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Headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom of an underlying medical condition or disease.
The medical term for headache is cephalalgia. Headaches are one of the most common and universal human ailments, described in the Bible as well as in medical writings from ancient Egypt, Babylonia, GrMIGRAINE HEADACHES Migraine headaches are characterized by throbbing or pulsating pain of moderate or severe intensity lasting from four hours to as long as three days. The pain is typically felt on one side of the head; in fact, the English wCLUSTER HEADACHES Cluster headaches are recurrent brief attacks of sudden and severe pain on one side of the head, usually most intense in the area around the eye. Other names for these headaches include histamine cephalalgia, Horton neuralgia, or erythromelalgia. Cluster headaches may last between five minutes and three hours; they may occur once every other day or as often as eight times per day. The IHS classifies cluster headaches as either episodic or chronic. Episodic cluster headaches occur over periods lasting from seven days to one year, with the clusters separated bTENSION HEADACHES Tension headaches are the most common hCauses
PHYSICAL A person feels headache pain when specialized nerve endings known as nociceptors are stimulated by pressure on or injury to any of the pain-sensitive structures of the head. Most nociceptors in humans are located in the skin or in the walls of blood vessels and internal organs; the bones of the skull and the brain itself do not contain nociceptors.
The specific parts of the head that are sensitive to pain include:
the skin that covers the skull and cervical spine
the 5th, 9th, and 10th cranial nerves and the nerves that supply the upper part of the neck thMost headaches are not associated with serious or life-threatening illnesses. Patients should, however, immediately call their primary physician if they have any of the following symptoms:
three or more headaches per week
need for a pain reliever every day or almost every day
need for greater than recommended doses of over-thecounter medications (OTCs)
stiff neck or fever accompanying the headache
shortness of breath, hearing problems, blurry vision, or severe sore throat
dizziness, weakness, slurred speech, mental confusion, or drowsiness headache following a head injury that is not relieved by OTCs
headache triggered by exercise, coughing, sexual activity, or bending over
persistent or violent vomiting
change in the character of the headaches—for example, persistent severe headaches in a person who has previously had only mild headaches of brief duration
recurrent headaches in a child
recurrent severe headaches, beginning after age 50e venous sinuses inside the head
the large arteries at the base of the brain
the large arteries that supply the dura mater, which is the outermost of the three meninges (membranes) that cover the brain and spinal cord
the portion of the dura mater at the base of the skulleadaches in the general population; other names for them include muscle contrREBOUND
HEADACHES Rebound headaches, which are also known as analgesic-abuse headaches, are a subtype of primary headache caused by overuse of headache drugs. They may be associated with medications taken for tension and migraine headachesaction headache, ordinary headache, psychomyogenic headache, and stress headache. The IHS classifies tension headaches as either episodic or chronic; episodic tension headaches occur 15 or fewer times per month, whereas chronic tension headaches occur on 15 or more days per month over a period of six months or longery headache-free intervals of at least two weeks. The average length of a cluster ranges between two weeks and three months. Chronic cluster headaches occur over a period longer than a year without a headache-free interval, or with pain-free intervals that are shorter than two weeks.
word "migraine" is a combination of two Greek words that mean "half" and "head." Migraine headaches become worse with physical activity and are often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. In addition, patients with migraine headaches are hypersensitive to lights, sounds, and odorseece, Rome, India, and China. Severe chronic headaches were once treated by the oldest known surgical procedure, known as trepanning or trephining, in which the surgeon drilled a hole as large as 1–2 in diameter in the patient's skull without benefit of anesthesia. Evidence of trepanning has been found in skulls from Cro-Magnon people that are about 40,000 years old.
2006-10-05 01:46:44
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answer #1
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answered by ♣Ben *10♣ 3
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Headaches mean one of these things:
vascular disturbance - migraines and allied conditions
injury to the head
muscle tension at the neck
muscle tension at the jaw
hemorrhagic stroke
space occupying lesion (benign and malignant)
infection in the brain (abcess, meningitis, encephalitis)
other
In order to get rid of a headache, you need to look at the cause and treat that.
