Vascular headaches

Introduction

Headaches are one of the most common health complaints, but most aren't serious and are easily treated. In many cases, you can treat your headaches at home with over-the-counter painkillers and lifestyle changes, such as getting more rest and drinking enough fluids.

Classification of headaches

Headaches are an important public health issue that impact the lives of a significant of the world’s population, affecting patients with severe pain, nausea and sometimes visual impairment. Common headache types include tension headaches, cluster headaches, rebound headaches, sinus headache, and migraine.

Vascular headaches

Vascular headaches refer to a group of headache conditions such as migraine headaches, cluster headaches and toxic headaches. Under this classification are usually headaches throbbing in character, pulsating and physical exertion increasing the pain.

Migraine

A migraine is characterized as an intermittent pulsative pain on one side of the head. While migraine is a fairly common symptom, which affects women more so than men. The onset of migraines usually occurs in early adulthood, and rarely after 40 years of age. Migraines may be accompanied by symptoms such as; Photosensitivity, Enhanced sensitivity to sound, Nausea, Vomiting.

Headache due to arterial hypertension

These headaches are usually felt in the back of the head (occipital region). Patients may experience also headaches when they undergo hypertension treatment. Some of the medications used to treat hypertension can cause headaches.

Headache due to intracranial hypertension

Intracranial hypertension (IH) is the medical name for a build-up of pressure around the brain. It can come on suddenly for example, as the result of a severe head injury, stroke, or brain abscess. One of the most common symptoms of intracranial hypertension is headache. The cause of intracranial hypertension is unknown.

Rebound headache

Rebound Headaches are a type of headaches caused by long term use of analgesic agents. These analgesics may decrease the intensity of pain for a few hours. The rebound headache may feel like a dull, tension-type headache or a more severe migraine like headache.

Sinus headache

Sinus headaches are usually associated with constant pain and tenderness over the affected sinus. You may feel pressure around eyes, cheeks and forehead. The mucosa of the nose swells, the patient secretes foul-smelling, colored mucous (nasal discharge).

Headaches due to neuralgia or neuritis

Headaches due to Neuralgia or Neuritis are severe types of intermittent pain, which are localized in the area of the affected nerve. These conditions include trigeminal neuralgia and other conditions.

Morbus horton (temporal arteritis)

Morbus Horton is a vascular disease characterized by the inflammation of blood vessels. The intensity of pain is mild. The pain is located in the temporal region and the vessels in that area can be tender.

Viral infection headache

Many acute viral infections can cause headache as a response of the immune system combating the viral infection. Headache may be associated with viral infections that affect the upper respiratory tract (common cold), brain and its coverings (encephalitis and meningitis) or ear (otitis).

Headaches due to ear canal Infection (purulent otitis)

Usually this is a type of short, bursting, stabbing pain felt in the part of the head which bears the infected ear. The diagnosis is usually determined upon an examination of the ear by a specialist.

Headache due to toxic substances

Headache due to Toxic Substances are headaches that may be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, benzol, nitroglycerine, etc. This type of headache may also be experienced if the patient is suffering from conditions such as, kidney disease, diabetes, metabolic conditions, etc.

Headaches after lumbar puncture

Following a lumbar puncture, the patient may develop a headache. This type of pain may be bearable, moderate or severe. It may spread from the head to the neck, and further down the patient’s back. This type of pain is alleviated when the patient lies down, or puts their feet up.

Headaches due to psychological pressure

Tumoral headache

This type of pain occurs during the night or early in the morning. The headache can be an early or late symptom of a brain tumor, depending from the location of the tumor. Most brain tumors are accompanied by neurological symptoms such as; seizures, personality change or weakness.

Headaches due to irritation of the meninges

These headaches occur as a result of an inflammatory process, like for example Meningitis (inflammation of the meninges, lining layers of the brain) or due to another condition such as a sub-arachnoid hemorrhage. Diagnosis is confirmed via lumbar puncture.

Headaches due to dental conditions

These are types of headaches which occur more rarely. These are headaches caused by dental conditions. The pain is not throbbing nor is it intermittent.