What causes a bursting headache?

There are about 200 known causes of headaches (cephalalgia). This may be an increase or decrease in blood pressure, pathology of cerebral vessels, diseases of the spine, brain vessels, brain tumors, intoxication. At the Yusupov Hospital, neurologists find out the cause of headaches using the latest diagnostic equipment from the world's leading manufacturers.

Headaches in the forehead can bother a patient with sinusitis or frontal sinusitis. In this case, treatment is carried out by otolaryngologists. If the cause of the headache is arterial hypertension, cardiologists provide antihypertensive therapy. In the presence of intoxication, infectious disease specialists treat patients with headaches. A multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of patients suffering from headaches can quickly improve the patient's condition.

Causes of headaches in women

When developing tactics for managing a patient with headache, neurologists at the Yusupov Hospital take into account its cause. Doctors relieve headaches with analgesics and at the same time treat the disease that caused this syndrome. Most often, headaches in women occur for the following reasons:

• Hormonal imbalances;
• Acute or chronic stress;
• Increase or decrease in blood pressure;
• Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system;
• Diabetes mellitus;
• Infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis, tuberculosis);
• Inflammation of the neck muscles:
• Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
• Volumetric formations of the brain.

Types and causes of occurrence

There are 4 main types of pressing headaches:

• Liquorodynamic (character - bursting, often presses on the eyes).
• Cephalgia of muscle tension (with compression of the muscles of the cervical region).
• Vascular (pulsating pain due to increased pressure in the blood vessels of the head).
• Neuralgic (the nature of cephalgia (headache) is piercing, acute).

The reasons that provoke an attack include:

• ischemic disorders (insufficient blood flow to the brain due to vasospasm);
• hypoxia (lack of oxygen);
• irritation of nerve endings;
• general tension in the neck and head muscles;
• traumatic brain injuries and neck injuries;
• diseases of the spine;
• infections (viral and bacterial);
• acute or chronic inflammation in the paranasal sinuses;
• cardiovascular pathologies (including hypertension);
• poisoning (including intoxication with ethanol and its decomposition products).

Please note: Women are more likely to suffer from pressing headaches.

Predisposing factors are:

• poor nutrition;
• weather sensitivity;
• hormonal imbalance;

• stress and its consequences (anxiety and depression);
• physical fatigue;
• sleep disorders;
• fasting (for example, against the background of a restrictive diet);
• change of climatic zones;
• taking certain pharmacological agents (tranquilizers, analgesics, drugs with caffeine, etc.).

Causes of headaches in men

Men are most often bothered by cluster pain. It is localized in the temple area and the eyeball. Pain of varying intensity in men occurs during a respiratory disease, an infectious lesion of the body, after an injury, or during the development of a brain tumor. Headaches localized in the back of the head occur with arterial hypertension, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. Often men experience severe headaches accompanied by nosebleeds. The reasons for the violation may be:

• Diseases of the circulatory system;
• Failure of endocrine organs;
• Cardiovascular diseases;
• Meningitis.
• Stroke;
• Tumors of the brain or nasal cavity;
• Hypertension;
• Overwork.

Expert opinion

Author:

Tatyana Aleksandrovna Kosova

Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, neurologist, reflexologist

90% of the population has experienced headache symptoms at least once in their life. Such data is provided by the World Health Organization. In 20% of cases, the headache is permanent. The ratio in the morbidity structure among men and women is 1:3. Neurologists identify various causes of headaches. The most common etiological factors are migraine and tension headache. Migraine is diagnosed in 20–30% of cases, and tension headaches account for 50–70%.

A headache can be a symptom of a serious illness. Therefore, if a pathological sign appears frequently, as well as in the presence of other symptoms, you should consult a doctor. At the Yusupov Hospital, neurologists pay close attention to the treatment of various types of headaches. Diagnosis of possible causes is carried out using x-rays, MRI, CT, EEG, angiography and laboratory tests. If necessary, additional studies are prescribed. Individually selected therapy allows you to stop an acute attack and prevent the re-development of the pathological symptom. The drugs used are verified for quality and safety. Treatment regimens comply with international recommendations for headache therapy.

When your head is tied with a hoop

About 80% of people have experienced a headache at least once in their life. Fortunately, the most common form is “tension headache.”

It’s as if the head is being pulled together by a “hoop” or “helmet”. The pain is dull, of moderate intensity, gradually increases and lasts from several hours to several days. May be accompanied by pain in the neck, shoulders, and back. When it lasts for a long time, it intensifies from sharp sounds and bright light.

