Headache — Hope Through Research

By Author: Dan Mathiesen
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588 Headache — Hope Through Research Why Does it Hurt? What hurts when you have a headache? The bones of the skull and tissues of the brain itself never hurt, because they lack pain-sensitive nerve fibers. Several areas of the head can hurt, including a network of nerves which extends over the scalp and certain nerves in the face, mouth, and throat. A number of chemicals help transmit pain-related information to the brain. Some of these chemicals are natural painkilling proteins called endorphins, Greek for "the morphine within." Not all headaches require medical attention. Some result from missed meals or occasional muscle tension and are easily remedied. But some types of headache are signals of more serious disorders, and call for prompt medical care. These include: * Sudden, severe headache * Sudden, severe headache associated with a stiff neck * Headache associated with fever * Headache associated with convulsions * Headache accompanied by confusion or loss of consciousness * Headache following a blow on the head * Headache associated with pain in the eye or ear * Persistent headache in a person who was previously ...
... headache free
* Recurring headache in children * Headache which interferes with normal life ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What Tests Are Used to Diagnose Headache? Patients may be asked: How often do you have headaches? Where is the pain? How long do the headaches last? When did you first develop headaches? The patient's sleep habits and family and work situations may also be probed. A complete and careful physical and neurological examination will exclude many possibilities and the suspicion of aneurysm, meningitis, or certain brain tumors. A blood test may be ordered to screen for thyroid disease, anemia, or infections which might cause a headache. EEG's can indicate a malfunction in the brain, but they cannot usually pinpoint a problem that might be causing a headache. Headaches are diagnosed as * Vascular
* Muscle contraction (tension) * Traction
* Inflammatory Vascular headaches - a group that includes the well-known migraine - are so named because they are thought to involve abnormal function of the brain's blood vessels or vascular system. Muscle contraction headaches appear to involve the tightening or tensing of facial and neck muscles. Traction and inflammatory headaches are symptoms of other disorders, ranging from stroke to sinus infection. Some people have more than one type of headache. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When is Headache a Warning of a More Serious Condition? Like other types of pain, headaches can serve as warning signals of more serious disorders. This is particularly true for headaches caused by traction or inflammation. Traction headaches can occur if the pain-sensitive parts of the head are pulled, stretched, or displaced, as, for example, when eye muscles are tensed to compensate for eyestrain. Stroke. Headache may accompany several conditions that can lead to stroke, including hypertension or high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and heart disease. Headaches are also associated with completed stroke, when brain cells die from lack of sufficient oxygen. Many stroke-related headaches can be prevented by careful management of the patient's condition through diet, exercise, and medication. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Conclusion If you suffer from headaches and none of the standard treatments help, do not despair. Some people find that their headaches disappear once they deal with a troubled marriage, pass their certifying board exams, or resolve some other stressful problem. Others find that if they control their psychological reaction to stress, the headaches disappear. For those who cannot say no, or who get headaches anyway, today's headache research offers hope. The work of scientists around the world promises to improve our understanding of this complex disorder and provide better tools to treat it. This article is just small part's of a 20 site's PDF report. And half the size as the original article which is to be found at: http://www.2u4health.com/052004.html If you want to read the full report, follow the link below and subscribe to the Newsletter. You will thereby gain access to the growing archive of report's by Dan Mathiesen: Love from Dan Mathiesen - http://www.2u4health.com/ Dan Mathiesen is the Athor of the Article and the Owner and Editor of the 2u4health Newsletter.
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