Headaches are extremely common and there would not be anyone who has not faced one at some time or the other. Thankfully, most headaches only need simple measures and over-the-counter analgesics. To prevent such headaches, one should have a healthy diet, exercise regularly, take proper sleep, drink adequate water daily, and generally keep the mind relaxed and stress-free.
Sometimes the headaches may be more complicated, but often, they can be treated by a competent neurologist to make the patient comfortable.
Expert talk on symptoms and treatment
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Simple headaches can be treated with rest and over-the-counter medications; however, severe or persistent headaches may require medical or even surgical intervention. One should seek medical counsel if the headaches are persistent or recurring and if they are causing a hindrance to the person’s day-to-day functioning.
Headaches accompanied by seizures, lethargy, fever, confusion, memory loss, unclear vision, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, clumsy hand or leg movements suggest an underlying health condition and need medical attention. We reached out to Dr V P Singh, Chairman, Institute of Neurosciences, Medanta – the Medicity, Gurugram, to elaborate on the various types of headaches and their treatments.
Types of headaches
1. Tension headaches
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Tension headaches are the most common type of headaches. They are majorly caused by the stress of day-to-day life. Unhealthy sleep patterns, dehydration, skipped meals, consistent loud noise, and poor eye vision often exacerbates such a headache. The headache may be mild to moderate in intensity and may come and go over time.
This type of headache usually worsens as the day passes, and the anxiety and stress build up. Resting, staying hydrated, and maintaining a healthy routine can make one feel better. Keeping one’s mind relaxed and having realistic expectations and aspirations also benefit greatly.
2. Migraine headaches
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Migraine headaches are severe headaches that are accompanied by throbbing on one or both sides of the head. The headache may be triggered by exposure to the sun, eating certain foods, stress, or loud noise. It can last for many hours or even a couple of days. There is heightened sensitivity to light and noise, and there is usually severe nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite.
The headache is severe enough to disrupt the patient’s routine activities and the patient usually has to sleep it off in a dark and quiet place. If such headaches are severe and frequent, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
3. Cluster headache
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These headaches are incredibly severe and cause intense burning or piercing pain behind or around the eye. Symptoms include watery eyes, swollen eyelid, the pupil getting smaller, red eyes, blocked or runny nose, restlessness, agitation, and more. Such headaches occur suddenly and stay for 15 minutes to three hours. They occur frequently for some time in clusters and then for a long time, there are no attacks. They are more common in men, and people who smoke. The treatment for this type of headache includes oxygen therapy, steroids, and stimulations when a person is non-responsive to medications.
4. Sinus headache
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Sinus headaches occur due to inflammation in the sinuses (air cavities behind the nose and cheeks). This type of headache causes pain in the cheekbones, forehead, or on the bridge of your nose. The patient has a runny nose, blocked ears, swollen face, cough, fatigue, and fever.
These headaches are classically worse on sitting up and bending forward and are relieved by lying down. The treatment includes using nasal spray, rest, drinking fluids, antihistamines, and antibiotics in some situations.
5. Tumor-related headache
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In rare cases, the headache may be a harbinger of a more serious cause such as a brain tumor. The hallmark of such a headache is the progressive increase in the intensity and severity of the headache till it becomes continuous and very uncomfortable. Such headaches may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, visual and behavioral disturbances.
There may be seizures or neurological deficits like weakness or numbness in the body, speech difficulty, or incoordination of the arm or leg. Such headaches need immediate attention from a neurosurgeon or neurologist and further investigation with a CT or MRI scan of the brain.
6. Brain infection-related headache
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Brain infections like meningitis cause headaches which rapidly progress over hours or a couple of days to become extremely severe. It is usually associated with fever, vomiting, and marked stiffness of the neck. Left untreated, the patient becomes drowsy and may even lapse into a coma.
When to seek medical help
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Only a small percentage of headaches are sinister and need to be diagnosed in time, so that they are treated urgently to get a good outcome. It is wise to seek medical care if your headache is severe, persistent, or increasing progressively in intensity and severity. If it does not respond to simple analgesics or you feel it’s associated with neurological symptoms mentioned earlier, seek medical attention at the earliest. Prompt treatment by your healthcare provider is necessary in such situations to solve the problem.
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