What to do with a headache. Headache. What to do if you have a headache. Headaches in a child

Headache ( cephalgia) - an exhausting state that every person felt at least once in a lifetime. It is especially characteristic of residents of metropolitan areas. Many brush it off by taking an analgesic pill without thinking about why they have a headache.

Practitioners urge - in case of pain in the head several times a month, it is necessary to carry out a series of diagnostic procedures in order to identify the root cause in a timely manner.

The mechanism of development of pain in the head

The human brain is a complex, truly unique organ created by Mother Nature, capable of controlling an even more complex machine - the rest of the body. Like any technology, the human brain needs energy to feed. It is estimated that neurocytes absorb it up to 80% of all incoming from the outside.

Nutrient elements come to the brain structures through intracranial vessels, uniquely closed in a circle. With the formation of circulatory disorders, there are interruptions in the work of the “head control center”: blood pressure parameters are disturbed and fatigue increases, and also, without obvious reasons, mood changes and memory deteriorates significantly. But the main signal - a harbinger - is pain in the head.

Why does my head hurt

Today, experts can cite many different causes of pain in the head.

The most significant are:

• Stay in state chronic stressful situation- very important for residents of metropolitan cities.
• Availability atherosclerotic deposits on the walls of intracranial vessels (atherosclerosis), leading to blockage of vessels important for the brain, bringing nutrients. This causes complaints that the head hurts in the temples.
• Chronic intoxication(for example, smoking). Spasmodic against this background, the vessels also cannot fully deliver the required amount of nutrients.
• Traumatization. It is necessarily included by experts in the top ten most important reasons why a person has a headache. The fact is that the affected neurocytes die, forming a kind of scars in the nervous tissue, which subsequently is no longer able to fully fulfill its functional purpose.
• Availability diabetes. Negative processes caused by metabolic disorders lead to thickening of the vascular wall, its fragility, thereby disrupting local blood flow.
• Another significant root cause, of course, is recognized persistent hypertension. Intracranial vessels constantly change their diameter, brain structures do not adapt well to such negative modifications, and the result will be a throbbing pain in the head.
• Destructive states in . They are formed more often in persons with sedentary work, reminding themselves of pain in the head.

Symptoms

At the first stages, pathological changes in the structures of the brain make themselves felt by previously uncharacteristic increased fatigue, often occurring dizziness, as well as absent-mindedness and sleep imbalance. For example, in the daytime a person is ready to sleep even standing up, but at night he tosses and turns for a long time, unable to fall asleep.

If all of the above symptoms have become constant companions of a person, he is strongly recommended to visit a neurological specialist.

In the absence of specialized medical care, the symptoms are aggravated:

• The head hurts constantly, analgesics do not bring relief
• Personal changes are formed
• Increasing and aggravated tendency to depression
• There is a complete breakdown
• There is always heaviness or "woolness" in the head

The most severe complication is acute cerebral stroke. You will not surprise anyone with a stroke at working age, although some 100-150 years ago a stroke at the age of 20-30 was nonsense.

Mankind is saved from general disability, as a result of developed disorders of cerebral circulation, only the ability of the body to mobilize its own forces. The functions of dead neurocytes are taken over by other nervous structures that were previously in reserve.

This process is very complex and lengthy. That is why the human brain must be treated with care, regularly carried out "prevention" - quality rest, taking vitamins and courses of neuroprotectors.

The nature of pain in the head

A person has a severe headache due to a number of reasons.

The nature of such phenomena is explained by experts by the presence of:

• Vegetative-vascular pathologies in persons prone to constant stress, having hormonal abnormalities.
• A persistent increase in pressure (arterial hypertension), which leads to complaints of pain in.
• Migraine is a real "scourge" of the people of the twentieth century. According to experts, every fifth inhabitant of the planet suffers from its attacks.
• Histamine headache, a symptom of which is soreness in the region of one eye, its tearing and redness, swelling of the cheeks and nasal congestion. Persons with negative habits, for example, smoking or alcohol abuse, are especially prone to it.
• Occipital headache is a companion of hypodynamia. Spasms of intracranial vessels and local ischemia occur due to pathologies in the cervical spine, or neoplasms of the human brain stem.
• The post-traumatic nature of pain in the head can disturb a person for many decades later.
• Vascular abnormalities, for example, an aneurysm or malformation. Unfortunately, the presence of pain in this case indicates the neglect of the condition. The first stages of negative deviations are asymptomatic.
• Muscle strain in people whose work involves prolonged sitting, such as office workers

Other reasons why the head hurts very much include:

• Feverish conditions
• Neuroinfections
• High intracranial pressure
• Hemorrhage in brain structures
• Arteritis
• Having a cold or flu
• Neuritis of the facial nerve

Each of the above reasons requires a mandatory consultation of a specialist with the necessary diagnostic studies, as well as adequate treatment tactics. Self-medication is not recommended.

