Headaches. Types and causes.

jpareds (34)in #steemstem • 7 years ago

To say that "our head hurts" is a too simplified phrase. In fact, there are more than 20 different types of headaches; each of them with their own feelings and with their different intensities. Headache is a universal experience. Few are the privileged who can say that they have never gone through one. According to the Spanish Society of Neurology, between 73% and 89% of men have experienced headaches, in women that number scales to 92% -99%.

Headache, which is technically known as headache, is one of the main causes of visits to neurology offices. Its intensity, location and accompanying symptoms vary, but its impact is undeniable in the quality of life of those who suffer from it. The 3 most common types are:

Tension
Migraine
Period pain

TENSION: It is a type of headache that is characterized because it appears from time to time and is usually described as a sensation of pain in the form of a "band" around the head and that has a descending path from the top of the head. head to the nape

MIGRAINE: The migraine begins as a dull pain that slowly and constantly throbbing. It is usually stronger on one side of the head than on the other. Migraine is usually accompanied by auras: alterations in vision, in the ear and other senses, and especially nausea and vomiting. It is the most common ailment among the population and affects mainly women since it is related to hormonal changes.

PERIOD PAIN: This type of pain has been described by patients as the most painful and annoying of all and is characterized by giving the sensation of a stab behind or near one of the two eyes. It affects above all the male population and has that name since it is characterized by appearing in periods followed by time and then several months of relief.

But despite the differences of each type, there is one thing they all have in common: the pain does not originate in the brain because it does not have sensitive nerves. Most pains occur in the meninges (which are the membranes that line the brain and spinal cord). When those tissues become inflamed, it hurts ... and a lot.

Causes of headache

The causes of a headache, which is a symptom, not a diagnosis, are multiple. Among the most common:

Stress
Visual problems
To be cold
Drinking alcohol in excess
Inadequate postures
Do not eat properly, for example, do not eat for several hours
Do not drink enough liquid
Medicines
The menstrual period

Other causes, less common, can be tumors, cerebral infarcts or metabolic alterations.

Treatment of headache

Taking into account the etiological diversity of headaches, the treatment depends largely on an accurate diagnosis.

Most of the headaches are primary and are treated with anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. In the case of migraine, maintenance treatment, which has a preventive focus, may include the administration of psychotropic medications.

It is important to follow the doctor's recommendations regarding the taking of drugs. An excess in that sense can lead in itself to a headache due to excessive use of medications.