headache is triggered by they may be accompanied by other symptoms such as sore throat, stuffy nose, stomach upset, visual problems, sensitivity to light, and earache.
 
What causes headaches and why do we have them?

Headaches are not in the brain, but in the membranes that surround the brain, or the cluster of blood vessels and the muscles just below the scalp. The pain occurs when the membranes, blood vessels or muscles are stretched.
There are many factors that can trigger a headache. Some of the triggers include missing a meal, not drinking enough water, being exposed to the sun for too long, watching television, a smoky room, working on the computer, and straining your eyes while reading. Headaches can accompany other health conditions such as tmj, allergies, and sinusitis. The most severe of headaches is the migraine. There are several kinds of migraines such as menopause migraines, ocular migraines and aura migraines. The specifics behind migraines have yet to be determined.

How do we treat headaches?

The causes and reasons behind headaches are numerous. For that reason, it is vital to figure out what is behind the headache before treating it. Due to the variance in causes and reasons behind headaches the treatments range from sleep to changing your diet to over the counter drugs to prescription drugs.

When should you seek medical attention for headaches?

The typical headache can usually be remedied with extra sleep or over the counter medications such as ibuprofin. However, there are times that you should seek medical attention for headaches. If headaches are severe and recurring then it is wise to consult your doctor. Also, if fever, vomiting, drowsiness and light sensitivity accompanies the headache and you have pain when you bend your neck so your chin touches your chest then you should seek out medical attention immediately. It is also important to seek immediate medical attention if you have hit your head and your headache is accompanied by confusion, vomiting or breathing difficulty. Kids, especially very young kids do not typically complain of headaches, so if you have a youngster that is complaining of pain in their head medical attention would be a wise idea.