Headaches

Headaches are the most common reason for visiting a neurologist, occurring in both children and adults.

Often, headaches may be accompanied by other neurological symptoms – dizziness, nausea, and sometimes vomiting.

Headaches can occur in response to provocation, such as stuffiness, weather changes, emotional or physical strain, or they can arise without obvious provocation.

Classical medicine distinguishes two main types of headaches – tension headaches and migraine. Much less attention is paid to other causes of headaches (cephalalgias), although the number of causes reaches several hundred, and all of them matter.

Classic migraine manifests as pain in one half of the head (hemicrania), nausea, vomiting, photophobia and phonophobia, may be provoked by alcohol consumption or certain foods, or may occur without provocation. It is believed that migraine cannot be cured; one can only try to stop an attack, which may last more than a day, with strong analgesics or sumatriptan.

However, as our practice shows, it is possible to get rid of migraines. To do this, it is necessary to adjust the diet and strictly eliminate foods that contribute to the development of migraines – gluten-containing products, casein, and fast carbohydrates. The next stage of treatment is correction of the gut microbiota. Often, after such changes, headaches no longer appear.

Often, cephalalgias in women may depend on the menstrual cycle, intensifying before menstruation or in the first days of the cycle. In such cases, it is necessary to assess hormonal status and strengthen the vascular system.

When examining blood vessels, attention is paid not only to the arterial but also to the venous system. Difficulty in venous outflow leads to heaviness in the head, facial swelling, a feeling of pressure on the eyes, and nosebleeds.

Headaches can be caused by cervical myotonic syndrome; this cause is often overestimated, but that does not mean that for a small number of patients, correcting the neck cannot lead to stabilization of the condition.

Often, migraine-like symptoms can be caused by chronic arachnoiditis, which requires a serious anti-inflammatory course, sometimes including the use of antibiotics, antiviral and antifungal drugs.

Headaches can be a symptom of latent infection or parasitic infestation, which requires separate diagnosis and treatment.

When acute headaches occur, it is necessary to perform an MRI – to rule out a tumor process or hemorrhage.

In all other cases, the examination and treatment plan will be individualized. Our clinic has all the necessary examinations and specialists to establish the correct cause of headache and all the methods to eliminate it.

More details about headaches, their types, and treatment methods are discussed in the lecture at https://planetamed.ru/lektsiya-generalova---golovnaya-bol-metody-lecheniya-i-diagnostika/

We also discuss the principles of headache treatment in the TV program "Medical Quest" on the Doctor channel.

https://my.mail.ru/mail/vova_cu/video/6/1264.html