In pharmacies, many drugs are sold that will help if you have a headache for several days in a row. But all drugs differ in price and method of use. Many of them simply may not help you. The effect of taking the pill depends on the cause of the pain. It is the factors that contribute to the appearance of a headache, we will consider.
Causes of the problem
There are 5 most famous reasons why a headache for several days in a row:
- Muscle overstrain due to great physical effort or from finding the body in an uncomfortable position.
- Headache may occur due to a decrease in the function of the vessels of the brain. This can be caused by thick blood, swelling of the tissue, swelling, blood clots.
- Violation of blood circulation in the vessels. Most often, such a problem occurs when a cyst or other unwanted neoplasm presses on certain parts of the brain. Also, a similar symptom may appear with a displacement of the bone, etc.
- Failures in the central nervous system (central nervous system). In this case, the pain appears when the nerve fibers are irritated, that is, when they are compressed or pinched.
- The psychological factor manifests itself in the form of mental disorders, which include apathy, depression, stress, chronic fatigue.
Headache due to stress
This reason is more common than others. In this case, either the frontal part or one side of the head hurts. In addition, dizziness, decreased brain activity, impaired attention are noted. In order to get rid of this problem, sometimes it is enough to go out to breathe fresh air or drink tea with chamomile.
Migraine
In this case, the head hurts for several days and is sick. Most often, women are affected by migraines. In addition to headache, such an ailment is inherent in vomiting and an increased reaction to external stimuli. Usually pain covers only one side of the head. Symptoms may last up to 3 days.
Histamine pain
It occurs most often in men who have reached the age of 35 (and above), with a strong physique and with a smoking history of about 15 years. The pain is localized on one side of the head, giving back to the eyeball. Its duration is about 2-3 hours. With this ailment, you should not take medications, as this will only aggravate the situation. The first symptoms of this ailment include:
- spontaneous omission of one century;
- nasal congestion;
- tearing;
- dull headache.
Occipital pain
If the head hurts in the back of the head for several days, then most likely the blood does not flow to the brain. Most often, this symptom is manifested due to a problem with the cervical spine. It supplements dizziness and a decrease in the sensitivity of the skin. These symptoms worsen over time. Physical therapy, massage, physiotherapy will help to cope with them. It is also worth consulting a doctor who will prescribe pills for the normal functioning of blood vessels. If severe pain is noted, then you can take one of the following drugs:
- Ibuprofen
- "Paracetamol".
- "No-shpa."
- "Aspirin".
Diagnostics
In order for the doctor to diagnose the cause of pain in the head, he needs to know all the symptoms. That is why the patient is interviewed. When making a diagnosis, it is important to determine the location of the headache, its nature. For example, painful sensations can be stitching, cutting, crushing, throbbing. In addition, several species can be observed simultaneously.
The intensity of the pain is also important to determine. It can be both weak and medium. A manifestation of a strong malaise is possible, which violates the usual rhythm of the patient's life.
In the event of symptoms that cause severe discomfort, the patient must consult a qualified specialist who will conduct an examination, collect an anamnesis, and, if necessary, prescribe diagnostic measures. For example, an MRI scan to examine the state of the brain.
For diagnosis, an ultrasound echogram can also be prescribed (sensors are attached to the head and neck in order to measure pressure, as well as determine impulses). The information obtained will allow you to diagnose the patient and prescribe the correct treatment.
Drug therapy
For headaches, certain medications are usually taken. The final choice of funds depends on why a child or adult has a headache for several days. It is important to determine the causes that provoked such an ailment.
Non-steroid drugs
Most often, non-steroid drugs are used for headaches:
- "Diclofenac" (available in the form of tablets and rectal suppositories, it is permissible to take 1 time per day).
- “Ibuprofen” is called the most powerful drug, but it is allowed to drink only 2 tablets during the day (it fights well with fever and pain, is well suited to all categories of patients and even small children).
- “Ketoprofen” (the use of 2 capsules can be considered its single dose).
- “Aspirin” (it has been known for many years, has practically no contraindications for adults).
Antispasmodics
Medications of the antispasmodic spectrum can be used only if the head is severely sore for several days in the frontal or any other part, and the non-steroidal drug did not give a positive result. This category includes:
- No-shpa.
- "Papaverine".
- Buscopan.
- Drotaverinum.
Analgesics
If you experience pain caused by problems with the vessels, it is recommended to give preference to such drugs as analgesics. In most cases, they are prescribed to patients who have hypertension. Thanks to the constituent components, they eliminate the symptoms of headache in a short period of time. It is recommended to take 1 or 2 tablets several times a day. The maximum effect can be achieved within 20 minutes after administration, but the duration of action does not exceed a couple of hours. In this group of drugs it is customary to include:
- "Baralgin."
- “Analgin” helps block the pain impulse passing through the nerve endings. The drug has a beneficial effect on heat loss and effectively copes with fever.
- "Ronalgin."
- "Paracetamol". It acts as an anesthetic and also relieves fever.
This group of drugs is also recommended in those cases when, after hitting the head, the head hurts for several days in the temples or in any other part.
