Headache since morning? Have a cup of chai or coffee. This is not working? Sleep for a while and bang the headache is gone. Every Indian would relate to this headache remedy that we have been following for years. Painkiller for a headache is the last option that many of us resort to.
While most of the time, these headaches are simple and occur because of exhaustion, stress and anxiety, and can go by having a rest or a hot relaxing drink, there are times when your headache might be signalling something serious.
Dr Pavan Pai, Neurologist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, Mumbai, lists five ways to know that your headache is a red flag of something serious, and shouldn’t be ignored.
1. Headache with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound
These symptoms may indicate a migraine headache, which is a neurological condition that leads to a throbbing sensation on just one side of the head. So, if you have a headache with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound, then you need to immediately consult a doctor for a migraine treatment.
2. Headache accompanied by fever or stiff neck
This can indicate that you may have encephalitis or meningitis. Encephalitis means brain inflammation and meningitis means inflammation of the membrane around the brain. Both the conditions can be life-threatening and cause headaches. It is advisable that you don’t ignore these symptoms for long and consult a doctor at the earliest.
3. Headache with speech and vision changes
If your headache is accompanied by vision changes, troubled speech, inability to walk, weakness on one side of the body then it can be an ischemic stroke. It is the most common occurrence and usually is seen owing to the blood clot that happens in a blood vessel in the brain and the blood flow is cut-off to the brain. Did you know? A severe headache is a sign of a stroke.
4. Headache causing behaviour changes
Is your headache accompanied by other behavioural changes like memory, reasoning, reading, and writing, or emotional control? Then, it can be a brain tumor. Thus, it is imperative to speak to the doctor and get a proper diagnosis done.
5. Headache due to ruptured brain aneurysm
A brain aneurysm means a weak spot in the brain’s arterial wall that bulges and gets filled with blood. Thus, a sudden, severe headache is the key symptom of a ruptured aneurysm. It tends to leak and rupture, leading to bleeding in the brain (subarachnoid haemorrhage).
