Written by Debjani Arora |Updated : November 17, 2015 6:52 AM IST
If you suffer from chronic headaches like migraines, tension headaches, sinus headaches or cluster headaches, you know how it throws your life off track. If they have been a regular feature in your life, you know your triggers and ways to avoid them. Here are seven reasons you could be suffering from a headache.
But we are not talking about the headaches that come and go, but the ones that could be a sign of danger. The trick is to identify them from your usual headaches and act before it is too late.
Headache is also an indicator of these health issues when accompanied by some of the other symptoms that are typical in such cases.
1. Abnormally high blood pressure
High blood pressure is a silent killer and shows no symptoms. But a sudden severe headache could be indicative of high blood pressure, which means you are suffering from malignant hypertension. The normal blood pressure level is considered to be below 140/90, but for someone who has malignant hypertension, it could be anywhere above 180/120 with some damage to one organ or the other. This condition develops rapidly and can trigger a headache. It could be fatal if you don't rush to the emergency. In fact, studies show that hypertension is common in people who suffer from chronic headaches daily as compared to people who suffer from tension-induced headaches. Here are six smart lifestyle changes that can help control high blood pressure.
Other symptoms of malignant hypertension to watch out for:
2. A severe stroke
Like high blood pressure, a stroke can occur all of a sudden and can be accompanied by a major headache. A stroke happens when blood circulation to the brain is affected, which could be due to a number of reasons. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, one sign of stroke is a sudden severe headache with no obvious cause. A stroke will need you to reach for medical help as soon as possible. Ask for help around or call your hospital to receive attention faster. Did you know that you can suffer from a stroke and not know about it till late?
Other stroke symptoms to watch out for:
3. Low glucose levels
Another reason for a sudden, severe headache could be very low blood glucose level i.e. a condition called hypoglycaemia. Our body needs a continuous supply of glucose to function properly. Of all the organs, low glucose affects the brain first and the condition could be fatal. However, a headache triggered due to low glucose can be treated once you replenish your body with enough fluids and carbohydrate rich foods. Stay away from foods that are high in sugar as it could lead to a spike and then a dip in glucose levels within a short span of time. Remember, hypoglycaemia is a dangerous condition and could also lead to sudden death. If you have been hungry for long and a headache sets in, eat something to get your blood glucose level up. Here are 10 yoga poses that can help keep diabetes in control.
Other symptoms of hypoglycemia to watch out for:
4. An infection in the brain
Sometimes your headache could also be a sign that your brain has suffered a severe infection like meningitis and you need immediate medical attention. Meningitis is a condition where there is inflammation of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, caused due to a viral or bacterial infection, and it could be life-threatening.
Other symptoms of meningitis to watch out for:
5. Internal bleeding
Sometimes the blood vessels in the brain can rupture either due to high blood pressure or other physiological problems, and leak blood, causing an aneurysm. A ruptured blood vessel in the brain can cause profound weakness to some parts of the body along with headaches. Obviously you need to rush to the hospital but you may not think a headache is reason enough, so be vigilant and look out for other symptoms that can cause an aneursym.
Other symptoms of internal bleeding to watch out for:
6. Repercussions of a head injury
A headache after a head injury is a matter of concern, especially, if it repeats itself often. So be watchful of your pain following an accident or injury. It could mean a fracture or rupture of blood vessels in the skull or brain respectively.
Other symptoms to watch out for in the case of head injury:
7. Age-related crisis
If you are older than 50 and experience a new or a progressive headache, it is time to act. It could be a case of giant cell arteritis or a brain tumour.
Other symptoms of brain tumours to watch out for:
Here little more information
Image source: Shutterstock
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References:
[1] 1: Gipponi S, Venturelli E, Rao R, Liberini P, Padovani A. Hypertension is afactor associated with chronic daily headache. Neurol Sci. 2010 Jun;31 Suppl 1:S171-3. doi: 10.1007/s10072-010-0322-5. PubMed PMID: 20464615.
[2] 1: Carolei A, Sacco S. Headache attributed to stroke, TIA, intracerebralhaemorrhage, or vascular malformation. Handb Clin Neurol. 2010;97:517-28. doi:10.1016/S0072-9752(10)97047-4. PubMed PMID: 20816453.
[3] 1: Torelli P, Manzoni GC. Fasting headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2010 Aug;14(4):284-91. doi: 10.1007/s11916-010-0119-5. Review. PubMed PMID: 20490742.
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