We talked in more detail about this type of headache with Svetlana Alexandrovna Stolbova, a neurologist, higher. cat., Ph.D.

Who is most likely to experience this type of pain and why does it occur?

— Often occurs in emotional people with a high level of anxiety, with hidden depression, after suffering emotional stress, intense intellectual work, after stress. A headache develops with prolonged contraction of the muscles of the skull and neck, resulting in compression of the vessels, arteries and veins, and nerves located under the aponeurosis of the skull.

Lack of oxygen leads to the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscle, further damage to muscle fibers or their inflammation, and, accordingly, irritation of the nerve endings in the muscle and the development of headaches.

The main cause of chronic tension headaches is often a long-term stressful situation that is significant for a person. Depression is often hidden under the guise of a tension headache. In such cases, behind complaints of headache, fatigue, irritability, the actual depressive symptoms are hidden. Any long-term pain syndrome leads to a significant decrease in the quality of life and requires a comprehensive diagnostic examination.

How can you cope with tension headaches on your own?

— Tension headaches can be relieved with any painkillers, but they can only be taken for occasional headaches. If the pain recurs more than 2 weeks a month and more than 6 months a year, this is a dangerous symptom, indicating the formation of a chronic course or the addition of a vascular disease, or in case of abuse of analgesics.

BUT THE BEST TREATMENT IS PREVENTION:

• during prolonged static stress, working at a PC, take short breaks from work, do five-minute gymnastics every two to three hours;
• drink water, you need to drink at least 30 ml of water per kilogram of weight; try to maintain a daily routine, sleep at night should be at least 5 hours;
• try to eat right, exclude fast food, sandwiches, artificial energy drinks, beer, strong alcohol. Try to eat more fruits (but not in the evening) and greens, vegetable fats, lean meats, and nuts. Better - in small portions and at least 3 times a day;
• To cope with stress, the main cause of tension headaches, a change of environment, walking (at least 30 minutes a day), evening sports (15-20 minutes is enough), relaxing techniques (listen to music, take a bath) will help.

What to do during an attack?

• drink weak sweet tea
• do some light exercises
• take an analgesic
• rest or take a sedative

What should you be wary of?

• if the headache occurs after an injury (even after several years)
• the nature and intensity of the headache has changed
• the headache does not improve with the usual dose of the drug or even gets worse
• headache is accompanied by a change in body temperature (increase or decrease)
• headache accompanied by nausea and vomiting
• headache worsens with coughing, sneezing, straining
• headache is accompanied by impaired visual acuity, double vision or changes in visual fields
• Fainting, lightheadedness, or convulsions occur due to headache

If you decide to see a doctor, what can help make a more accurate diagnosis?

• keep a “headache diary” for at least a few days, note the nature of the pain, intensity (in points from 1 to 10), time of occurrence, provoking factor, which reduces and intensifies the headache;
• keep a “blood pressure diary”, measure blood pressure and pulse in the morning, immediately after waking up, and in the evening, around 19.00-21.00;
• write a list of the medications you took, taking into account the duration, frequency of use and the number of tablets at one time;
• If you have undergone a preventive examination at a medical institution within a year, please bring copies of the results (general blood count, blood glucose, electrocardiogram, general urinalysis). The following can help in diagnosis: radiography of the cervical spine and any vascular examination (rheoencephalography, ultrasound examination of brachiocephalic vessels), consultation with an ophthalmologist (examination and detailed description of the fundus picture).

How can you identify the true cause of a headache?

Our clinic has developed a special program “Down with the Headache”, which is aimed at diagnosing and identifying the causes of headaches. The program includes an ultrasound of the brain vessels, a number of necessary tests, as well as a consultation with a neurologist. The cost of the program is 3,999 rubles.

We wish you good health!

Stolbova Svetlana Aleksandrovna, neurologist, reflexologist, higher education.
cat., Ph.D. Return to list

Kinds

Neurologists distinguish the following types of headaches:

• Migraine – caused by a disruption of the vascular system;
• Tension headache - mainly occurs due to excessive tension in the neck, eye muscles, as well as the muscles of the shoulder girdle and scalp aponeurosis, as well as due to chronic stress, depression;
• Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania, cluster headache - can be primary or secondary.
• Headache not associated with damage to brain structures;
• Ambus headache that occurs when taking medications uncontrolled.

There are also headaches after traumatic brain injury, with diseases of the vascular system, and those that occur with intracranial disorders of extravascular origin.
Tensor headaches often occur in women after stress or nervous shock. It goes away in the presence of positive emotions, after drinking soothing herbal teas.

