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Headaches are extremely common, and most patients have experienced a headache in their lifetime. There are many types of headaches, some benign and some dangerous. Fortunately, most headaches are benign and are what we call the tension headache. However, in rarer instances, the headache may signal a serious complication in the brain, such as bleeding. At Advanced Neurology Specialists, LLC in Naples, Florida, Cory Lamar, MD, is well-versed in determining the type of headache you're experiencing and recommending the most specific and effective treatment. Call the office to make an appointment or request one online today.
Headaches Q & A
What causes headaches?
There are many types of headaches, and multiple classifications of headaches have been proposed over the years. It is important to distinguish between the common causes of headaches and the rare causes of headaches.
Common causes of headaches include the following:
- Migraine headaches
- Tension headaches
- Traumatically induced headaches
- Whiplash injury from a motor vehicle accident or similar trauma
- Jaw problems, known as TMJ (temporomandibular joint)
Uncommon causes of headache include:
- Masses or tumors that cause displacement of the brain
- Blood clots, which put pressure on the brain
- Infections of the brain, like meningitis or encephalitis
- Raised intracranial pressure
- Complications from surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy (typical cancer treatments)
When should I talk to a doctor about headaches?
If you have a severe headache, you should call 911 or go to the emergency room. It can be a life-threatening situation that you should not ignore.
If you have moderate headaches that are new to you and do not go away with over-the-counter medication, you should consult a headache specialist or neurologist like Dr. Lamar. If you have chronic headaches and your medication stops working, you should also consult a neurologist.
If you have a headache that is associated with a known cause, like high blood pressure, then you must treat the high blood pressure to relieve the headaches. This may require seeing a family physician or going to the emergency room to get prescription medication to control the high blood pressure or hypertension.
Some people have headaches that are triggered by specific causes, like foods, skipping meals, and even specific smells.
How is the cause of my headaches diagnosed?
Dr. Lamar thoroughly evaluates all aspects of your headaches and overall health. He talks to you in detail about your medical history, symptoms, general health, and lifestyle.
Dr. Lamar needs to know about the frequency of your headaches and other details like what kind of pain you’re suffering, where it’s at, and if you know of anything that triggers your headaches. He also uses diagnostic tests, including lab work, MRIs, CT scans, and an electroencephalogram (EEG) to assess your brain health.
How are headaches treated?
The proper treatment of headaches should be as specific as possible to the type of headache diagnosed. For example, a soft food diet and a mouth guard, typically worn when sleeping, can help treat TMJ headaches.
Migraine headaches are typically treated with medications to prevent them (taken either on a daily basis by mouth or on a monthly basis by injection) and to stop acute migraine symptoms (abortive medications).
If a patient has imaging of the brain and shows structural pathology, then the treatment is dictated by the specific nature of the pathology (for example, tumor, blood clot, etc).
Call Advanced Neurology Specialists, LLC, for expert diagnosis and treatment of headaches, or request an appointment online today.