Headaches are a common symptom experienced by more than 70% of the population at least once a year. Therefore, people tend to dismiss headaches as nothing serious, but sometimes they can be a sign of a serious condition. The diseases that cause headaches are very diverse, but it is helpful to know that the areas and patterns of headache can vary slightly depending on the condition.

 

Whole head → Brain hemorrhage, brain tumor

 

When headaches occur throughout the entire head, brain hemorrhage or brain tumor may be suspected. These conditions cause the brain, which is enclosed within the skull, to swell and increase intracranial pressure, simultaneously compressing the cranial nerves. Elevated intracranial pressure can cause symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, and it can also press on the optic nerve, leading to decreased vision, so immediate emergency treatment is necessary. There is also a tendency for headaches to worsen in the morning or during early dawn. This is because increased intracranial pressure can impair breathing during sleep.

Forehead → Tension headache, sinusitis

 

When experiencing forehead pain, tension headaches or sinusitis (sinus infection) can be suspected. Tension headaches are caused by muscle stiffness pressing on nerves. They mainly cause pain around the forehead, jaw joint area, and the back of the ears and neck, with tenderness (pressure pain) that worsens when pressed. The pain lasts from as short as 10 minutes to over an hour or two. If this repeats continuously, the amount of neurotransmitters that suppress pain in the brain decreases, leading to chronic tension headaches (more than 15 times a month). Massaging the tense muscles with hands can help reduce the pain, and symptoms may improve with rest alone. Sinusitis, an inflammation of the air-filled spaces within the facial bones around the nose, can also cause forehead pain because the sinuses extend into the forehead area. If forehead pain worsens when bending the head forward or sitting for a long time, sinusitis should be suspected. Sinusitis is treated with antibiotics to reduce inflammation and nasal irrigation using saline solution.

 

▷Temples → Migraine·Temporal arteritis

 

If a headache occurs on the temple side, it may be suspected as a migraine. Migraines are characterized by pulsating pain caused by blood vessel dilation (pain felt in sync with the heartbeat), mainly triggered in the temples where blood vessels are densely distributed. The cause of migraines is an overly sensitive cranial blood vessel nerve, and when nerves are sensitive, even slight dilation of blood vessels can cause pain. Migraines usually last more than 4 hours. Symptoms become more severe when exposed to bright light or loud sounds, and nausea and vomiting may accompany the pain. Resting in a quiet and dark place is good for symptom relief. Headaches in the temples among the elderly may be due to temporal arteritis, as the temporal artery passes near the temples. Inflammation causes swelling, and a lump may protrude from the temple, causing tenderness when pressed. If left untreated, it can compress the optic nerve and lead to vision loss, requiring medication treatment such as steroids.

 

▷Back of the head → Tension headache, occipital neuralgia

 

There are many muscles at the back of the head, which can cause tension headaches. However, if a tingling, electric-like pain occurs at the back of the head, posterior occipital neuralgia should be suspected. Posterior occipital neuralgia is a condition where inflammation occurs in the occipital nerve located at the center of the back of the head. It can usually be cured within 1 to 2 weeks with medications used for neuropathic pain.

 

 

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I was about to lie down to sleep yesterday, but my forehead hurt.

A headache that occurs well during seasonal changes.

As expected, the wind has changed, and I started to get a headache.

 

I have a constant runny nose. Sinusitis is in my forehead.