Neurologists do not recommend taking headache pills on your own. Each drug is designed to relieve a specific type of pain and has a number of contraindications. The doctor takes all this into account when prescribing a medicine to a patient.

Make an appointment

Development mechanism

The above causal factors trigger overexcitation in the median subcortical structures of the brain. The tone of the muscles of the neck and head increases. The pain sensitivity threshold decreases.

How to help

Tension headaches occur sporadically and do not require special treatment for a short time. In this case, it is enough to take a break from work, switch your attention, and give minimal physical activity (10 squats or push-ups).

Such pain should be treated as a signal of increased stress on the nervous system and psyche.

If the pain lasts more than 10-15 minutes, causes discomfort, distracts and interferes with current activities, you should do what is listed in the previous paragraph, take a shower or go out into the fresh air and walk (or jog) until you feel tired.

Drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help: acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, diclofenac. This is first aid. Next, you should consult a neurologist or psychotherapist.

Migraine

Migraine is the most common type of headache.
It most often occurs in women from the onset of puberty (from 11-13 years) to 35 years. Migraine can be simple or with an aura. It can occur in the temple, crown, back of the head, and forehead. The cause of the disease is a hereditary disorder of vasomotor regulation of arteries located outside and inside the cranium. With migraines, headaches occur in the form of attacks. They bother you at varying frequencies - from once a week to once a year. The attack lasts from several hours to 3 days. Usually the pain is throbbing and covers half of the head. It often occurs after physical activity, stress, lack of sleep or too much sleep, or eating certain foods. A migraine attack is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, intolerance to bright light, noise, and strong odors. Sometimes the headache is very severe and lasts for several days - this condition is called status migraine. According to statistics, migraine occurs in 2% of people.

Neurologists believe that a migraine attack develops under the influence of the following provoking factors:

• Chronic stress;
• Overwork;
• Intense mental work;
• Hormonal disorders.

Often the cause of migraine is a family history.

Tension headache

This type of headache occurs as a result of prolonged tension in the muscles of the head and neck.
Tension headaches can be chronic and bother you constantly, only sometimes stopping for 2-3 days. There are no other violations. There is no nausea or vomiting, bright lights and loud noise do not cause suffering. Almost all sick people lead a normal life and have normal performance. Tension headaches often affect people with increased anxiety and a tendency to become depressed. Pain often occurs against the background of severe stress. There is a feeling of pressure on the top of the head or compression of the entire head. Many people suffering from this disorder take a lot of painkillers on a regular basis. Over time, this “treatment” can itself lead to headaches. Tension headaches are treated with antidepressants - only a doctor can prescribe them. Head massage and acupuncture help improve the condition.

Treatment

Therapeutic assistance for tension-type headache is selected individually. There are no universal medications or therapies specifically for tension headaches. The main goals of treatment: normalization of the emotional state, correction of the mental state, restoration of normal muscle tone, alignment of the sleep-wake cycle, formation of a healthy lifestyle.

Methods of therapy for tension-type headache:

• Pharmacotherapy: antidepressants, nootropics, neurometabolic therapy, restoratives, muscle relaxants, etc.
• Psychotherapy: cognitive therapy, relaxation training, hypnosis and trance states.
• Biofeedback therapy.
• Physiotherapy: electrosleep, electroanalgesia.
• Diet therapy.
• Massage, manual therapy, physical therapy.

After the result is achieved and the pain has gone, you should follow the doctor’s advice on the prevention of tension-type headache: strengthen mental and physical health, maintain a daily routine and exercise routine, conduct a medical examination (identify diseases in the early, initial stages).

In the eye and forehead area

Headaches in the forehead area are caused by various factors.
Cluster or beam pain occurs in the eye area. She may return after a while. Sometimes attacks continue for several hours. A headache that radiates to the eyeball can be a sign of migraine, eye diseases, brain tumors, and neurological diseases of the brain. It often occurs after severe or prolonged stress. The cause of the headache may be inflammation of the maxillary or frontal sinuses. It often radiates into the eyeballs. Sinus headache disappears after the underlying disease is cured. Pain in the forehead is a common symptom of meningitis, malaria, typhoid, and pneumonia.