Let us dwell in more detail on the most common reasons why the head hurts.

Tension headache

The most common reason why the head constantly hurts is the overstrain of the muscle groups of the shoulder girdle, as well as the superficial tissues of the skull.

A person initially experiences only minor discomfort in the head. Then the symptoms worsen, the pain is girdle in nature (like a squeezing hoop). The pain becomes dull and debilitating.

The reasons for such phenomena are called:

• Chronic stressful situations, anxiety and depression
• Overexertion of the muscles of the neck and eyes
• Abuse of analgesics, tranquilizers
• Lack of walks and a good night's rest
• Working in stuffy rooms

Headache in this case is only a protective reaction of the human body to the depletion of its protective properties. Experts recommend starting to do fitness, attend yoga classes, and also conduct massage sessions.

Migraine

More often, the female half of humanity is affected by it, but in some cases men also suffer from pain in the right or left side of the head.

Before a migraine attack begins, a person experiences the following warning signs:

• Visual focus is disturbed
• Zigzags or lightning flash before the eyes
• There are olfactory, gustatory or tactile hallucinations.

The person is concerned about:

• Significant decrease in appetite
• Feelings of nausea or vomiting
• Maximum susceptibility to light and noise

The most common underlying causes of a migraine attack are:

• Chronic physical or psycho-emotional overwork
• Lack of night rest
• Bright light
• Individual hypersensitivity to individual products
• Alcohol, smoking
• Menstruation

Regular supervision by a specialist, the rejection of negative habits, as well as a quality night's rest and appropriate therapy courses, help a person significantly reduce the number of migraine attacks.

Histamine headache

It is characterized by a sudden onset and a duration of 20 minutes to two hours. In the vast majority of cases, this pathology affects males.

The most characteristic symptoms include:

• Pain in the eye area or above the ears.
• Previously uncharacteristic tearing, swelling of facial tissues, sagging eyelids.
• Rush of blood to the face

The frequency of such phenomena is varied: every day, and once a week.

Occipital headache

This option is due to the presence cervicalgia- degenerative changes in the cervical elements of the spine.

There is a clamping of the vessels feeding the brain by the muscle fibers of the shoulder girdle, and the person feels that he has a headache in the back of his head. Painful manifestations gradually rise from the neck to the ears, and then to the back of the head and forehead. They grow all day long. The slightest movement can only increase pain symptoms. It is possible to prevent such conditions - it is enough to regularly perform a set of exercises suggested by a neurological specialist.

Arterial hypertension

This is one of the most common causes of pain in the head. Medical statistics show an annual significant increase in the number of people with persistent arterial hypertension recorded in them.

If your head hurts every day, you must definitely purchase a pressure measuring device (tonometer) and track the measurement results. With their increase, take antihypertensive drugs recommended by a specialist.

Do not dismiss such a seemingly insignificant symptom as a headache. It can only be the first "swallow" of many formidable conditions. Only a comprehensive examination helps to establish the root cause, and specialist advice and adequate treatment tactics can save a person from debilitating headaches.

At least 70% of the population of developed countries suffer. But in fact, many more people are familiar with this condition, it's just that many do not go to the doctor, preferring to cope with it on their own. But we must remember that the only symptom of many serious diseases is a severe headache. What to do in this case, only a doctor can advise. And, despite the fact that now there are many means that can quickly alleviate suffering, you should not get carried away with them. After all, in order to get rid of headaches, you need to eliminate the causes that cause them, and not just the symptoms themselves. Therefore, before drinking pills, you need to find out why you have such a condition.

What diseases can cause headaches

Their most common cause is vascular diseases: arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, vegetovascular dystonia and others;

Migraine is also quite common, especially among women;

Cervical osteochondrosis can lead to pinching of the artery, resulting in severe headache and nausea;

Often this condition is a symptom of viral diseases;

Sinusitis, tonsillitis and sinusitis also cause headaches;

It will certainly occur after a traumatic brain injury;

Various vision problems, ranging from increased intraocular pressure and glaucoma to the wrong selection of glasses, can cause headaches;

This condition is sometimes caused by otitis media and dental disease;

A constant strong may indicate the development of a brain tumor;

It can also be caused by some diseases of the endocrine glands, as well as such rather rare diseases as temporal arteritis and disorder of the temporomandibular joint.

