Which doctor should I contact for headaches? This question is often asked by those who regularly suffer from discomfort in the frontal, parietal, temporal or cervical parts of the head. To get rid of discomfort, most people take pain medication. But, as a rule, they give only a temporary effect. Therefore, with constant pain, you should definitely consult a doctor. So how to consult a doctor for headaches? We will talk about this in this article. We will also talk about the possible causes of discomfort, diagnosis and treatment.
general information
Headache is the most common symptom that manifests itself not only in adults, but also in children. This medical term includes almost all types of discomfort and pain localized in the head area. However, in domestic conditions it is increasingly used to indicate discomfort in the skull.
Types of pain
Before telling you which doctor to consult with headaches, you should tell what types of such unpleasant sensations happen. Currently, there are 4 main types. Let's consider them in more detail:
- Muscular tension resulting from prolonged tension or compression of the soft tissues of the head.
- Vascular pain, which is characterized by a noticeable pulsation. They occur when the resistance of the vascular walls and the increase in the pulse volume of the blood do not match.
- Neuralgic pains, which are characterized by sharp and cutting sensations. With head neuralgia, so-called trigger zones are formed. After pressing on them, a noticeable pain occurs, which can spread to neighboring or remote areas.
- Liquorodynamic pain. It is divided into 2 types, each of which has a direct connection with the tension of the choroid. Pain with intracranial pressure can be different. With increased - it is bursting, depending on the position of the body and increases with straining and coughing. With reduced - the pain intensifies in the patient’s standing position and decreases when the head is tilted.
Other types
In addition to the mentioned types of headaches, experts distinguish 2 additional ones. These include:
- Mixed pain, that is, a combination of some basic types.
- Psychalgia or hypochondriacal, central pain, in which it is not possible to objectify all of the above factors.
Headaches: Causes of Disease
Any discomfort in the skull has its own causes of development. To improve your condition, you should find out why such discomfort occurs. Doing it yourself is quite problematic. Therefore, we recommend immediately contact a doctor. If you do not have such an opportunity, then we recommend that you observe your condition and try to identify the cause yourself.
Muscle tension
This is the most common form of headache. It appears gradually and, as a rule, passes within a few hours or days. With severe emotional stress, discomfort in the skull can occur suddenly.
Such pain is bilateral. Usually it is localized in both frontal lobes or frontooccipital region. Sometimes discomfort takes a dull compressive character and spreads throughout the skull. The patient may experience discomfort when wearing a headgear, combing his hair, as well as at night.
The reasons for this condition can be: an uncomfortable posture, a combination of muscle-tonic factor and emotional chronic stress, poor posture, prolonged and frequent stressful situations that are associated with anxiety, anxiety and depression, osteochondrosis.
Tumor
Neoplasms can also cause headaches. Usually they are gradually progressive in nature. Unpleasant sensations can be pulsating, non-pulsating, deep, dull and splitting. In this case, a consultation with a neurosurgeon is required.
Most often, pain in tumors is provoked by a change in the position of the head and physical activity. Due to discomfort in the skull, many people wake up even at night. Often they experience severe and sudden vomiting.
With constant and severe pain with a tumor, a brain operation can be performed. However, a thorough examination of the patient is required before this.
Hemorrhage
Such a pathological condition can cause a headache of the type of "sudden blow". Very often, such unexpectedly arising sensations differ significantly from those that the patient experienced earlier.
As a rule, pain with subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs against the background of excessive physical exertion or a sharp rise in blood pressure.
Temporal arteritis
Most often, such a disease occurs in people over 50 years old. This disease is characterized by unilateral localization in the temporal region. Pain also occurs when trying to palpate the temporal artery, which visibly tightens. Temporal arteritis is often accompanied by visual disturbances, fever, aching muscles and joints.
Increased VD
Headache with elevated pressure has a constant and increasing character. Such unpleasant sensations have maximum severity and are localized in the frontal region.
Discomfort in the skull usually occurs at night or in the morning, as well as coughing and sneezing. Pain may be accompanied by dizziness, nausea, and visual impairment. It can also be combined with pregnancy, obesity, oral contraceptives and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Vertebral artery syndrome
Pain with this disease occurs with irritation of the plexus of the vertebral arteries. As a rule, this is associated with osteochondrosis of the spine. Most often, with this diagnosis, discomfort is noted in the cervical-occipital region. He is bursting, stupid, shooting and stitching. It is also possible the spread of discomfort in the orbit. This causes ringing and tinnitus, dizziness.
Concussion
A concussion doctor should carefully examine the patient immediately after injury. Pain with such a pathology is often accompanied by nausea, dizziness and vomiting.
Sharp, sharp and sudden discomfort appear as a serious signal of danger. In some cases, even brain surgery may be required.
Specialist help
Which doctor should I contact for headaches? It depends on the nature of the syndrome. It should be noted immediately that several narrow specialists are involved in the treatment of such an ailment.
- Therapist. After the consultation, he will be able to refer you to a narrow-profile doctor (for example, an optometrist or ENT specialist).
- Neuropathologist. Identifies the causes of pain associated with neurological disorders. Such a doctor should be consulted if the pain syndrome is characterized by duration and particular intensity.
- A psychotherapist is necessary if the discomfort is accompanied by depressive syndromes, depressed mood and mental stress.
- A reflexologist acts on biological points of the body with your fingertips, magnets or needles. He is consulted after consultation with a neurologist or therapist.
- Neurosurgeon. He is consulted for symptoms of a hernia in the cervical spine, frequent dizziness, numbness of the toes and hands, sudden changes in pressure, pain in the joints and shoulders. Consultation with a neurosurgeon is also necessary if a brain tumor is suspected.
Survey
Identifying the disease to eliminate persistent headaches is imperative. To do this, it is recommended to pass:
- computed tomography;
- magnetic resonance imaging;
- electroencephalography.
Also, a specialist can recommend:
- X-ray examination;
- examination of the sinuses and teeth;
- electromyography;
- computer scan;
- electromyostimulation.
Treatment
Headache treatment should be carried out only after determining its causes. As a rule, drug therapy is used for this. In some cases, the patient may undergo surgery.
The following pitchforks for treating headaches are also common: psychotherapy, including relaxation and hypnotherapy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, massage of the temporal and posterior cervical areas, aerobics, relaxation exercises, regular training, and more.