In the occipital region of the head

In the back of the head, cephalgia occurs when blood pressure increases, the cause of which is osteochondrosis, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, anomalies in the development of blood vessels in the head or neck.
Severe pain in the back of the head occurs after nervous strain, as a result of spasm of the neck muscles, arteries of the head and neck, and disruption of the outflow of venous blood from the head. It worries patients suffering from occipital neuralgia, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, spinal diseases, and migraines. A sharp headache in the back of the head often occurs with the development of a hypertensive crisis. Sharp, bursting, pulsating headaches in the back of the head are accompanied by pallor of the patient’s face, generalized hyperhidrosis, dry mouth, heart pain and tachycardia.

Chronic arterial hypertension with a slight increase in blood pressure is also characterized by the development of pain mainly in the occipital part of the head. The headache bothers the patient immediately after waking up, intensifies with physical activity, and is often accompanied by swelling of the lower eyelids. Pain is caused by a violation of the outflow of venous blood from the vessels of the head.

Combined with nausea

Severe headache and nausea are signs of migraine, meningitis, and hypertensive crisis.
Often the cause of these symptoms is sinusitis, sinusitis, or intoxication of the body. Nausea, headache, and dizziness are also symptoms of traumatic brain injury and infectious diseases. Patients complain of headache, nausea, weakness at the initial stage of influenza and acute respiratory infection. In this case, the body temperature rises to high numbers. The development of a migraine can be signaled by ripples in the eyes, nausea and headache. With a migraine, the patient's appetite disappears, an aversion to strong odors appears, nausea, irritability, photophobia, and numbness in certain parts of the body occur.

Headache and dizziness also occur when wearing incorrectly selected glasses or lenses or disruption of the vascular system. Headaches and spots in the eyes appear due to fatigue and nervous exhaustion, during weather changes, after stress. These symptoms occur in people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury, spinal injury or disease.

Headache and flashing spots before the eyes appear during a hypertensive crisis. Its variety - hyperkinetic crisis - begins abruptly with headache, nausea, flickering of spots before the eyes and vomiting. The patient feels hot. His sweating and heart rate increase. Trembling is felt throughout the whole body. High blood pressure can cause hypertensive encephalopathy. It manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• Very severe headache;
• Dizziness;
• Nausea;
• Vomiting;
• The flickering of flies in the eyes.

The patient may lose consciousness and die if medical care is not provided in a timely manner.
Headaches that occur in the morning after sleep can be a manifestation of a brain tumor, abusive cephalalgia, tension pain, or migraine. Overuse headache occurs with long-term use of analgesics. It gets worse in the morning. The intensity of the pain constantly changes throughout the day. Overuse headaches are aggravated by stress, mental tension, excessive physical activity, and also by stopping a drug that relieves pain. Abuse cephalgia becomes permanent if the patient suffers from depressive syndrome, is often irritated, and is very tired. Due to constant headaches, a person’s concentration and performance decrease. He sleeps poorly and constantly feels tired.

Non-pathological causes of distension

Both illnesses and features of a person’s life can cause feelings of fullness in the head. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to control them all.

• Constant stress. Residents of megacities are more susceptible to them, even during simple work that does not involve emotional and mental stress. Stress can be triggered by intense experiences, shocks and tragedies.
• Junk food and drinks. Fatty dishes, spicy, salty combined with alcohol, and even flavored with smoking. All this has an extremely negative effect on blood vessels. Improper nutrition provokes atherosclerosis, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
• Abrupt climate change. Weather dependence can cause severe discomfort. Such sensations can only be controlled by taking special medications.
• Use of medications. Various dietary supplements can cause discomfort. Some medications, such as antidepressants, sleeping pills, anticonvulsants and painkillers, also have similar side effects.
• Lack of sleep and rest. If a person constantly sleeps for 4-6 hours, sooner or later he will encounter unpleasant neurological disorders. They can also be provoked by incorrectly selected accessories - mattress, pillow.
• Fasting and dangerous diets. Many women follow aggressive nutrition programs, causing enormous harm to the body. It is not recommended to do this without medical supervision.
• Overexertion and heavy physical labor. Intense sports and exercise for the purpose of losing weight can affect the condition of blood vessels and the nervous system. It is not recommended to lose more than 1 kg per week.

If the symptoms accompanying the feeling of fullness in the head occur regardless of adjustments in diet and rest regimen, the person will need a comprehensive diagnosis. After all, the reason may be hidden in pathological disorders.