Other causes of this condition

But in many cases, perfectly healthy people complain of severe headaches. What to do in this case, you can understand if you remember what events preceded this state. After all, pain is often caused by an unhealthy lifestyle and diet. What can cause them?

Most often, these are stresses, depressive states and psycho-emotional overstrain;

Nervous and muscular fatigue, as well as excessive mental stress;

Sedentary lifestyle and lack of fresh air;

Incorrect posture, the habit of tucking your legs under you and hunching your back;

Sleep disturbances, night work;

Change in meteorological conditions, sudden hypothermia or heat stroke;

Improper nutrition: malnutrition, diets, the predominance of nitrites, caffeine and histamine in food;

Poisoning by alcohol, chemicals and drugs;

Lack of certain vitamins and minerals, such as iron or vitamin B deficiency.

Types of headaches

Depending on the causes, the pain may be different. It can vary in intensity: strong, sharp, dull, aching, pressing or throbbing. The pain may increase gradually or with a change in position, from sounds and smells. Sometimes it subsides when in peace and quiet, during sleep. Depending on this, you need to choose the means to combat it. Headache is also classified according to the place of its occurrence. It can be shingles, when the whole head hurts, or it can be localized in one place. It often depends on the reasons causing it. Most often there is pain in the temporal region. It can be caused by various diseases, stress and poisoning. Pain in the back of the head occurs due to pressure surges or cervical osteochondrosis. Eye strain and infectious diseases can cause such sensations in the forehead. Sometimes they are localized on one side. For example, a severe headache on the left side of the head indicates the development of a migraine.

Diagnostics

It is already clear that taking analgesics can not always be a salvation from suffering.

If you incorrectly determine the cause and do not eliminate it, then after the medication stops, the algia will reappear. Therefore, you need to know why a severe headache appears. What to do to get rid of it, the doctor can advise after the examination. He will find out where the pain is localized, how frequent it is, and when it hurts more. The doctor should definitely tell about additional symptoms: dizziness, nausea, visual impairment and others. You will need to remember what preceded the onset of pain, what medications you took and how you ate. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe additional laboratory tests: usually these are blood tests, magnetic resonance imaging, an electroencephalogram of the brain, and an x-ray of the cervical spine. You may also need to consult other specialists: an ophthalmologist, dentist, neurologist and endocrinologist.

When can you self-medicate?

Many people suffer from severe headaches. What to do in this case, some decide on their own. But you can do without visiting a doctor only when you have already passed the examination and know your diagnosis. If headaches torment you periodically, and you know their cause, you can not go to the doctor every time, but apply the treatment that he prescribed for you. When is it necessary to visit a medical facility?

It's the first time you've had a headache and you don't know what might be causing it.

The pain came on suddenly, for no apparent reason, and gradually gets worse.

The usual localization and intensity of pain has changed.

Additional symptoms appeared: nausea, dizziness, "flies" before the eyes, weakness.

Headache Treatment

If you know your diagnosis and the cause of this condition, if you experience pain infrequently and pass after the use of medications, you can self-medicate. Most people try to manage their pain with pills. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, and usually help. But in many cases, you can do without these by no means harmless drugs if you eliminate the causes of pain. Rest, a walk in the fresh air, a relaxing massage, or a warm bath often help. For many, the headache goes away after sleep, meditation or auto-training. Folk remedies help well: herbs, compresses and acupressure. When treating in a medical institution, physiotherapy can be prescribed: electrophoresis, salt caves, magnetic and laser therapy. In any case, all methods of getting rid of pain should be directed primarily to its cause.

How to help yourself without medication

If you understand why you have a severe headache, what to do at home to relieve an attack? If it is caused by overwork, you need to take a break from work, take a walk in the fresh air or just relax. It is useful to drink a decoction of chamomile, valerian, linden or mint.

Then you need to lie down and try to relax. To do this, turn off the computer, TV and radio, draw the curtains. You can turn on pleasant music and light it up. A warm bath with sea salt or aromatic oils will also help to relax. It is good to do with your fingers or a stream of warm shower. Sometimes the pain caused by tension disappears if you tightly bandage your head with a towel for 10 minutes, you can just press hard on the temple area for a short while. In some cases, relief comes from drinking warm tea with lemon and honey or just sweetened water. All other treatments should be chosen depending on the reasons for which a severe headache appeared. What to do - in each case, the doctor can advise. For example, with high blood pressure, you need to take drugs to reduce it, during infectious diseases - antiviral and antipyretic drugs, and for osteochondrosis, massage. But in any case, measures must be taken in a timely manner, you can not endure if there is a severe headache.

What to do: what pills to take

All medicinal pains can be divided into several groups. Any of them without the recommendation of a doctor can be taken only once - to relieve an attack.

