katyzzzHeadaches and working
September 10th 2006 08:39
Headaches and working :
headache is a symptom, not a disease. A headache is rarely the symptom of a serious illness, but severe or frequent headaches can be exhausting and can affect daily life.
There are three basic types of headaches. The vascular headache occurs when blood vessels in the head enlarge and press on nerves, causing pain. The most common vascular headache is the migraine.
The second type of headache is the muscle contraction headache, which results when the muscles of the face, neck, or scalp contract and tighten. A tension headache is an example of a muscle contraction headache.
The third kind of headache is the inflammatory headache. Such a headache is the result of pressure within the head. The causes range from relatively minor conditions, such as sinusitis, to more serious conditions, such as brain tumors.
Migraine Headaches: Causes and Symptoms :
One theory about migraine headaches is that they occur when the blood vessels in the head expand and press on the nerves, causing pain. Another theory is that they result from the blood vessels constricting and thus blocking blood flow to parts of the brain; this may cause the visual impairment and numbness that often accompany or precede a migraine headache. The blood vessels then become full of blood and press on surrounding nerves, causing pain.
Women are more prone to migraines than are men, and a certain personality type -- compulsive, perfectionist, and very success-oriented -- seems to be more susceptible to migraine headaches.
Causes :
A number of physical and emotional factors may contribute to migraine headaches. Migraines may be triggered by a sharp reduction in caffeine intake or by allergies to certain foods or food additives (among them chocolate, coffee, fatty foods, alcohol, citrus fruits, mono-sodium glutamate, and nitrates).
Emotional stress can also cause migraine headaches, as can drinking alcohol, smoking, change in barometric pressure, or an interruption in routine eating and sleeping habits (all of which may be responsible for "weekend" headaches suffered by some patients). Cyclical, seasonal, or emotional factors may also be associated with the tendency to develop migraine headaches. A tendency to develop this type of headache may be inherited. Many women get premenstrual migraines.
Symptoms :
The predominant symptom of a migraine headache is a sharp, pulsating pain on one or both sides of the head. Paleness, sweating, nausea, and sensitivity to light may accompany the pain.
A warning sensation, or aura, may indicate an ap-proaching migraine headache. Before the pain begins, some individuals may see flashing lights or "shooting stars," hear noises, smell fragrances or odors, or feel a tingling sensation in the arms or legs.
Cluster headaches are a form of vascular headache most commonly experienced by men. Cluster headaches have an abrupt onset and can happen at any time. The headaches can occur daily for days, weeks, or months. Their chief symptom is intense pain on one side of the head, accompanied by tearing of the eye and a runny nose on the same side. Drinking alcohol and smoking may aggravate these headaches.
Muscle Contraction Headaches :
A muscle contraction headache occurs when muscles of the face, neck, or scalp remain tightened for long periods of time. These muscles are then said to be in spasm.
Causes :
A muscle contraction headache usually occurs after a specific event that has caused the muscles to tense. The tension is then translated into physical discomfort in the form of a clenched jaw, aching neck, and tightened muscles of the face and head.
Muscle contraction headaches can also be brought about by abnormalities in the eyes, neck, teeth, or jaws or by poor posture -- especially by holding the head at an awkward angle while reading, driving, or watching television.
Symptoms :
The major symptom of these headaches is a tight, squeezing pain in the forehead or jaws or around the back of the head or neck. This constant, dull pain usually occurs on both sides of the head.
Diagnosis :
Diagnostic evaluation involves a review of the events that usually precede the headaches, as well as a physical examination to rule out any other disorder that might be causing them. A psychological examination may also be conducted to detect any emotional problems that may be contributing to the headaches.
Treatment :
Treatment usually begins with eliminating the tension or correcting the physical problem that is causing the headaches. Painkillers, muscle relaxants, and tranquilizers may occasionally be used to treat muscle contraction headaches. Also, antidepressant drugs may be effective in preventing the headaches in those individuals who suffer from them regularly.
Inflammatory Headaches :
An inflammatory, or traction, headache is caused by pressure within the head, due to any of a variety of disorders.
