Chances are, you’re no stranger to a headache every now and then, and sometimes, they may be so painful that you feel like you won’t be able to go on with your day. While headaches can happen for any number of reasons, it is important to understand when a headache is a signifier of a more life-threatening condition. When an over-the-counter pain killer offers no relief, it may be an indication that medical intervention is necessary.
Headache Pain
Headaches are interesting because they can affect different parts of the head and the pain associated with them can differ in frequency, strength, and duration. Because of this, treating headaches can sometimes be a little tricky, and it may be difficult to explain the type of pain being felt.
Headaches can cause pain around the scalp, face, mouth, eyes, and throat due to the amount of pain-sensitive nerves, or nociceptors, found in those areas. Some headaches affect the muscles in the head, the blood vessels near the brain, and the base of the brain for similar reasons. Although sometimes it may seem like the bones themselves are in pain, because of their lack of pain-sensitive nerves, this cannot be the case. Nociceptors can be stimulated by many things, and therefore, many things can trigger headaches. Common activators include stress, muscle tension, different foods or beverages, lights or noise, and over-dilated blood vessels.
When to Make a Doctor’s Appointment
While most headaches go away on their own and tend not to be debilitating, it’s still generally a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor to check up on any new or lingering head pain. Headache symptoms that may not require immediate care include:
• Three or more headaches a week
• Persistent headaches that keep getting worse
• Headaches that require the use of pain relievers almost every day
• Headaches that interfere with work, social life, exercise, and general well-being
When to Go to the Emergency Room
As mentioned before, some headaches can be an indication of severe and life-threatening medical issues that can be helped with early detection. It is advised that you seek medical help immediately if your headaches are accompanied by:
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Difficulty walking
• Severe, sudden pain
• Slurred speech
• Blurred vision
• Fainting
• Numbness
In addition to these, if your headaches occurred following a head injury or any other blunt force trauma in the head and neck area, you should see a doctor as soon as possible to make sure there isn’t more damage than just headaches.
Healthpointe’s Headache Clinic is staffed with medical professionals whose primary purpose is to diagnose and treat various types of headaches. If you have a non-life threatening condition that involves headaches, we can help. Call 888-824-5578 or follow the link here to make an appointment today.