All drugs from the non-steroid group are allowed to be taken only after meals. The result becomes noticeable after about half an hour, but sometimes this time can stretch to several hours. The resulting effect can be maintained for about 5 hours.
It is recommended to take any drug only if the exact causes of the appearance of headaches have already been established. For example, if the unpleasant sensations are of liquorodynamic nature, then tablets are unlikely to help a person, even with potent components. The appearance of such discomfort is always associated with serious violations in the work of the whole organism.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae requires complex therapy. In this case, we are talking about taking anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as chondroprotectors. As an additional measure, you can use the drug for local use. In addition, the presence of such a pathology requires careful observation in a hospital, and sometimes a surgical operation is required. All this means that in no case should you rely on yourself and prescribe any pills yourself.
During the expectation of a child, expectant mothers are forbidden to use almost all pills for headaches. But even in such a situation, there is a way out, so doctors choose drugs that will not cause much harm to the baby. Of course, in such a period, it is important for a woman to completely abandon any medications, but in case of urgent need it is allowed to drink a tablet of “Paracetamol”, “No-shpa” or “Citramon”. They have a good effect and do not cause much harm to the health of women.
Most often, with a headache, choose "Citramon", which copes with pain. It contains caffeine, cocoa powder and citric acid.
Pentalgin contains a large number of medicinal components, thanks to which the drug is particularly effective. In addition, each tablet has a certain proportion of caffeine.
No less popular is Solpadein, which has a large number of positive reviews. The composition of the tablets includes paracetamol, so they perfectly eliminate the symptoms of migraine.
Alternative treatment
Sometimes a headache may appear suddenly. This is due to many factors: overwork at work, a sharp change in weather, chronic fatigue, etc. But with the appearance of such ailments, it is not necessary to resort to the use of drugs, which, in addition to relieving pain, also have possible side effects. It is much easier to turn to folk remedies, they are effective and will not cause harm. Although folk remedies are not able to fully cope with pain of high intensity, but they can significantly reduce it, and in some cases completely remove it.
Unconventional methods
First of all, you need to understand that you need to apply folk remedies in compliance with certain rules:
- Before any procedure is required to measure blood pressure.
- Folk remedies should be used gradually, at first they use softer ones, and if they do not help, then they turn to more radical methods.
- If the pain is of high intensity and appears for the first time, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Infusions of herbs from a headache
Since ancient times, people have treated headaches with herbal medicine.
- Infusion of valerian root. Place one tablespoon of the raw material in a glass of hot water, let it brew for a while. Drink 3 times a day before meals.
- St. John's wort broth. One and a half tablespoons of grass brew 200 ml of boiled water, let it brew for about an hour, take 3 times a day before meals.
- Laurel leaf oil. Take two tablespoons of chopped bay leaves and add 1.5-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, place everything in a closed container and let stand for a week. When a headache occurs, rub in whiskey.
- Infusion of coltsfoot. Grind the leaves of the plant, pour one tablespoon of raw materials with boiling water, insist for half an hour. Then filter and take up to 6 times a day 1 hour before a meal.
Tea for a headache
Means in which the content of active substances has a low concentration can be used on an ongoing basis. Such folk remedies include tea. Before using it, you need to make sure that it affects the level of blood pressure. Types of drink that help with headaches:
- Red tea (hibiscus). Its main component is a damask rose, it gently lowers blood pressure and relieves headaches. For prevention purposes, it is recommended to drink this drink in an amount of not more than two cups per day.
- Tea made from oregano and peppermint. Brew a tablespoon of the mixture in a glass of boiling water, let it brew for half an hour, then strain.
- Tea made from lemon balm or chamomile. Brew a drink bought in the store, taking into account the instructions attached to it.
Compress
A headache in the temples and the frontal part relieves well with a warm or cold compress. You can add lemon, lavender, bergamot or peppermint essential oil to the water.
Prevention
The best way to fight the disease is prevention. Using the advice of therapists below, you will forget about the headache:
- Try to be active. Walking in the fresh air and moderate power loads stimulate the vessels of the brain and contribute to its proper functioning.
- If you work at a computer for a long time, set aside five minutes per hour to warm up the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle with simple exercises, let's rest our eyes.
- When doing work, do not forget about rest breaks. Do not overwork the body; it causes a headache.
- A night's sleep should last at least 8 hours. At the same time, follow the ventilation and comfortable temperatures in the bedroom. Lack of sleep will lead to nervous conditions, and excess will lead to general lethargy and rapid overwork.
- Use a comfortable bed and pillow for sleeping. It is desirable that both are of orthopedic form.
- Try to avoid stressful situations, devote more time to rest and relaxation.
- Eliminate harmful foods from the diet. Their components (preservatives, flavor enhancers) contribute to the malfunction of the stomach, which can also lead to headaches.
- Limit the use of analgesics and painkillers: no more than 10-15 tablets per month. An overdose is harmful to the body as a whole.
- Drink alcohol and coffee reasonably. Caffeine and alcohol in large doses constrict blood vessels, which generally affects the body badly. If after alcohol a headache for several days, then it must be completely excluded in the future.