Who gets tension (stress-related) headaches?
Almost everyone has a tension headache at some point in their life. It is a type of pain that makes you feel like there is something on your head, a feeling of heaviness in your head, a burning sensation in your head, a feeling of pressure in your head, and a feeling of pressure on your head. Sometimes the patient describes his pain as a strange feeling in his head. There is usually pain in the back or crown of the head. In particular, the location and duration of the headache may vary. This feature is important in the diagnosis of tension headache. In some people, headaches come and go and this does not require medical attention. In some patients, headaches can last for hours or days. While some people experience attacks during periods of tension, in some people the headache can last for months to years.
What is the cause of tension headache?
Tension headache is a symptom of daily stress, fatigue and anxiety reflected in the body, neck and neck. Tension in the muscles is felt as pain. You may say, "I'm not angry, I'm not nervous, why do I have a headache?" In addition, simple events such as exams, discussions, anxieties, losing your relatives or moving, breaking up with a loved one, or serious psychological traumas can trigger a headache. Your unhappiness, sadness, and negative events you experience are the causes of tension headaches. Sometimes being too happy can trigger a headache. That's why I was so happy, we can't say that I don't have a headache due to stress. When we think that it is not due to stress, it should first be investigated with examinations (brain MRI and tomography) that there is no brain-related disorder (brain hemorrhage, brain tumor, vascular abnormality and inflammatory conditions).
What happens in the brain and neck in tension headache?
The mechanisms responsible for tension headache are considered to be peripheral (related to the neck muscles) and central (related to the brain). In peripheral mechanisms, stiffness and tension in the muscles can cause pain as a result of the painful stimuli arising from the head and neck muscles strained as a result of poor working and sitting positions, excessive fatigue and physical exertion, affecting the brain structures. Among the central mechanisms, especially psychological and social Under the influence of various stimuli, especially the physical stress factor, there is excitation of the neurons that provide pain perception in the brain stem, and a decrease in the function of the pain inhibitory systems that control the perception of pain. Different mechanisms come to the fore in different patients. However, the generally accepted view is that peripheral mechanisms play a primary role in tension headaches with attacks, and central mechanisms play a primary role in chronic tension headaches. In other words, if the tension stress factor is overcome in a short time, the pain is not permanent. When the stress factor is long-lasting, the pain is long-lasting and there are biological changes in the pain perception prompts in the brain.
What is the severity of a tension headache?
Headaches, which usually last for a short time and can happen to all of us, are unimportant or should not be given any importance. In addition, if your headache is persistent, it is necessary to consult a neurologist. Brain imaging should be performed to make sure of conditions such as a mass in the brain or brain hemorrhage.
What can tension headaches be confused with?
Tension headache can often be confused with migraine. Migraine is a condition that is usually accompanied by unilateral throbbing, severe nausea and vomiting. Migraine occurs in attacks and wakes you up at night. In migraine, the headache increases with movement. It may be accompanied by discomfort in light, noise and smells. Tension headaches usually do not wake you up from sleep. Pain intensity is milder in tension headaches. In addition, patients with tension headaches may also be accompanied by migraine attacks. In this case, the treatment is; They are both effective depression medications. In addition, tension headaches can be confused with brain tumors, cerebrovascular abnormalities and conditions that occupy space in the brain, in which case brain imaging will be distinctive.
For which headache should we be on alert or consult a doctor urgently, which tests should we have?< br /> If you have a headache almost every day, if you have a history of inflammatory disease, if you have a history of cancer, if the headache occurs for the first time, starts suddenly and is very severe and unbearable, if you use painkillers very often, if you have a fever, if you have confusion, you may have a headache on your face, arm or leg. If there is numbness or slurred speech, we should consult a doctor urgently, even overnight. In case of severe unbearable headache, you need to go to the emergency room, at least a brain tomography will be taken and we will be sure of brain bleeding and bubble bursting. In emergency situations, the harmful effects of tomography should be ignored because you may be experiencing a brain hemorrhage and the risk of life is very high. Your life can be saved with early diagnosis and treatment. For those with long-term headaches, a brain MRI should be performed instead of a brain tomography. MRI does not contain radiation for human health and contains an electromagnetic field. Since the electromagnetic field is everywhere in our lives, it can be ignored in an MRI.
Tension headache is a symptom of tension headache. What is the treatment?
Generally, when patients realize that they do not have a serious condition after consulting a doctor, their pain is relieved, and painkillers are used temporarily. If the headache has started to become constant, if it affects daily life activities, if you have depression and intense panic, we use depression medications for 3-6 months. New generation depression medications are not addictive, side effects can cause drowsiness, dizziness and nausea in approximately one in 10 patients. These side effects may last 1-2 weeks. Apart from depression medication, hypnosis, acupuncture and MDR applications can be performed. Regulating our sleep, not skipping meals, doing sports, doing relaxation exercises, swimming, making social friends that will relax you, and engaging in social activities are recommended to relieve your pain. We cannot change events or people, but we can change our perspective. If we can change our perspective, the headache will be relieved.
To healthy days without headache
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