Common
Causes Of Headaches Common
causes of headaches:Primary headaches
: chronic daily
headache : often associated with narcotic drug dependency cluster
headache : males more commonly affected migraine
headache : the second most common headache, genetic factors
play an important role tension
type headache : the most common headache Secondary
headaches: brain abscess
: caused by pressure on the meninges brain
tumors : increased pressure from tumor cerebral
aneurysm : triggered by blood vessel dental
pain : radiating via trigeminal nerve dialysis
headache : electrolyte disbalance causes it epidural
hematoma : caused by pressure on the meninges giant
cell arteritis : triggered by temporal
artery hypertension
: dilatation of brain vessels causes it hypoglycemia
: low blood sugar triggered meningitis
: direct irritation of meninges neck
abnormalities : neck pain can cause headaches postconcussion
headache : headache from trauma to head subdural
hematoma : direct pressure on meninges causes it temporomandibular
joint disease : trigeminal nerve mediated headache trigeminal
neuralgia : common after shingles (herpes zoster)
Back to top Headaches
are very common and can be divided into primary headaches that occur
spontaneously and secondary headaches that are due to another underlying
medical cause. The table above gives more details and provides links to more detailed
explanations.
Brain tumors
Another cause for headaches can be
the development of a brain tumor.
Use this link to get to the site where brain cancer is discussed in detail.
Cerebral
aneurysm Another cause can be the accumulation of blood in
the subarrachnoid space from the rupture of a cerebral
aneurysm. Use this link to get to this chapter.
Dental
pain Headaches can be caused by dental abscesses, root canal
disease, underbite, overbite and night time tooth grinding. Cavities also
can cause headaches. The common denominator is an irritation of the powerful trigeminal
nerve, which supplies teeth with sensitive nerve fibers. This can trigger the
brain stem and the cortex of the brain to produce a severe, overpowering headache.
See your dentist, if you are aware that your teeth are the cause of this headache.
Nature equipped us with a built-in alarm system and we better pay attention to
it!
Dialysis headache Headaches in the setting of
hemodialysis for kidney failure can occur from too little sodium concentration
in the dialysis fluid (Ref.4, p. 1511). Another mechanism of developing a headache
in association with hemodialysis is when the blood pressure has significantly
dropped about 4 hours after the start of hemodialysis (Ref.4, p. 1512).
Giant
cell arteritis Giant cell arteritis has been discussed in
another chapter. This is a rheumatological disease where there is a strong association
with polymyalgia rheumatica. Headaches are often associated with a condition,
called temporal arteritis. This, if not treated can lead to blindness of the eye
on the side of the headache. Use this link to get to this chapter: Polymyalgia
rheumatica and temporal arteritis.
Hypertension The mechanism of
headaches caused by high blood pressure is due to swelling of the meningeal membranes
from congestion based on uncontrolled hypertension.
For details click on this link.
Neck
abnormalities Neck abnormalities come in many different forms.
There are inborn (congenital) neck abnormalities with malformations in the lower
cervical spine area (6th and 7th vertebral bodies) or at the upper end of the
cervical spine in the first and second vertebral body area. These abnormalities,arthritic
changes and changes from trauma to the neck can lead to chronic neck
pain, which has been dealt with in more detail under this link in
another chapter. All of these problems can lead to headaches, mostly of the variety
of the tension type headache. |