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will help with pain of any origin, in addition, they will relieve inflammation and fever. The best of them are Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Nurofen, Imet, Ketorolac and others.

2. Antispasmodics are used for tension pain, vasospasm, if NSAIDs do not help. Recommended "Papaverin", "Drotaverin", "No-shpa", "Spazgan" and others.

3. If the pain is caused by pressure fluctuations or other vascular disorders, analgesics will help well in this case: Analgin, Nebalgin and others. But in combination with them, you need to take vasodilators or special hypertensive drugs.

4. These drugs may not help if you have a very severe headache. What to do, usually in this state, a person cannot decide. Combined preparations can quickly bring relief: Pentalgin, Solpadein, Brustan, Novigan and others.

Folk remedies

But sometimes taking medication is not possible for various reasons, and a severe headache occurs. What to do in this case? Many are helped by various herbal preparations, compresses and other traditional medicine. You just need to choose the method of treatment that is acceptable to you, which will really alleviate the condition.

You can drink warm decoctions of herbs: St. John's wort, coltsfoot, oregano, mint, valerian and some others will help;

You can make compresses with lemon, lavender or orange oil, or simply inhale their scent;

You need to drink the juice of potatoes, spinach or viburnum berries;

Ginger tea or cinnamon tea helps a lot;

Acupressure and acupuncture also help.

Severe headache during pregnancy

What should women who are expecting a baby do, because most drugs are contraindicated for them? And pregnant women often have headaches. This is due to hormonal changes in the body of a woman, toxicosis and circulatory failure.

If the headache is not very bad, you can try to cope with it without medication. Can help:

Rest and sleep;

Shower or warm bath;

Relaxing exercises or breathing exercises;

Neck and shoulder massage;

A warm or cold compress on the bridge of the nose and forehead for pain in this area, as well as on the neck in case of a severe headache in the back of the head.

What if these methods don't help? You can take one painkiller tablet. If you do it infrequently, then it will not bring harm. What medicines are allowed to be taken by pregnant women? In small doses, "Citramon" or "Paracetamol" is allowed, there is also a little-known drug - "Acetaminophen". It is strictly forbidden to drink "Nurofen", "Aspirin" and analgesics. The same rules must be followed during lactation, if there is a severe headache. "What to do: I feed the child, but I have no strength to endure?" - women are often interested. There are drugs compatible with breastfeeding, mainly based on paracetamol. These are Calpol, Eferalgan or Panadol. They are the least harmful to the child, but often they should not be taken either.

Headache in children

Smaller patients are much more difficult to treat because they often cannot accurately describe their condition. Therefore, in case of a headache, it is necessary to show the child to the doctor. Only by making a diagnosis can a doctor determine how to deal with the problem. In addition to pain associated with various health disorders, today's children often experience tension pain and even suffer from migraines. A light massage, rest and sleep, linden tea or a cool compress can help the baby. For a one-time removal of a strong attack, it is permissible to give the child medicines based on paracetamol. Most non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics are contraindicated for children under 12 years of age.

Prevention of headaches

As you know, all drugs are unsafe for health. Therefore, it is better not to allow a state when you need to drink strong drugs. For those who regularly suffer from headaches, it is very important to follow the correct daily routine, go to bed on time and walk more in the fresh air. It is necessary to lead an active lifestyle, spend less time at the TV and computer. It is also very important to monitor nutrition, because many foods can cause headaches: coffee, chocolate, carbonated drinks, canned food and sausages. They are best avoided. You also need to give up alcohol and smoking.

99% of the population has a headache at some point in their lives. If this pain is periodic, not accompanied by loss of consciousness and severe neurological disorders, then people adapt to it. And in vain. With proper discipline of the patient in more than half of the cases, the treatment of headache is quite successful. Unfortunately, not everyone goes to the doctor on time.

Doctors name a lot of causes of headaches. In the latest classification, there are over two hundred of them. The main ones are vertebrogenic (the name is very symbolic - this category includes all types of headaches that occur due to obstruction of blood flow in the occipital part of the head), migraine pain, with changes in blood pressure, after traumatic brain injuries and with infectious diseases ( even, for example, with chronic rhinitis).

There is also a psychogenic headache. It includes (mental or physical), as well as pain in anxiety and depression. Most often, this is either aching, or pressing, or throbbing pain, concentrated in the occipital, temporal or frontal areas, or “spilled” throughout the head. Patients agree on one thing: it can be tolerated for a long time, more than an hour - for sure. And there is no motivation to immediately go to the doctor. So they live - for years, decades ... A handful of pills, sound sleep, timely vacation - and everything returned to normal by itself.