Temporal headache

Severe headaches in the temples bother patients with otitis media and migraines.
It occurs when intracranial and blood pressure increases. One of the causes of pain in the temple area is inflammation or injury to the temporomandibular joint. In this case, pain occurs in the temple area and radiates to the ear and eye. Sometimes painful sensations occur in the shoulder, neck, and shoulder blade. If the temporomandibular joint is not positioned correctly, muscle spasm develops, which causes increased headaches. After treatment of the underlying disease, the pain goes away. One of the causes of headaches in the temple area is arteritis. This is a disease in which the inflammatory process affects the vessels of the head and temporal region. Due to autoimmune inflammation of the walls of arteries and large vessels in the temporal region, immune complexes are deposited on their walls, which are produced in response to infection. The immune system perceives these cells as foreign. The walls of the blood vessels thicken and blood clots form on them. This pathology is manifested by severe headache in the temple area, general weakness, and impaired visual function. As the disease progresses, arterial damage leads to organ failure.

A common cause of pain in the temple, in the eye area and severe pressing pain in the skull is stress. With deterioration of memory, hearing, vision and constant throbbing severe pain in the temple area, a neurologist may suspect the development of a brain tumor.

Sharp pain in the temple area is a common symptom of a stroke. It is accompanied by numbness on one side of the face, body, and loss of speech. Hemorrhagic stroke can occur due to a rupture of a cerebral artery aneurysm. Acute vascular accident develops as a result of stress. Its harbinger can be a severe headache.

Pain at the base of the skull

Rheumatism

Arthritis

31901 11 February

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-treatment.
In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by the attending physician. To make a diagnosis and properly prescribe treatment, you should contact your doctor. Pain at the base of the skull: causes of occurrence, what diseases it occurs with, diagnosis and treatment methods.

Definition

Pain at the base of the skull (vertebrogenic cervicocranialgia) is a pain syndrome localized in the cervico-occipital region, which can spread to the frontotemporal region and the eye area on the homolateral side. It has been proven that the source of pain can be the structures of the upper cervical spine. Typically, this is the level of the C1, C2 and C3 vertebrae, which includes joints, discs, ligaments and muscles. The lower cervical vertebrae, as a rule, play an indirect role in the formation of clinical symptoms of pain.

Pathological diseases of the cervical spine, which are accompanied by intense or aching pain, experts call “painful neck” syndrome.

The International Headache Society, 3rd revision (ICHD-3) recommended considering cervicogenic headache as secondary, arising due to changes in the cervical spine, including bone structures, intervertebral discs, and soft tissue structures, the pathology of which is often accompanied by pain in the cervical spine. neck. 70% of patients with pain in the cervical spine simultaneously experience headache, but only in 18% of cases is it considered a consequence of neck pain.

In the genesis of headaches in childhood and adolescence, functional disorders in the spinal motion segments of the cervical spine, in particular disorders in the structures of its upper cervical spine, play a significant role.

Types of pain at the base of the skull

Cervicogenic pain is indicated by differential features such as unilateral headache extending from the back of the head to the front, and evidence of involvement of the cervical spine. An attack of pain can be triggered by applying pressure to trigger points in the neck/occipital area or holding the neck in an awkward position. It is important that in some cases such pain has migraine-like features - a number of patients experience photo- and phonophobia, lacrimation, nausea, vomiting, which can sometimes be regarded as a manifestation of migraine.

Pain at the base of the skull is characterized by limited range of motion in the cervical spine, soreness of the neck muscles, changes in muscle tone, or a reaction to passive or active stretching. Usually the pain is combined with a functional block at the upper cervical level.

Injuries to the upper cervical spine due to tumors, fractures, infections, and rheumatoid arthritis can cause headaches that present clinically in the same way as cervicocranialgia. However, a feature of cervicogenic headache is that it is provoked by movements in the cervical spine, and after performing certain warm-up movements in the neck it can stop. Most often, such complaints are not associated with serious pathology, and the patient makes a full recovery.

Possible causes of pain at the base of the skull

Pain at the base of the skull is based on functional and organic changes in various anatomical structures of the cervical spine: joints, ligaments, fascia, muscles, nerves. The leading role is given to degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine. However, there are only isolated indications of the role of functional disorders.

One of the main causes of neck pain is staying in a fixed position for a long time. Other causes of the disease include:

• osteochondrosis, spondyloarthrosis, spondylosis, uncovertebral arthrosis and other changes in the spine;
• neck injuries, injuries;
• sprains;
• intervertebral disc herniation;
• spondyloarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis.

