7 Most Serious Headache Symptoms and Causes
Headaches are quite common and are mostly treated as a minor inconvenience or a nuisance. Almost every person in the world may have experienced a headache once or more in his lifetime. They can be quite bothersome sometimes, interfering with your daily life activities, but not necessarily warrant a visit to the doctor as they usually go away on their own.
However, if your headache keeps coming back every other day, stays for a long time, and is really painful, it might be a sign that there is something seriously wrong with your brain!
Even though that is not mostly the case and many bad headaches go away with some over-the-counter medications or therapy, it is still better to consult a doctor to rule out the possibility of certain neurological conditions, brain stroke, aneurysm, tumors, or infections that can very well be the cause of your severe headache.
What Causes Headaches?
Although the mechanism that causes a headache is still not fully understood, the researchers believe that it has something to do with the activation of certain nerve cells that send pain signals to the muscles, tissues, and blood vessels surrounding the brain. The brain itself has no part in this as there are no pain receptors in the brain tissue that register the pain. The sinuses, scalp, teeth, and muscles of the face and neck can also be the reason for head pain.
7 Headache Signs that Need a Visit to an ER
If you are suffering from a throbbing, intense headache that does not go away and keeps disturbing your daily life activities like work or school, it is best to check with a doctor by visiting your closest emergency room. Often, headaches can be a warning sign for a deeper problem that might require immediate medical attention.
Our body has a way of letting us know if there is something wrong with our body. Recognizing and understanding these signs can help us get timely medical assistance!
Visit an ER right away if you are experiencing any of these 7 symptoms,
- Recurrent and Frequent Headaches
- Persistent Headaches
- Headaches with Fever and Stiff Neck
- Sudden, Intense Pain
- Headache after a Head Injury
- Headache with Nausea and Vomiting
- Changes in Personality or Behaviour
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Understanding the Symptoms
There are many reasons that might be causing your symptoms. Understanding why you are experiencing these signs can help you determine if you should visit the best emergency room in your area to get your headache checked or not. Here are a few reasons why you should!
Recurrent and Frequent Headaches
If your headaches keep coming back every other day or more than twice a week for the last 3 months, it is possible that you are suffering from a chronic headache. This can be caused by either stress, or triggers or can be a warning sign that something is wrong with your brain. It is hard to manage a chronic headache without any medical help which is why you must visit an ER if your headaches are quite frequent over the last few months.
Persistent Headaches
Headaches that last for days can be very problematic and annoying especially if you have to skip school or work for days. This could be a sign that you are suffering from a headache disorder. Talk to your doctor if your headache lasts longer than a week. Some simple medicines will help relieve the pain.
Headaches with Fever and Stiff Neck
Although fever and headache can be the signs of common flu, a stiff neck usually indicates that you might be suffering from meningitis. This is a condition that causes the meninges around your brain and spinal cord to get inflamed causing a severe headache with additional symptoms like muscle pain, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting.
Sudden, Intense Pain
If you think that you are having the worst headache of your life, it is best to go to a doctor right away. These sudden, intense headaches also known as thunderclap headaches can be caused by an aneurysm or bleeding in the brain which can become life-threatening if left untreated.
Headache after a Head Injury
It is completely normal to experience a headache after hitting your head hard. You might be suffering from a concussion and it is better to visit a doctor to get your head checked for any signs of internal bleeding or trauma. Additional signs of a concussion are dizziness, nausea, unconsciousness, or vomiting.
Headache with Nausea and Vomiting
Bad headaches, like migraines, are usually associated with nausea and vomiting. This can get pretty bothersome and often lead to dehydration and dizziness. Although not life-threatening, it is better to go to a doctor if the headaches along with nausea and vomiting persist for more than 2 days in a row.
Changes in Personality or Behaviour
Experiencing bad headaches for a long time with noticeable personality or behavioral changes such as confusion, memory loss, irritability, mood swings, anger issues, stammering or slurring and loss of coordination can be a sign of a serious brain condition such as a tumor or stroke. If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, get to the best emergency room in your area right away to get them or yourself examined properly.
It is best not to suffer through the pain and ignore the unusual symptoms. Get medical help as soon as possible if you think that you might be experiencing one of the above-mentioned signs.