It will hurt and pass

If not only relatives and colleagues know about your headache, but even followers in social networks, and by its intensity you can, without measuring blood pressure, figure out how much and what kind of antihypertensive drugs you need to throw into yourself this time, or you know exactly which the pill and in what dosage it helps, and carry the medicines with you, if your doctor raises his eyes to the ceiling and, sighing heavily, coos something confidentially that “you need to worry and be less nervous”, then such a headache is most likely , will give you the opportunity to procrastinate further. And when your head hurts, you absolutely don’t want to make an appointment, go to the doctor, explain something to someone ... In any case, soon the “head will pass” and life will shine again with all colors.

At the moment of a headache attack, people behave quite typically. A person seeks to retire, smells, bright lights and sounds are annoying. Some try to lie down and not move, some, on the contrary, float around the room without stopping.

Remember Alla Pugacheva's clip about noisy neighbors? There is a wide bandage on the head, the nerves are stretched to the limit. Here is a portrait of a typical sufferer. The world is reduced to the size of a darkened and quiet bedroom. The state when the head still does not hurt, on the contrary, is accompanied by an attack of violent activity and intense body movements. Everything is usual.

Pain at its peak

But one day the pain overshadows everything. It becomes so strong that you immediately understand: this is a “different” pain, unusual, unlike anything else. "Wild" - her patients call her. Burning, boring, tearing or constricting the head, piercing, sharp, intolerable, covering the whole head or part of it. This may be accompanied by loss of consciousness or confusion, convulsions, nausea and vomiting, immobility of one limb or half of the body, impaired speech or vision. Yes, anything! After such a joy from life, you are unlikely to experience ...

Medical advice will come later. And now - medical observations. In 99% of cases with such a strong pain attack, people first drink "some" pill. Of those that are in the first aid kit, they were found by a neighbor, they were shown on TV (well, where at first “everything hurts”, and then - happiness in full sips and the world is beautiful and amazing).

In principle, this is the right tactic. The only problem that most doctors point out is the dosage. With a strong, almost unbearable headache, eager to “drown out” it immediately, people take a completely insane amount of painkillers that can “poison” the body for a long time. And then people wait. When it "passes", when the pill "works", when the morning comes. And when things get really bad...

If the attack took you by surprise

So, a strong, first-time headache. You are conscious, outwardly - no damage. What could it be? Yes, whatever! After all, the brain itself cannot get sick - there are no pain receptors in it. Pain occurs due to tension or irritation of many pain-sensitive areas located in the head or neck: the skull (periosteum), muscles, nerves, arteries and veins, subcutaneous tissue, eyes, sinuses and mucous membranes. So:

Tip number 1. Do not try to diagnose yourself! With a strong, sudden, first-time headache - call a doctor! Sit down and call someone adequate and unfussy to help you (in case you pass out). Do not take more than a double dose of painkillers and remember that the medicine needs time to work.

Tip number 2. Take your temperature before dialing the ambulance. Because a headache can accompany the onset of a viral or infectious disease. In any case, you will give the doctor the opportunity to start the work of making a diagnosis two minutes earlier. Remember, sometimes minutes can save a life.

Tip number 3. Try touching your chin to your chest. If you can’t because the pain in the occipital region is getting worse, feel free to dictate this formidable symptom to the call center operator. Because meningitis is not a toy, but a very dangerous complication of many seemingly harmless SARS.

Tip #4 If you have a blood pressure monitor, check your blood pressure. And preferably - on both hands. Because a good half of all new cases of hypertensive crises are accompanied by very strong cephalalgia. A hypertensive crisis is already serious. It can easily lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Tip #5 Remember in detail what happened the day before. There is a special kind of headache - toxic. It occurs when poisoning with various chemicals or as a side effect of taking medications. Such a headache is often caused by drugs that lower blood pressure, nitrates, psychotropic drugs, and many other substances. By the way, many teenagers were saved by the meticulousness of their parents, who asked the sick child in detail about the circumstances of the party the day before.

Tip #6 See and touch. Even a healthy person can experience a severe headache after a heat or sunstroke, being in a stuffy room, carbon monoxide poisoning or car exhaust. By the way, do not forget about such a thing as amnesia. A person who has been hit on the head sometimes completely forgets the circumstances of the injury. Examine yourself in the mirror, palpate the skin under the hair and neck for bruises, wounds or scratches.

Tip number 7. Don't waste time. The most unpleasant case is the presence of a volumetric formation in the brain. It can be either a tumor, or an abscess, or even outflow of blood. The diagnosis can only be made with the help of neuroimaging, so if the head hurts for a long time, do not delay the appeal to the neurologist. Remember: in its diversity, headaches have no equal!

