Headache pain: Causes, Symtomes, Treatement

Definition of headache - What is a headache?

Headache is a common Afection , an estimated 90% of people have a violent headache at least once in their lives.

There are several types of headache, some experts estimate that there are 100 different headaches. However, all these headaches belong to three main categories, headache characterized by a tension, migraine and cluster headache. 
Headache by far the most common, affecting 60% of the population is the tension headache.

We also find that migraine affects women in particular and the cluster headache, it affects mostly men. 

Epidemiology of headache 

According to WHO, worldwide, 1.7 to 4% of the adult population suffers from headaches more than two weeks per month.

Causes of headache

Origins headache in 90% of cases, the headache has no apparent cause.
Headaches can be caused by:

• Stress (work overload, emotional stress ...).

• Fever and Infectious Diseases (ticks ...).

• A depression or anxiety.

• Tiredness (lack of sleep), a burnout or exhaustion (in exam period or burnout).

• A genetic.

• A visual disorder (glaucoma).Hormonal disorders (dysménhorrée, PMS, menopause), mainly affects women.

• Some weather (which can also cause headaches).

• Some foods (nuts, chocolate ...), alcoholic beverages and caffeinated drinks (in some cases coffee treats headache in others it worsens).

• In some cases headaches can be symptoms of a serious or chronic illness as: rheumatism, hypertension, sinusitis, meningitis, cranial disease, eye disease ...

Of course if your headache lasts long and / or you suspect a serious or infectious disease, see a doctor.

• Excessive intake of analgesic drugs (against headaches and inflammation), in fact people who take too much medication against headache can see a vicious circle settle causing headaches caused by these drugs.

• Strong odors (eg perfume.).

• Smoking.

• Excessive noise.

• Spending too much screen time as a computer, tablet or laptop.

Symptoms of headache

In a classic Headache pain (tension headache) pain often occurs on both sides of the head (often in the frontal region). It was like having the head clamped in a vise or as a pounding.

Headache can occur suddenly or gradually and duration vary little from several minutes to several hours. An important difference with migraine is that the pain does not worsen the effort and headache is not usually accompanied by nausea or vomiting.

Moreover, we can talk about chronic tension headache when a person is over 15 hits per month and this for six months, if that is the case talk to your doctor.

The headache can occur in all regions of the head. Symptoms may appear gradually or suddenly.

Medications headache

Medications to treat headaches (TTH) used analgesics (painkillers). Molecules characterized by their INN (International Nonproprietary Name), the most used are:

• Paracetamol 500 mg in adult dosage to take every 4 hours. Tablet, lozenge, sachet, effervescent tablet or suppository.

• Aspirin (ASS, also known as aspirin), the adult dosage of 500 mg taken by the physician or pharmacist. Tablet, effervescent tablet or tablet now.

• Ibuprofen, dexibuprofen lysate or ibuprofen dosing of 100, 200 mg or 400 mg adult dosage, to take as the physician or pharmacist. Tablet.

• Naproxen, to take the form of tablets

• Diclofenac, 12.5 mg (adult dosage prescription), to take according to doctor's advice. tablet

• Various other molecules, ask in your pharmacy

• Mixtures of these molecules (eg aspirin and paracetamol, ...), sometimes supplemented by other molecules like caffeine (he seems to accelerate the speed of action).

Natural treatments for headache

• White willow, to take tablets or capsules standardized has an analgesic effect (thanks to a molecule similar to aspirin contained in this plant).

• Feverfew, herbal tea, decoction or capsule.

• The butterbur, tablets or dragees.