When Does My Headache Require Medical Attention?

The first time a person suffers a severe headache, the thought of a tumor or brain aneurysm usually runs thru their head. Forttunately, the actual occurrence of such illnesses is fairly rare. Sigumund Freud once said "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." Sometimes a headache can be much more than just a headache.

When Should you go to the Doctor? When something is wrong with the body, it let's us know with pain. Certain types of headaches can be extemely painful, but they are not usually the result of a more dangerous illness. Sometimes, however, a headache can be the result of something more serious. Warning signs of something more serious than just a headache are listed below:

1. Sudden, severe headache resembling a "thunderclap".
2. A sudden change in your normal pattern of headaches.
3. Your headache is accompanied by a fever, stiff neck, mental confusion, or difficulty speaking.
4. Your headache is the direct result of a head injury, and continues to get worse.
5. A persistant, chronic headache that is the result of coughing, exertion, or sudden movement.
6. You begin to experience new headache pain after the age of 50.
7. Headaches that continue to get worse over days or weeks with no relieve.
8. Persistant or unexplained vomiting.
9. Neurologic signs including double vision, dizziness, numbness, weakness on one side of the body or sensory loss.
10. History of High blood pressure.
Any of the above symptoms accompanying a severe headache are warnings to go see a doctor.

Some dangerous conditions that can result in serious headachesinclude meningitis and encephalitis. Meningitis is a viral or bacterial infection that invades the tissues surround the brain and spinal cord. The most dangerous type is bacterial meningitis. The symptoms of meningitis usually include severe headache, fever, stiff neck and sometimes even convulsions. Treatment with antibiotics as soon as possible is necessary to avoid dangerous complications such as brain damage. Viral meningitis has fewer complications and is a less dangerous type of illness. Migraine headaches can be very similar to those caused by meningitis. Severe pain, nausea, vomiting and light sensitivity are common.

Encephalitis is the term used to refer to an inflammation of the brain as the result of a viral infection. Mild cases of encephalitis result in symptoms such as:f ever, headache, poor appetite, loss of energy, and a general feeling of malaise. In more serious cases, the individual may experience: high fever, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, convulsions, drowsiness and coma. There are a number of viruses that can cause encephalitis, the most common and most dangerous being caused by the herpes simplex virus This is the same virus that causes cold sores but attacks the brain aggressively and can be fatal. Other viruses that can result in encephalitis include the virus responsible for Lyme disease and West Nile virus. Headache treatment with these types of symptoms needs to be immediate. Part 2 of this series will talk about other serious headache causes.


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