Tip #8 If the headache has gone as suddenly as it appeared, do not cancel the ambulance call. In some of its types, for example, with intracerebral bleeding, a “bright” period may occur before the appearance of the most formidable complications. Wait for the doctor. Do not rush to write a will and finish the "most important". Try to sit comfortably and relax.

Tip #9 When you go to the doctor, keep a piece of paper ready with a record of which headache medicines you have taken. And medical gratitude will have no boundaries!

Attention! If the headache is accompanied by loss of consciousness or its stupefaction, convulsions, nausea and vomiting, immobility of one limb or half of the body, impaired speech or vision, then there are no options - call a doctor immediately. And do not self-medicate and help each other.

For others, there is only one advice: do not let the patient die from your “care”. Do not try to give water to a person who is unconscious, do not put foreign objects in your mouth during a convulsive attack, do not “wash your stomach” with profuse vomiting that does not bring relief, do not brake a dangling arm or leg! Loosen tight clothing, let in fresh air, and gently turn your head to the side.

The sooner the patient gets to the hospital, the more chances he has to stay alive and unharmed. After all, pain can be a manifestation of such serious diseases as stroke, meningitis or encephalitis. Remember, only a doctor can make a diagnosis. And the advice "do no harm" - applies not only to doctors ...

Valentina Saratovskaya

Photo thinkstockphotos.com

At the same time, neuropathologists believe that the source of the problem is in the brain, therapists believe that it is in the vessels, and psychotherapists attribute everything to stress.

And each of these experts is right in their own way. There are many sources of headaches. It can be both lack of sleep, stress, osteochondrosis, a deficiency in the body of certain trace elements (potassium, copper, magnesium or phosphorus), as well as serious diseases, such as meningitis and even a brain tumor. Fortunately, only 5 out of 100 headache attacks are a reason for immediate hospitalization. In other cases, you can cope with malaise on your own.

This hat doesn't fit

Physicians have such a concept - "helmet of a neurotic", or "tension headache". We are talking about unpleasant sensations that arise as a result of increased tone of the muscles of the neck and scalp for a long time. The cause of this ailment, as a rule, is physical overwork and emotional experiences, sometimes it is caused by excessive smoking and even clips or earrings that put pressure on certain points on the ear.

The "helmet of a neurotic" is usually bilateral, it is distinguished by a dull, monotonous, diffuse character of pain, the skull is as if squeezed by a hoop. It can be episodic - less than 15 days a month and chronic - more than 15 days a month for six months. Experts have noticed that this “headdress” is more often worn by patients who tend to negatively evaluate life events, that is, inveterate pessimists. In this case, pain is a bodily expression of anxiety, a manifestation of accumulated experiences and complexes. Such a problem can be eliminated with natural sedatives (chamomile tea, peony tincture, passionflower) and autogenic training. Self-massage of the head helps well: it relieves the same muscle tension - the cause of discomfort. There is even such a technique - "combing out" a headache with a massage brush. At the same time, blood circulation increases, and the muscles relax. Normal blood circulation is restored.

What to do: massage your fingertips with the tip of a pencil. Find the most painful point and press on it (this is a kind of home reflexology). Breathing exercises or aromatherapy help well. Try 5-10 minute hot foot or hand baths. Instead of a water treatment, you can put a wrung out hot towel on your forehead, massage your neck and shoulders, drink green tea (but without chocolate and sweets).

Insidious vessels

The cause of the headache may be a spasm or vasodilation. Most often, this problem worries those who lead a sedentary, sedentary lifestyle. Another category of unfortunate people suffering from such a headache is patients with vegetovascular dystonia and osteochondrosis. In this condition, the whole head splits at once. The pain is of a pulsating nature, “knocking at the temples”, the face looks puffy, the general condition is broken. In those who are subject to this ailment, the discomfort is aggravated by changes in the weather and a few days before menstruation. During pregnancy, the frequency of headaches decreases or they stop altogether, but, unfortunately, resume after childbirth, as soon as the period of breastfeeding ends. In this case, home remedies will not help. We need medicines that stabilize blood vessels and relieve spasms (stugeron or no-shpa).

What to do: Moist compresses can relieve the pain a little - hot if the face turns pale during an attack, and cold if it turns red. Massage of the head and neck helps a lot. As a prevention of pain caused by blood vessels, experts recommend swimming. Fans of folk methods of treatment use herbal preparations containing hawthorn, cudweed, lemon balm. But to get involved in coffee and drugs with caffeine in this case is not worth it.