Causes :
Clogged sinuses and sinus infections are probably the chief cause of this type of headache. The sinuses are the cavities within the facial bones. When mucus, which normally flows freely through the sinuses and drains down the nasopharynx or out the nose, cannot drain properly, it collects in the sinuses and causes excess pressure on the surrounding tissues, leading to headache.
Other causes of inflammatory headaches include an aneurysm (a bulge in a blood vessel) in the head and a brain tumor. Aneurysms may not cause pain until they rupture or enlarge rapidly. Brain tumors are usually associated with swelling in the surrounding tissues, which may cause increased pressure within the skull and, as a result, a dull, constant painful headache. Anyone who experiences the abrupt onset of a severe headache or "the worst headache of my life" should seek medical evaluation immediately.
High blood pressure, which causes blood to rush through the vessels with too great a force; infections, which inflame sensitive tissue; and fever, which may enlarge the blood vessels, can also cause headache due to excess pressure within the skull.
Symptoms :
The symptoms of an inflammatory headache are a dull, aching pain, often occurring early in the day, accompanied by a feeling of pressure in the head. The pain is heightened by sneezing, coughing, bending over, or doing anything that increases the amount of blood in the head.
Diagnosis :
This type of headache is diagnosed by determining first whether sinus problems are causing it. If not, the doctor may order an electroencephalogram (EEG), which is a visual record of electrical activity in the brain; X-ray studies; a computed tomographic (CT) scan, which provides a cross-sectional picture of the brain; or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study, which yields images comparable to those obtained with CT but without the use of X rays. These tests can detect the presence of a tumor, an aneurysm, or another abnormality in the brain that may be responsible for causing the headache.
Treatment :
Inflammatory headaches are treated according to their causes. Those triggered by a sinus infection can be treated with painkillers, antibiotics to fight the infection, or antihistamines and decongestants to dry out and help drain the sinuses. Headaches resulting from more serious disorders, such as a brain tumor, will almost certainly require further evaluation and treatment.
Prevention :
Prevention of these headaches is sometimes possible if the cause is as simple as a sinus infection. For example, if you suffer from frequent sinus headaches, you should stop smoking. Smokers seem particularly prone to sinus infections.
The inflammatory headache is somewhat different from the migraine and muscle contraction types, but all three obviously have this in common: They can be extremely painful.
headache is a symptom, not a disease. A headache is rarely the symptom of a serious illness, but severe or frequent headaches can be exhausting and can affect daily life.
There are three basic types of headaches. The vascular headache occurs when blood vessels in the head enlarge and press on nerves, causing pain. The most common vascular headache is the migraine.
The second type of headache is the muscle contraction headache, which results when the muscles of the face, neck, or scalp contract and tighten. A tension headache is an example of a muscle contraction headache.
The third kind of headache is the inflammatory headache. Such a headache is the result of pressure within the head. The causes range from relatively minor conditions, such as sinusitis, to more serious conditions, such as brain tumors.
Migraine Headaches: Causes and Symptoms :
One theory about migraine headaches is that they occur when the blood vessels in the head expand and press on the nerves, causing pain. Another theory is that they result from the blood vessels constricting and thus blocking blood flow to parts of the brain; this may cause the visual impairment and numbness that often accompany or precede a migraine headache. The blood vessels then become full of blood and press on surrounding nerves, causing pain.
Women are more prone to migraines than are men, and a certain personality type -- compulsive, perfectionist, and very success-oriented -- seems to be more susceptible to migraine headaches.
Causes :
A number of physical and emotional factors may contribute to migraine headaches. Migraines may be triggered by a sharp reduction in caffeine intake or by allergies to certain foods or food additives (among them chocolate, coffee, fatty foods, alcohol, citrus fruits, mono-sodium glutamate, and nitrates).
Emotional stress can also cause migraine headaches, as can drinking alcohol, smoking, change in barometric pressure, or an interruption in routine eating and sleeping habits (all of which may be responsible for "weekend" headaches suffered by some patients). Cyclical, seasonal, or emotional factors may also be associated with the tendency to develop migraine headaches. A tendency to develop this type of headache may be inherited. Many women get premenstrual migraines.
Symptoms :
The predominant symptom of a migraine headache is a sharp, pulsating pain on one or both sides of the head. Paleness, sweating, nausea, and sensitivity to light may accompany the pain.
