"Every year, more of us seek treatment for headache than for any other medical problem. In rare cases, headache can be caused by bleeding, tumor, or infection in the brain, or else by diseases involving teeth, eyes, or sinuses. Flu or any sickness that causes fever can also cause headache. Such headache is known as secondary headache because it is due to, or secondary to, other problems, i.e. the headache is only a symptom of some other disorder", informed Dr Nadir Ali Syed, M.D., ABPN, ABEM, Consultant Neurologist and Assistant Professor for Neurology / Medicine. He was giving a presentation on "Headaches: Diagnosis and Treatment" at 'Signs, Symptoms and Care', monthly health awareness program, held on August 28, 1999.
Dr Nadir said, "The vast majority of people with headaches suffer from what is known as primary headache, including migraine, tension-type headache and cluster headache. For these individuals, the headache itself is the primary problem and not just a symptom of some other disease. Considerable medical evidence suggests that migraine, tension-type and cluster headaches are caused by an electrical and chemical instability of certain key brain centers that regulate blood vessels around the head and the neck, as well as the flow of pain messages into the brain. This instability can be treated by using drugs that stabilize brain chemistry."
Dr Nadir added that chronic headache is serious because it can interfere with the quality of daily life and reduces human productivity. It is a valid biological disorder, as real as diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease, and deserves the careful attention of the medical profession. There is no reason for people with headaches to suffer in silence. He informed that the first step towards recovery is accurate diagnosis. Since headaches are diagnosed and ultimately treated according to a particular classification, understanding and communicating these symptoms to your doctor can have dramatic results. Diagnosis is usually based upon a careful history and physical examination. Ancillary tests may be necessary in some cases to diagnose underlying conditions. The tests may include blood tests or brain imaging.
Dr Nadir concluded by saying that fortunately research breakthroughs in the last several years have helped physicians understand much better what actually happens in the body during a headache attack. This knowledge has led to new and highly effective treatments that make control possible for most headache sufferers.