A monster named "Migraine"

The term "migraine" was introduced by the ancient Roman physician Galen. This is a complex disease, the main symptom of which is bouts of unbearable pain strictly in one half of the head. Doctors associate this pathology with a violation of the metabolism of serotonin, a substance involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. By the way, women are more likely to suffer from migraines. If your mother has suffered most of her life due to an unbearable headache, most likely, a similar fate awaits you. After all, migraine, as a rule, is inherited. The situation is aggravated if you lead the wrong way of life: you smoke, drink alcohol, move little and rarely go outside.

The first headaches can be observed in childhood. They are fully manifested by the age of 25-40. The attack can last from 4 hours to 3 days, accompanied by nausea, sometimes vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and sounds. It is often preceded by such special effects as flickering flashes of light followed by a "veil before the eyes", a narrowing of the field of view, a split image.

What to do: in the first phase of migraine, vasodilators are used: dibazol with papaverine, nicotinic acid, trental, stugeron. On the second - vasoconstrictor: ergot preparations. During an attack, rest in a darkened room is necessary, as well as a light massage or warm hand baths with essential oils of lavender, lemon, peppermint, marjoram.

"Wrong" sausage

Scientists have recently found that headaches can be associated with food intolerance to certain foods. The reason is in substances that affect blood vessels. First of all, it is tyramine, which can be found in chocolate, long-aged cheese, yogurt, sour cream, salted or pickled fish, canned seafood (crabs, shrimp), smoked meat, sausages, as well as in all types of beer. This substance is insidious in that its amount in products increases during long-term storage.

Another chemical element that causes the so-called sausage headache is sodium nitrate. And monosodium glutamate, found in many dishes and sauces of Chinese cuisine, is the source of the malaise with the sonorous name "Chinese restaurant headache." If you are not a fan of oriental cuisine, do not rush to rejoice. This substance can be encountered in bouillon cubes, potato and corn chips, flavored crackers, and some dry soups.

Caffeine deserves special attention. It is curious that he causes discomfort not by his presence, but by his absence - this is the so-called abuse headache. In this case, people suffer from a shortage of their favorite coffee, cola or tea. A sharp rejection of these drinks is accompanied by throbbing headaches in the temporal regions, weakness, irritation, absent-mindedness, anxiety, fear, sleep disturbance and nausea.

What to do: A prerequisite for recovery is diet. Switch to a diet that excludes the use of harmful foods. Phytotherapy, methods of cleansing the body and kinesiotherapy (a special method of physiotherapy exercises) have an excellent effect.

Attention!

Don't put off seeing a doctor if the headache gets worse, the pills don't help, or the discomfort keeps coming back for days or weeks. If the disease is accompanied by visual impairment, dizziness, it is necessary to visit a specialist as soon as possible.

Only 5 out of 100 headache attacks are a reason for hospitalization

• Whole head - fever, colds, infectious diseases
• Forehead (both sides above the eye sockets) - eye diseases, improperly selected glasses
• Whiskey on both sides, back of the head - throbbing vascular headache (with hypertension)
• Hoop (passes through the forehead, temples, back of the head) - with tension headache
• Behind the ear (on one side), temple - dental problems or otitis media
• Temple (on one side) - migraine

Expert opinion

Larisa Novikova, neuropathologist of the highest category

Of course, in the treatment of headaches, the normalization of the daily regimen is of great importance, that is, compliance with the rules of rational nutrition, the obligatory alternation of work and rest, limiting emotional stress (primarily negative), good sleep. But, unfortunately, these measures are not always enough. And only a specialist can understand the true cause of a headache. If the use of first aid is not effective, do not postpone a visit to a specialist. After all, early diagnosis of the disease is the key to successful treatment.

Headache Stars

Tatiana Arno:

- I am a happy person - I almost never have a headache. This attack happened to me only two or three times in my life. At the same time, in order to come to my senses, I did not need to rest, drink special teas or decoctions, or take wonderful baths. When this happened, I was saved by a regular aspirin tablet. Apparently, this is just a feature of my body, which, seeing how others suffer, I am very glad.

Yana Rudkovskaya:

“A warm, relaxing bath is the best remedy for my headaches. I always add stress relievers to the water - salts, gels, balls and rose petals. If there is no time for water procedures, then I wipe my face with a piece of ice, in which I dilute an ampoule of collagen-elastin before freezing. The procedure kills two birds with one stone: the pain goes away and the contours of the face are tightened at the same time.

Alexander Malinin:

- You see, I live in such a rhythm that there is no time to pay attention to such trifles as a headache. I relieve unpleasant symptoms by drinking an analgin tablet and turning on calm, pacifying, best of all classical music. But if the problem occurs frequently, you need to see a doctor and look for the immediate cause of its occurrence. After all, a headache can be the result of a cold, overwork, problems with blood vessels.

