Cephalagia is the medical term for a headache, which is associated with a pain in the head and often includes pain in the neck. Headaches are one of the most common cause of complaint by patients to doctors.
There are a whole host of reasons a headache may occur. Tension, stress, migraine, dehydration, lack of food or sleep, and sinusitis. Many women suffer from headaches during their menstrual cycle caused by ever fluctuating estrogen levels. These are most commonly experienced mid-cycle. While the majority of headaches are painful, they do not indicate serious medical conditions. These non-threatening headaches can generally be treated with over the counter pain relievers, anti-inflammatories, prescribed medications and/or a change of lifestyle.
There are medical conditions which can cause headaches such as meningitis, encephalitis, cerebral aneurysms, brain tumors and dangerously high blood pressure. Head injuries may also be a very evident cause of headaches.
A person who experiences symptoms of sudden, intense headache with sickness and nausea, persistent visual disturbances, convulsions, trouble controlling limbs, a very high temperature with stiffness in the neck, difficulty speaking or loss of feeling in the limbs should immediately seek medical attention, as these are indications of a possible medical emergency.
At a doctor's office, patients will be asked for full medical history of previous illnesses, family history of headaches, diet and life style, along with any other factors which may have induced the headache. If the doctor is concerned that the symptoms described are life threatening, he or she will send the patient to hospital for in-depth examinations which may include a CT scan of the head. The CT scan will be able to rule out such conditions as brain tumors, cerebral aneurysms and encephalitis.
Headaches which are self-induced include excessive drinking (which often causes a hangover), lack of sleep, insufficient food intake (can make blood sugar levels fall which can bring on a headache), and lack of fluid (dehydration).
Many people can reduce the amount of headaches they experience by a change in life style. Eating a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet, with food consumed at regular times throughout the day may reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches. It goes without saying that reducing the amount of alcohol will lessen the chance of having a hangover headache. It is also a good idea to drink plenty of water during drinking sessions to help alleviate dehydration. Smoking is also a known cause of inducing headaches and therefore stopping smoking may well solve the headache problem. Smoking actually shrinks blood vessels leading to the brain as well as other parts of the body.
Re-bound headaches are caused by excessive use of over-the-counter pain relievers containing butalbital coupled with caffeine. If not kept in check the vicious circle of taking pain relief for a headache too frequently will actually make the headache worse or prolong its duration.
Stress and tension is one of the major causes of headaches, learning relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation may help to reduce stress levels. Massage, including Indian head massage, is another alternative way to help relax neck muscles which cause tension Headaches.