A common cause of cervicogenic pain is inferior oblique muscle syndrome.
A spasmed muscle can compress the neurovascular bundle passing under it (segment of the vertebral artery with the periarterial sympathetic plexus, occipital nerves) - for this condition, the development of paresthesia in the scalp is typical, and sometimes there is pain when combing the hair. It has been observed that stimulation of the cervical structures causes pain, and anesthesia reduces it. Lately, doctors are increasingly talking about “text neck” syndrome, which develops in people who spend a lot of time reading texts from electronic devices (gadgets).

The head of an adult weighs about 5 kg - this is the weight the neck experiences in its normal position. When reading from gadget screens, the head is usually tilted: when tilted just 15°, the load on the spine increases to 12 kg, and when tilted 60° – up to 27 kg. As a result, posture changes, the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine suffer, muscles spasm, and pain occurs at the base of the skull.

The main manifestations of pain at the base of the skull include:

• frequent contraction of the neck muscles, convulsions;
• painful sensations when turning the head;
• noise in the head, sleep disturbance;
• pain in the cervical spine, radiating to the head;
• dizziness;
• constant tension in the neck and back of the head.

The presence of three to four signs should make the patient think about seeking medical help.
Which doctors should you contact if you experience pain at the base of the skull?
To determine the cause of the headache, you should contact a general practitioner or. The doctor will prescribe the necessary examination, determine the cause of the disease and prescribe treatment.

Diagnosis and examinations for pain at the base of the skull

The following diagnostic criteria are used to make a diagnosis:

• The causal relationship of headache with pathology of the cervical region is based on at least one of the following signs:
• clinical signs confirm that the source of pain is located in the neck;
• pain stops after diagnostic blockade of neck structures or nerve formations (with an adequate comparative study with placebo).

Using clinical, laboratory and/or neuroimaging methods, signs of disorder or damage in the cervical spine or soft tissues of the neck that are a reliable or possible cause of headache are determined:

• X-ray of the cervical region in several projections;

Headache and tinnitus

Headache and tinnitus are signs of otitis media and sinusitis. In this case, patients' body temperature rises. The pain radiates to the eye, teeth, jaw. Headache in the crown area often occurs for the following reasons:

• After severe stress;
• During a migraine attack;
• As a result of overstrain of the neck muscles;
• After abusing alcoholic beverages and smoking;
• Due to traumatic brain injury.

Cervicogenic headache, the symptoms of which indicate problems with the spine, is a secondary phenomenon. Such pain appears with protrusion of the intervertebral discs and the development of spina bifida in the cervical spine, severe tension in the neck muscles, wear of the vertebrae, and compression of the nerve root. A tumor of the cervical spine also causes severe headaches and tinnitus.

Causes

A “heavy” head can be a manifestation of a wide variety of pathologies – both non-dangerous and life-threatening. However, the very discomfort in the head is always caused by insufficient oxygen supply to the brain or stagnation of venous blood in the head area.

Symptoms, including heaviness in the head, accompany:

Head and cervical spine injuries

A feeling of heaviness in the head can be the result of a variety of injuries to the head or cervical spine. Moreover, it could even be a slight bruise. But one of the most common causes of headaches, heaviness, and weakness is the so-called whiplash injury, which occurs in car accidents. A sudden jerk during sudden braking leads to injury to the soft tissues of the neck and can cause dislocations and subluxations of the vertebrae of the cervical spine, which often results in headaches and impaired cerebral circulation.

Degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spine

Unpleasant sensations, constant heaviness in the head that blocks the ears, dizziness, lethargy are often the result of various problems in the cervical spine, in particular osteochondrosis and cervical spondylosis. Pathological changes in the vertebral structures in these diseases often lead to irritation and compression of not only the nerve roots, but also the vertebral arteries. Due to the latter, blood supply deteriorates, venous outflow becomes difficult and intracranial pressure increases.

With pathologies of the cervical spine, heaviness in the head can bother you throughout the day, intensifying with bending, sudden movements and turns of the neck.

In addition, accompanying pain in the affected part of the spine forces a person to limit the range of movement of the head. Hence - deterioration of blood flow, limited oxygen supply to the brain and constant tension in the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle.

Increased intracranial pressure

Increased intracranial pressure is manifested by pressing, bursting pain and a feeling of heaviness in the head. In addition, the patient may also experience nausea and vomiting.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system

Symptoms of high blood pressure, which is common in many cardiovascular diseases, are often not felt. However, in some cases it can manifest as severe headache in the back of the head, a feeling of heaviness, dizziness, lethargy and rapid heart rate.