Material provided by the magazine "AiF Pro Health" No. 12, 2008

We can say with 146% confidence that each of us has experienced a headache. It is good when this is an isolated case or a very rare occurrence. You have learned from our article what to do if your head hurts, you have completed the necessary actions and you live peacefully further.

But if this happens on a regular basis, then we recommend that you seek help from your uncle (or aunt) doctor, and not the Internet. After all, systematic headaches, and even in a certain area (for example, in the eye area), most likely signal the development of some kind of disease. And temporary pain relief, read inaction, will only help the disease develop.

Therefore, it is better to use the recommendations on the network, including ours, in case of single headaches or as a temporary measure in order to go to the doctor in the morning, who will find out the reasons and tell you what to do if your head hurts, prescribing the appropriate treatment.

What to do for any headache (temporal, occipital, due to illness, etc.) at home

What should be done first of all, with any nature of headache, regardless of the cause, in order to alleviate the condition:

• let fresh air into the room;
• make yourself strong brewed sweet tea;
• take a horizontal position, preferably on the couch, slipping a twisted blanket or something else under your feet so that they become above head level (you don’t need to lift your legs very high);
• lightly massage your head yourself, but it is better for someone else to do it;
• if you smoke, then refrain from this activity;
• sometimes it helps to tightly bandage the head with a shawl or scarf;
• exclude any elements that irritate you: loud music, bright lights, smartphone.

Choosing a pill according to the nature of the headache

If your head hurts really badly, then the above actions may not work or work, but not to the fullest. Therefore, in itself, approximately the following reasoning arises: “what else to do if your head hurts? Maybe some kind of "magic pill" to drink? Indeed, there are various drugs that relieve or stop a headache, depending on the causes and nature of the pain:

• Aspirin and Citramon are antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, blood-thinning analgesics. Taken for colds and headaches.
• Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic and antipyretic effects. Not to be used by pregnant women and children under 12 years of age.
• Paracetamol is an analgesic and antipyretic, which is taken for soreness provoked by a cold, is endowed with antipyretic and antispasmodic effects.
• Sedalgin-Neo has an anti-migraine effect, is used for neuralgia, painful menstruation.
• Spasmomen is a broad-spectrum drug. Well blocks spasms in the head and muscles.
• Ascopar is a drug with a psychostimulating effect.
• Egilok is a medicine that is used at high pressure.

Important! If most people have encountered aspirin, ibuprofen, citramon and paracetamol, to one degree or another, and if the dosage is observed, nothing bad should happen, then the last four drugs are not recommended to be taken without a doctor's prescription.

Folk remedies for headaches at home

Traditional medicine knows what to do if your head hurts. However, not all methods will work for everyone. Some may, on the contrary, increase the headache, especially if you are initially skeptical. In this case, you should not even try - you will only increase the degree of your irritation.

• Compresses. For lotions, cabbage leaves, salt, clay, lemon and onion juice are used, as well as vinegar and ice compresses, which are the most effective among all those listed.
• aromatherapy. Essential oils can be breathed, rubbed on causal areas, and bathed with them. Oils that can help with headaches: pine, ylang-ylang, mint, geranium, lemon, orange. Some mixes are also for sale.
• Massage of the head and neck areas. Massage promotes increased blood circulation, thereby helping to relieve headaches. Light, non-aggressive finger movements are most effective.
• water procedures. With the help of water, you can both expand the vessels and narrow them. For headaches, a contrast shower, a hot bath with pine needles, or a burning foot bath are shown. Some people feel better when the flow of water is directly applied to the painful area of ​​the head. Use with caution if you have problems with blood pressure.
• Herbs. With head pains, brewing and ingestion helps: chamomile, mint, rosemary, linden, rosehip, oregano, nettle, currant.

Prevention of headaches

So that you do not have to think about what to do if your head hurts, lead a relatively healthy lifestyle: do not overeat, get out into the fresh air more often, do not abuse alcohol and tobacco products. Poisoning by toxic elements that are present in nicotine and alcohol can also cause headaches. This also applies to that that occurs in the morning after a protracted party. And a long stay in a closed space with a small influx of fresh air (office, warehouse, etc.) a priori cannot lead to anything good.

Conclusion

Remember that regular headaches are not normal and indicate the development of any diseases and “throwing” with painkillers is not an option. If you overworked at work, overworked, didn’t sleep well, were nervous, had a good walk yesterday, in general, the pain did not become a part of life, then feel free to use the above recommendations for relieving a headache and don’t worry about anything. With headaches arising from lifestyle or place / working conditions, it is worth thinking about changes.