Headache
A Headache is a common affliction that affects the head and can have many different causes.
Causes of headaches commonly fall into four categories: Vascular (conditions affecting the blood vessels), tension, inflammatory and those associated with abnormalities of the cranial nerves (the nerves supplying the face, head and neck). There are no nerve endings in the brain itself.
Therefore, a headache is a painful sensation in the muscles, the skin or in some organ around the head or around the brain. The pain can be confined to a small area or cover the entire head. Some headaches are preceded by auras (sensations that things are not quite right). These auras can be visual, associated with smell, or auditory (sounds). Most headaches are benign, that is, they are self–limiting and not likely to be serious. However, some headaches are not, and they require extensive evaluation.
Causes & Risks of Headache
What are the causes and risks of headaches?
Many things cause headaches. Vascular headaches are of the migraine type and can be either classic or common. Vascular headaches include cluster headaches (Severe, one–sided headaches that occur in groups) and headaches associated with hangovers or exposure to toxins and other drugs.
Tension headaches are caused by stress, conversion reactions (Psychological problem causing symptoms that resemble an actual physical condition) or arthritis, abnormalities in the neck, muscles or bones.
Inflammatory headaches are caused by lesions such as tumors, meningitis (Infection or inflammation of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord), bleeding within the head, auto–immune diseases (Diseases in which the body produces chemicals that attack itself), or arteritis (Inflammation of the wall of an artery). Cranial neuralgias (Severe pains in or about the face or scalp) are caused by trigeminal (Nerve sensing feelings in the face, cheek and jaw) or glossopharyngeal (Nerve controlling the throat and vocal cords) nerve abnormalities. Most people have experienced some type of headache in their lives.
Symptoms of Headache
What are the signs and symptoms of a headache?
Causes of headaches commonly fall into four categories: Vascular (conditions affecting the blood vessels), tension, inflammatory and those associated with abnormalities of the cranial nerves (the nerves supplying the face, head and neck). There are no nerve endings in the brain itself.
Therefore, a headache is a painful sensation in the muscles, the skin or in some organ around the head or around the brain. The pain can be confined to a small area or cover the entire head. Some headaches are preceded by auras (sensations that things are not quite right). These auras can be visual, associated with smell, or auditory (sounds). Most headaches are benign, that is, they are self–limiting and not likely to be serious. However, some headaches are not, and they require extensive evaluation.
Causes & Risks of Headache
What are the causes and risks of headaches?
Many things cause headaches. Vascular headaches are of the migraine type and can be either classic or common. Vascular headaches include cluster headaches (Severe, one–sided headaches that occur in groups) and headaches associated with hangovers or exposure to toxins and other drugs.
Tension headaches are caused by stress, conversion reactions (Psychological problem causing symptoms that resemble an actual physical condition) or arthritis, abnormalities in the neck, muscles or bones.
Inflammatory headaches are caused by lesions such as tumors, meningitis (Infection or inflammation of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord), bleeding within the head, auto–immune diseases (Diseases in which the body produces chemicals that attack itself), or arteritis (Inflammation of the wall of an artery). Cranial neuralgias (Severe pains in or about the face or scalp) are caused by trigeminal (Nerve sensing feelings in the face, cheek and jaw) or glossopharyngeal (Nerve controlling the throat and vocal cords) nerve abnormalities. Most people have experienced some type of headache in their lives.
Symptoms of Headache
What are the signs and symptoms of a headache?
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