Cervical myositis

Pain that occurs when the neck muscles become inflamed due to injury, hypothermia, or under the influence of prolonged stay in an antiphysiological position, usually also spreads to the occipital region and causes a pressing sensation in the head.

Meniere's disease

Typical manifestations of Meniere's disease are tinnitus, heaviness in the head, dizziness, drowsiness, and fatigue.

Tumor processes

Heaviness in the head due to brain tumors is usually accompanied by intense headaches, often worsening with changes in body position, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, disturbances in the functioning of the sensory organs, speech and coordination.

Neurotic disorders and depression

Heaviness in the head in combination with increased irritability, tearfulness, anxiety, dizziness, sleep disturbances and autonomic disorders, pain in different parts of the body can be a manifestation of neurosis.

Malocclusion

Heaviness in the head along with pain in the back of the head and ears can be caused by an incorrect bite or problems with the temporomandibular joint, which lead to a shift in the center of gravity of the head and improper distribution of the load on the cervical spine. With these pathologies, symptoms usually persist for a long time, and intensify in the evening.

Infectious diseases of the ENT organs

In addition to heaviness and pain in the head, infections of the hearing and respiratory organs are always accompanied by other characteristic symptoms, for example, runny nose, cough, and fever.

If you have any questions, ask our specialist! Ask a Question

Cluster headache

Cluster headaches occur in attacks, in series (clusters).
Neurologists believe that cluster headaches are associated with a person’s “biological clock” - mechanisms that regulate the functioning of the endocrine glands, organs and blood vessels. Pain occurs when the lumen of the cerebral vessels expands. Cluster headaches can be so severe that some patients experience suicidal thoughts or actions during an attack. The duration of the attack varies from 15 minutes to several hours. The attacks are repeated several times during the day. This can last for several months, and then there is a “break” for six months.

The pain usually occurs on one side of the head, in the temple or orbit of the eyes. It is combined with the following characteristics:

• Redness of the eyes;
• Tearing;
• Nasal congestion;
• Swelling (edema) in the area of ​​the eyebrows and forehead.

Neurologists at the Yusupov Hospital use effective methods to treat cluster headaches and prevent further attacks.
Make an appointment

Pain with increased intracranial pressure

Intracranial pressure may increase for the following reasons:

• Traumatic brain injury;
• Space-occupying formation in the skull;
• Hydrocephalus – dropsy of the brain;
• Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke;
• Meningitis, encephalitis.

When intracranial pressure increases, headache occurs in the morning after a person has been in a horizontal position for a long time. It goes away by mid-day. The intensity of the pain increases when the torso is tilted forward, during overexertion, or coughing. It is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, which does not bring relief.

Pathological factors

Among the diseases and disorders that cause bursting pain in the head are:

• VSD. Vegetative-vascular dystonia is a set of symptoms that arise from changes in the functioning of the nervous system.
• High intracranial pressure. It becomes a consequence of tumors, cysts, and hormonal disorders. It also develops in response to congenital changes and the use of certain groups of medications.
• Infections. Brain infections are especially dangerous. But other diseases can also be diagnosed. For example, with tuberculosis.
• Benign and malignant neoplasms. They provoke a feeling of swelling of the brain tumor, as well as the organs of the neck. The pain is unbearable, causing a wide range of symptoms over time.
• Diseases of the hormonal system. High progesterone, changes in estrogen levels, and fluctuations in other hormones.
• Meniere's disease. A disorder of the vestibular system that is practically untreatable.
• Pathologies of the thyroid gland. A deficiency or excess of organ hormones can provoke unfavorable symptoms.

Often, a feeling of squeezing in the head appears after injuries to the skull or concussions.

Vascular headaches

Headache develops in patients suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system:

• Arterial hypertension;
• Atherosclerosis;
• Stroke;
• Cerebral atherosclerosis, thrombosis;
• Hemorrhage under the membranes of the brain;
• Vegetovascular dysfunction.

With a strong increase in blood pressure, pain nerve endings in the walls of blood vessels are excited: when the brain begins to receive less oxygen, it reacts with pain. Typically, vascular headaches occur in the temples. It is often combined with the following symptoms:

• Noise, feeling of congestion in the ears;
• Flashing “flies before the eyes”;
• Dizziness;
• Nausea, vomiting;
• Transient visual impairment.

Sometimes headache becomes the first symptom of vascular pathology.

Venous headaches

Headache bothers patients who have impaired outflow of venous blood from the cranial cavity. The following diseases lead to dysfunction of intracranial veins:

• Neoplasms;
• Hematomas;
• Previous stroke;
• Congenital defects in the development of venous vessels.

