HEADACHE 101
Asides the pain of course, headaches can be very nasty and annoying. They sometimes come unannounced and can be really frustrating, especially when you feel they’re starting to overstay their welcome. Sometimes, you can hypothetically trace the cause of a headache, and sometimes, they’re like professional assassins – Traceless (Lol!).
They can affect your productivity, your mood and even your relationships.
They can affect your productivity, your mood and even your relationships.
All over the world,
headaches aren’t taken as serious as many other health related discomforts, as
many people believe it’s solely a sign of stress. But that’s a wrong notion,
and that might be the first thing you want know about headaches. As much as
Headaches are usually the body’s response to a risk factor, it is safe to say
that not all headaches are ‘just” headaches.
So, let’s put a
magnifying glass on headaches. Shall we?
What exactly is a
headache? Simple! When your head aches *ducks from slippers*. Basically, it’s the
symptom of a sharp or throbbing pain in the head or neck.
Quickly below, are a
few cool… or uncool facts about headaches, which may allow you have a more
precise approach to tackling the situation next time around (yes, don’t be
overly spiritual. I can bet there will be a next time, if you’re not currently
experiencing it).
There are two major
kinds of headaches – Primary and Secondary headaches. While primary headaches
may cause significant discomfort or pain, they are often benign, and not
dangerous. They are caused by stress, eye muscle strain, inflammation, illness,
sleeplessness, hunger (I know you can relate), your environment, and your spouse
(I included this myself).
Secondary headaches on
the other hand are mostly caused by an underlying disease like a head injury,
growing tumours, brain bleed, vascular disorder or an infection. They are often
“red flags” to a more pressing concern that’s happening in the body, and they
may be dangerous. Good news is though – 90% of all headaches are primary
headaches.
What’s going on inside
when you’re experiencing a headache?
What do you think? Your
cells are having a concert on your head… just kidding. Your brain is the main
culprit for the pain you feel during a headache. The pain comes from a mix of
signals between the brain blood, nearby nerves, and blood vessels. Once this
happens, next thing, your head muscles flare up and send pain signals to your
brain, which in turn sends the signal to your CNS.
Types of headaches
include: Hormone headaches (happens to women during their periods, pregnancy,
and menopause, due to changing hormonal levels), Sinus headaches (most times
come with an infection like running nose, etc.), Cluster headaches (affects men
more than women, and can visit for 2 weeks to 2/3months, only to “travel” for
up to a year before coming back), then give it up for their most popular
sibling – Migraine (can last for hours or days; it depends. It accompanies illness
or can be a sign of an underlying illness. It’s most times, the nastiest of
them all).
As opposed to self-medication
which is the norm, checking in with your doctor should follow, after you suffer
a headache (don’t give me that side eye). You should follow their prescriptions
for pain relievers and other medications. The best way though, is the
preventive route, which can mostly be achieved via QLA (Quality Lifestyle
Adjustment).
I’ll be back; I need a
glass of water.
Mature Minds Talk
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