Apple Valley, CA
760-242-1234

Everyone has a headache from time to time, and only rarely is it a symptom of a serious underlying disease. Almost any disorder can bring on a headache, including the common cold, menstruation, emotional distress, and an injury. Most headaches are not a cause for concern, but in a few cases, head pain can be a warning signal of a significant medical problem.

Causes of head pain

Brain tumor or cancer
Pressure resulting from a brain tumor can produce headaches along with numerous other symptoms such as vomiting, double or failing vision, loss of balance and coordination, lethargy, personality changes, and muscle weakness that may be limited to one side of the body. Symptoms such as these warrant seeing a doctor as soon as possible.

Cluster headaches
This type of head pain is excruciating and relentless, with feelings of pounding in the head. The pain, which is usually felt on one side only, can radiate to the nose, mouth, or neck. The eye on the affected side may be bloodshot, and the arteries and veins may appear prominent. The cluster headache derives its name from the fact that the attacks occur one after the other.

Encephalitis
Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain and sometimes the spinal cord. It is often accompanied by meningitis, and is usually due to a viral infection The brain inflammation and swelling can cause a severe headache, and may be accompanied by mental changes, convulsions, and coma.

Glaucoma
This is a serious eye disease resulting from an increase of pressure in the eye that can lead to irreversible damage. In an acute attack, there may be head pain radiating to and from the eye, and the eyeball may be hard.

Head injuries
Even a minor head injury can cause a headache. Any head injury that results in head pain, drowsiness, or changes in mental function may indicate a fractured skull or concussion.

High blood pressure
Although high blood pressure (hypertension) usually does not produce symptoms in its early stages, a throbbing headache at

the top or back of the head that worsens when bending over is a common symptom in the later stages of the disease.

Meningitis
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain due to an infection caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Intense pain over the entire head is a common symptom, and the pain often worsens with the slightest movement of the head. The pain may also radiate to the neck.

Menopause
Recurrent headaches are common during menopause. They may be accompanied by hot flushes, chills, excessive sweating, fatigue, and a host of other physical and emotional changes.

Migraine headaches
A throbbing headache accompanied by nausea and perhaps vomiting is characteristic of a migraine. Other symptoms may include seeing patterns of dazzling or flashing light, double vision, temporary or partial blindness or blind spots, chills, and dizziness.

Sinusitis
The sinuses are hollow, air-filled spaces in the head that empty their secretions into the nasal cavity through narrow ducts. This drainage system does not always work properly, and when fluid or pus replaces the air in the sinuses, head pain is the usual result. The headache is usually located in the front of the head or around the eyes and may be constant or recurrent; moving the head may ease the pain.

Stroke
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the

brain is cut off due to a rupture, spasm, blockage, or hardening of the arteries. Headaches are a common symptom before and after a stroke. If the carotid arteries, the vessels that carry blood to the brain, are affected, the pain may be at the temples. If a blood vessel has ruptured, intense pain is usually felt at the back of the head and the base of the skull.

Tension headaches
This is the kind of headache everyone experiences at times, and is usually the most common cause of head pain in young people. Typically, the headache is brought on by stress or some other psychological factor, which causes muscles of the head and neck to tighten.