Headache

It is one of the most common and presentation in neurosciences and the most neglected also. Headache is pain in part or whole of the head. Because of its common nature to variety of unrelated conditions headache is not taken seriously most of the times. Headache can range from mild, dull aching, localized to severe, excruciating and in whole of the head. It may occur suddenly or gradually and can last from few seconds to days.

Q. How can I identify if headache is serious?

Usually if the headache is sudden in onset, severe in nature or associated with vomiting or seizures, one must take it as serious in nature and consult your family physician or neurosurgeon immediately.

Q. When to consult doctor?

Sudden, severe headache with or without vomiting or seizures not relieved by taking simple pain killers and/or associated with loss of conscious should warn one to consult doctor or report to emergency of the hospital immediately. Also consult doctor when headache is along with high grade fever, confusion, fainting, weakness or numbness of part of body, neck pain, reduced hearing, difficulty in speaking or decreased vision and vertigo.

In addition, consult your doctor if the frequency and nature of headache increases, didn’t improve with pain killers, not able to sleep or hampering your work and routine habits.

Q. Causes of headache ?

There are many causes of headache. Some need only medicine and some need urgent attention. Most of the headache which needs medicine are classified under primary headache and majority of them are due to Migraine or stress headache. Secondary headache needs urgent attention and there are many causes of the same from acute sinusitis, sub arachnoid haemorrhage (bleeding in brain), brain tumours, brain infection (Meningitis/encephalitis), and Trigeminal Neuralgia etc.

Q. Investigations for headache ?

Investigations for headache will be done to differentiate between various causes of headache so that proper and accurate diagnosis can lead to better and correct treatment plan. So, battery of investigations will be needed right from non-contrast CT, contrast CT, MRI (contrast and other sequences), angiography images, CSF studies. Not all the investigations will be needed in all patients.

Q. Treatment ?

Once diagnosis of cause of headache is ascertained from investigations and clinical history and examinations, treatment will be decided by our group of expertise neurosurgeons after discussing in disease specific board meetings.