A warning sensation, or aura, may indicate an ap-proaching migraine headache. Before the pain begins, some individuals may see flashing lights or "shooting stars," hear noises, smell fragrances or odors, or feel a tingling sensation in the arms or legs.
Cluster headaches are a form of vascular headache most commonly experienced by men. Cluster headaches have an abrupt onset and can happen at any time. The headaches can occur daily for days, weeks, or months. Their chief symptom is intense pain on one side of the head, accompanied by tearing of the eye and a runny nose on the same side. Drinking alcohol and smoking may aggravate these headaches.
Muscle Contraction Headaches :
A muscle contraction headache occurs when muscles of the face, neck, or scalp remain tightened for long periods of time. These muscles are then said to be in spasm.
Causes :
A muscle contraction headache usually occurs after a specific event that has caused the muscles to tense. The tension is then translated into physical discomfort in the form of a clenched jaw, aching neck, and tightened muscles of the face and head.
Muscle contraction headaches can also be brought about by abnormalities in the eyes, neck, teeth, or jaws or by poor posture -- especially by holding the head at an awkward angle while reading, driving, or watching television.
Symptoms :
The major symptom of these headaches is a tight, squeezing pain in the forehead or jaws or around the back of the head or neck. This constant, dull pain usually occurs on both sides of the head.
Diagnosis :
Diagnostic evaluation involves a review of the events that usually precede the headaches, as well as a physical examination to rule out any other disorder that might be causing them. A psychological examination may also be conducted to detect any emotional problems that may be contributing to the headaches.
Treatment :
Treatment usually begins with eliminating the tension or correcting the physical problem that is causing the headaches. Painkillers, muscle relaxants, and tranquilizers may occasionally be used to treat muscle contraction headaches. Also, antidepressant drugs may be effective in preventing the headaches in those individuals who suffer from them regularly.
Inflammatory Headaches :
An inflammatory, or traction, headache is caused by pressure within the head, due to any of a variety of disorders.
Causes :
Clogged sinuses and sinus infections are probably the chief cause of this type of headache. The sinuses are the cavities within the facial bones. When mucus, which normally flows freely through the sinuses and drains down the nasopharynx or out the nose, cannot drain properly, it collects in the sinuses and causes excess pressure on the surrounding tissues, leading to headache.
Other causes of inflammatory headaches include an aneurysm (a bulge in a blood vessel) in the head and a brain tumor. Aneurysms may not cause pain until they rupture or enlarge rapidly. Brain tumors are usually associated with swelling in the surrounding tissues, which may cause increased pressure within the skull and, as a result, a dull, constant painful headache. Anyone who experiences the abrupt onset of a severe headache or "the worst headache of my life" should seek medical evaluation immediately.
High blood pressure, which causes blood to rush through the vessels with too great a force; infections, which inflame sensitive tissue; and fever, which may enlarge the blood vessels, can also cause headache due to excess pressure within the skull.
Symptoms :
The symptoms of an inflammatory headache are a dull, aching pain, often occurring early in the day, accompanied by a feeling of pressure in the head. The pain is heightened by sneezing, coughing, bending over, or doing anything that increases the amount of blood in the head.
Diagnosis :
This type of headache is diagnosed by determining first whether sinus problems are causing it. If not, the doctor may order an electroencephalogram (EEG), which is a visual record of electrical activity in the brain; X-ray studies; a computed tomographic (CT) scan, which provides a cross-sectional picture of the brain; or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study, which yields images comparable to those obtained with CT but without the use of X rays. These tests can detect the presence of a tumor, an aneurysm, or another abnormality in the brain that may be responsible for causing the headache.
Treatment :
Inflammatory headaches are treated according to their causes. Those triggered by a sinus infection can be treated with painkillers, antibiotics to fight the infection, or antihistamines and decongestants to dry out and help drain the sinuses. Headaches resulting from more serious disorders, such as a brain tumor, will almost certainly require further evaluation and treatment.
Prevention :
Prevention of these headaches is sometimes possible if the cause is as simple as a sinus infection. For example, if you suffer from frequent sinus headaches, you should stop smoking. Smokers seem particularly prone to sinus infections.
The inflammatory headache is somewhat different from the migraine and muscle contraction types, but all three obviously have this in common: They can be extremely painful.
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