The pain from headaches and migraines can interfere with your daily life. You might not function at work as you should. The discomfort may even disrupt the time you spend with your family. When you understand the causes of serious headaches, you will know when you should visit a primary care provider or someone who is an expert in Wellington family practice. The most common causes are:
1. Brain Infection
A brain infection, though not a common cause of serious headache, is a problem that can cause serious complications. Therefore, you should take notice if you have a serious headache accompanied by any of these symptoms:
- Delayed Speech
- Vision Changes
- Muscle Function Changes
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Chills
A brain infection usually stems from one of the following microbes:
- Virus
- >Bacteria
- Fungi
2. Hormone Headaches
If you’re a woman, you may experience hormone-related headaches triggered by changes in your estrogen levels. For example, you may notice your headaches occur before your menstrual cycle. Pregnancy, perimenopause, birth control medications, and menopause can all cause serious headaches due to hormone changes.
Hormone headaches in men can occur as well. Specifically, men who have low testosterone levels are more likely to experience chronic migraines than men with normal testosterone levels.
3. Hemicrania Continua
This particular type of headache usually causes moderate pain, but you can experience bouts of severe pain. Keep in mind that the headaches from hemicrania continua happen daily, and you won’t have any periods without pain. In some cases, this type of headache will cause migraine-like symptoms like sensitivity to light, nausea, and vomiting.
The cause of hemicrania continua isn’t known, but a specialist in family medicine Royal Palm Beach can prescribe a medication to manage your pain and other symptoms.
4. Sleep Deprivation
Your body requires an adequate amount of sleep to function normally. When you don’t receive enough sleep, you may develop headaches or migraines during the times when you lack sleep.
Moreover, sleep and headache disorders both rely on the same brain structures, which make you more prone to serious headaches.
5. High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, classifies as a silent condition because it doesn’t cause any symptoms. However, when your blood pressure levels unusually rise , you may develop a severe headache.
Generally, mild or moderate hypertension won’t cause headaches, which is when your blood pressure is between 140 to 159 over 90 to 99 or 160 to 179 over 100 to 190.
6. Meningitis
Meningitis is a term that describes inflammation of the membranes surrounding your spinal cord and brain. In the United States, a majority of cases start with a viral infection.
The initial symptoms of meningitis often mirror symptoms of the flu. Your neck could feel stiff, and you may even experience excessive sleepiness. Severe headaches and headaches accompanied by nausea and vomiting could occur, too.
A primary care provider at Royal Palm Beach can diagnose and treat severe headaches. Therefore, you can go back to living your normal life without the debilitating headaches that interfere with your daily life.
Contact Advanced Medical PA — a family medicine practice that serves Wellington and the surrounding Florida area — today for relief from your serious headaches. Call us at (561) 315-4172. While we’d love to speak to you personally, for your convenience, you can also use our online appointment form.