2006-10-05 01:34:44
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answer #2
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answered by Buzz s 6
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It could mean your stressing about something, weather change, allergies. I had headache and went to the doctor and they told me it was stress headache
2006-10-05 01:36:30
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answer #3
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answered by Niecy 1
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A headache (medically known as cephalalgia, sometimes spelled as cephalgia) is a condition of pain in the head; sometimes neck or upper back pain may also be interpreted as a headache. It ranks amongst the most common local pain complaints.
Headaches have a wide variety of causes, ranging from eye strain, sinusitis and tension to life-threatening conditions such as encephalitis, meningitis, cerebral aneurysms and brain tumors. When the headache occurs in conjunction with a head injury the cause is usually quite evident; however, many causes are more unclear. The most common type of headache is a tension headache. Some experience headaches when dehydrated, or suffering from caffeine withdrawal symptons.
Treatment of uncomplicated headache is usually symptomatic with over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin, paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen, although some specific forms of headaches (e.g. migraine) may demand other, more suitable treatment.
The brain itself is not sensitive to pain, because it lacks pain-sensitive nerve fibers. Several areas of the head can hurt, including a network of nerves which extends over the scalp and certain nerves in the face, mouth, and throat. The meninges and the blood vessels do have pain perception. Headache often results from traction to or irritation of the meninges and blood vessels. The muscles of the head may similarly be sensitive to pain.
There are four types of headache: vascular, myogenic (muscle tension), traction, and inflammatory.
Vascular
The most common type of vascular headache is migraine. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head, an upset stomach, and, at times, disturbed vision. It is more common in women. After migraine, the most common type of vascular headache is the "toxic" headache produced by fever.
Other kinds of vascular headaches include cluster headaches, which cause repeated episodes of intense pain, and headaches resulting from high blood pressure (rare).
Muscular/myogenic headaches appear to involve the tightening or tensing of facial and neck muscles; they may radiate to the forehead. Tension headache is the most common form of myogenic headache.
Traction and inflammatory headaches are symptoms of other disorders, ranging from stroke to sinus infection.
Specific types of headaches include:
Ictal headache
Ice cream headache
Thunderclap headache
Vascular headache
Toxic headache
Coital cephalalgia (also known as: sex headache)
Sinus headache
Hemicrania continua
Rebound headache (also called medication overuse headache, abbreviated MOH)
New daily persistent headache (NDPH)
Like other types of pain, headaches can serve as warning signals of more serious disorders. This is particularly true for headaches caused by inflammation, including those related to meningitis as well as those resulting from diseases of the sinuses, spine, neck, ears and teeth.
While statistically headaches are most likely to be harmless and self-limiting, some specific headache syndromes may demand specific treatment or may be warning signals of more serious disorders. Some headache subtypes are characterized by a specific pattern of symptoms, and no further testing may be necessary, while others may prompt further diagnostic tests.
Headache associated with specific symptoms may warrant urgent medical attention, particularly sudden, severe headache or sudden headache associated with a stiff neck; headaches associated with fever, convulsions, or accompanied by confusion or loss of consciousness; headaches following a blow to the head, or associated with pain in the eye or ear; persistent headache in a person with no previous history of headaches; and recurring headache in children.
Computed tomography (CT/CAT) scans of the brain or sinuses are commonly performed, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in specific settings. Blood tests may help narrow down the differential diagnosis, but are rarely confirmatory of specific headache forms.
Not all headaches require medical attention, and respond with simple analgesia (painkillers) such as paracetamol/acetaminophen or members of the NSAID class (such as aspirin/acetylsalicylic acid or ibuprofen).
In recurrent unexplained headaches, healthcare professionals may recommend keeping a "headache diary" with entries on type of headache, associated symptoms, precipitating and aggravating factors. This may reveal specific patterns, such as an association with medication, menstruation or absenteeism.
Some forms of headache may be amenable to preventative treatment, such as migraine. On the whole, long-term use of painkillers is discouraged as this may lead to "rebound headaches" on withdrawal. Caffeine, a vasoconstrictor, is sometimes prescribed or recommended, as a remedy or supplement to pain killers in the case of extreme migraine. This has led to the development of Tylenol Ultra, a paracetamol/caffeine analgesic. One popular herbal preventive treatment for migraines is Feverfew. Magnesium, Vitamin B2, and Coenzyme Q10 are "natural" supplements that have shown some efficacy for migraine prevention.
2006-10-05 01:31:21
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answer #4
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answered by Ajeesh Kumar 4
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