Venous pain is dull in nature. It occurs on both sides of the head, in the morning. The patient is bothered by a feeling of fullness, pressure, heaviness in the head. Then there is dizziness, buzzing, noise in the head. The earlobes, tip of the nose, and lips may become bluish. The pain intensifies during stress, weather changes, and after drinking alcohol. Due to stiffness throughout the body, it is difficult for a person to get out of bed in the morning. During the day he feels lethargic, as if he had not slept at all at night.

Treatment methods

Herbal compresses will alleviate the condition.
To treat a bursting feeling in the head, it is important to establish the cause of the disorder. Next, treatment tactics are prescribed. General recommendations to reduce pain are required:

• You should not take medications without a doctor’s examination;
• You can relieve tension by taking a comfortable position and relaxing;
• a towel soaked in cool water will help with feeling unwell;
• you should open a window or window so that it is not stuffy;
• if there is no nausea, you can drink warm tea.

When it becomes easier, you should not immediately start heavy work or exercise.

Folk recipes

During treatment, you can use decoctions of chamomile, mint, and St. John's wort, but only after discussion with your doctor. You also take 40 drops of propolis tincture and add honey to your drinks. Cosmetic clay compresses applied to the forehead before bed will also help combat discomfort.

Medicines

Prescription of medications depends on the cause of the condition. Sometimes taking an NSAID is enough to relieve pain. But in most cases an integrated approach is required. They use medications to improve blood circulation, take analgesics and vitamins in courses.

When using medications, it is important to follow the instructions and not ignore contraindications.

Headache with cervical osteochondrosis

With the development of cervical osteochondrosis, the nerve roots extending from the spinal cord are compressed.
Patients are bothered by neck pain that radiates to the head. The vertebral arteries run along the spine in the neck area. They carry oxygen through the blood to the brain. With cervical osteochondrosis, the blood flow in them is gradually disrupted. This occurs due to compression of the vessel by a displaced spinal disc, a strained muscle, or a bony growth on the vertebra. Without adequate therapy, disorders increase, and vertebral artery syndrome gradually develops. It is manifested by headaches, dizziness, frequent loss of consciousness (especially with sudden turns of the head), severe fatigue and decreased performance.

Patient examination methods

If you have a constant headache, you need to do an MRI.
To identify the reasons why your head seems to be bursting from the inside, you need to turn to instrumental techniques:

• do a CT scan to detect cysts, tumors and changes in the brain;
• perform an ultrasound to analyze blood vessels;
• undergo an MRI if circulatory pathologies and tumors are suspected;
• take an x-ray if there are changes in cartilage and bones;
• sign up for electromyography to study the state of neurons and the muscular system.

Patients are also prescribed blood and urine tests. They are necessary to assess inflammatory reactions and hormone levels.

After diagnosis, the doctor evaluates the results. Based on them, an accurate diagnosis can be made for further therapy.

Diagnostics

Neurologists at the Yusupov Hospital conduct a comprehensive examination of patients. It allows you to determine the exact cause of the headache. Patients are prescribed the following studies:

• Computer and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain;
• Ultrasound Doppler examination of the vessels of the head and neck;
• Electroencephalography;
• Echoencephalography;
• REO-encephalography.

The doctor recommends that the patient keep a headache diary in which he needs to record the following information:

• When did the pain occur?
• What is its intensity;
• How long did the attack last?
• Has your blood pressure risen?

The patient brings the diary to an appointment with a neurologist. The doctor analyzes the information provided by the patient, the results of the studies performed and develops tactics for managing the patient.

How are the causes of heaviness in the head diagnosed?

As you can see, the number of diseases that can cause heaviness in the head and its accompanying manifestations is quite large and many of them are very serious. However, you should not give in to panic when the slightest discomfort appears in your head. It is much more advisable to consult a doctor who can competently assess all existing symptoms and prescribe the necessary diagnostic measures.

The examination should begin with a visit to a neurologist, but subsequently consultations with a cardiologist, ophthalmologist and otolaryngologist may also be necessary.

To determine the causes of heaviness in the head, dizziness, weakness and other similar symptoms, encephalography, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography are prescribed. An electrocardiographic examination, Doppler ultrasound of the vessels of the head and neck, and an audiographic examination are often also required.

Timely diagnosis of complaints of unpleasant sensations in the head is of paramount importance. The correct approach to treatment and its success largely depend on its quality and usefulness.