Headache is one of the main symptoms of more than 40 different pathologies. At the same time, the causes of these pathologies can radically differ from each other. In cases where the head hurts on one side, the range of possible diseases will be noticeably reduced. However, in order to make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to take into account a number of accompanying symptoms of the disease, as well as use laboratory and instrumental studies. In this article, we will talk in more detail about the reasons why the head hurts on one side. You can also find information on how to overcome this unpleasant symptom.
Why does my head hurt on one side?
Among the ailments that can lead to the development of such a one-sided headache, special attention should be paid to the most common ones. Diseases that cause a headache on one side are described below.
Oral diseases
Very unpleasant sensations can be caused by problems with the teeth, as well as other ailments that develop inside the oral cavity. As a rule, in such situations, pain affects the area of \u200b\u200bthe temple, from which there are injuries. For example, if you have a headache on the left side, then most likely you have an inflamed tooth root on the same side.
Temporal arteritis
Temporal arteritis is an autoimmune disorder that is associated with inflammation of a medium to large artery. As a rule, temporal arteritis is observed in patients whose age is more than 50 years. This disease manifests itself in the form of severe headaches, redness of the scalp, as well as bouts of depression and insomnia. Therefore, if the head hurts on the left side or on the right, it is possible that we are talking about this particular disease. Do not ignore these symptoms, it is better to seek help from a doctor. If this is not done, the patient may lose their sight completely.
Intracranial bleeding
We continue to consider why the head hurts on the left or right. The reason for this may be intracranial bleeding. If there is damage to the vessels that feed the brain, then an intracranial hematoma may form. Hematoma leads to head injuries as a result of a blow, an accident. The spread of bruising is also the cause of increased intracranial pressure. That is why the patient has a shooting headache, which is accompanied by a slowdown.palpitations, general lethargy, confusion, as well as convulsive seizures and vomiting. Do not ignore the symptom in which the head hurts on the left or right. Such bleeding can lead to very disastrous consequences, even death. If after a few days the pain does not go away, then you should definitely consult a doctor.
Cluster pains
A paroxysmal one-sided sensations that appear in the anterior region of the head, near the eyes, occur in most cases in men. If the head and eye hurt on one side, then often such a shooting and bursting syndrome turns out to be so strong that a person simply cannot carry out normal life activities. In addition, the patient suffers from other symptoms:
- runny nose;
- teary;
- tides;
- red eyes.
The main symptom of cluster pains is their periodicity. As a rule, they appear at the same time of day. The duration of the attacks can be from several minutes to one and a half hours. In this case, you should pay attention to the fact that the interval between attacks will always be the same. If the eye and head hurt on one side due to cluster pain, then this symptom may disappear as suddenly as it appeared. It is impossible to stop pain with conventional painkillers. As a rule, this requires those medications that the doctor prescribes. In some cases, oxygen treatment is prescribed for therapy.
ENT diseases
We continue to consider why the left or right temple hurts. First of all, ENT diseases can be the cause. For example, acute tonsillitis or chronic sinusitis are factors that can lead to swelling, they irritate the nerve endings and provoke the appearance of pain in absolutely any part of the head. Therefore, if you are tormented by the question of why the left temple hurts, then the reason may lie in the usual sinusitis.
Migraine
If you translate this term from the ancient Greek language, then it translates as "half of the head." This is due to the fact that the pathological condition is characterized by the occurrence of shooting unilateral pains, which eventually become pulsating. Quite often, migraines cause headaches when touched on one side.
The frequency of the attack may vary, although this occurs no more than 8 times in one month. The duration of such an attack can range from several hours to several days. In addition to the fact that with a migraine, the head hurts on one side, the pressure also drops, the person feels photophobia and nausea. In some situations, these attacks are accompanied by an aura that causes blurred vision, problems concentrating, and auditory and visual hallucinations may occur.
It is believed that most often suffer from migraine those people who have a genetic predisposition to this disease. Attention should be paid tothe fact that a drug that could permanently eliminate migraine headache does not exist. Recently, anti-migraine therapy has been used to reduce the duration and frequency of painful attacks.
Atmospheric pressure
As you know, low atmospheric pressure affects a person, at which only one part of the head can get sick. This is absolutely normal, as are the effects of magnetic storms. Therefore, if a person has been affected by low atmospheric pressure, then you should not worry too much about this.
Tumors
Neoplasms that are localized in the brain can cause an increase in intracranial pressure, as well as the subsequent spread of a painful syndrome that is shooting, dull or arching. In addition to the fact that with an existing tumor, the head hurts at one point on the left or right, other symptoms also appear, which are as follows:
- vomiting and dizzy spells;
- changes taking place in the psycho-emotional sphere;
- sudden and significant weight loss;
- epileptic seizure.
You should also pay attention to the fact that the patient's condition begins to deteriorate in case of severe nervous shock or stress.
Diseases of the spinal column
Pain is localized near the neck, on the left or right side relative to the center line, characterized as dull or aching. These discomforts canintensify during turns, as well as other head movements. Unilateral pain, which is caused by a problem with the spine, is most often seen in people over 35 years of age. In addition, such a symptom can be found in those who lead a mostly sedentary lifestyle.
Costen Syndrome
This disease can be associated with rheumatism, trauma of the temporomandibular joint, gout, as well as the presence of certain infectious pathologies. With this syndrome, the ear and head hurt on one side. In addition, there is a burning sensation on the tongue, as well as dryness in the oral cavity. An accurate diagnosis can only be made with an x-ray.
Tension pains
In another way, this pathological condition is called tension headaches. This ailment is characterized by moderate severity of soreness, which covers one side of the head and lies in the central region of the forehead. Tension pains, which increase in the evening, may be squeezing or dull. Associated symptoms of the disease are as follows:
- appearance of sleep problems;
- pronounced sensitivity to various sound devices;
- general fatigue.
Statistics suggests that the disease becomes chronic only in 3% of registered cases. As a rule, it is not possible to find out what specifically provoked the development of this disease.
Tranio-cerebral injuries
If the patient's scalp hurts withon the one hand, and also a headache, then perhaps the reason lies in a traumatic brain injury. As a rule, this kind of damage is accompanied by severe pain from the side where the blow was struck. It should be noted that the presence of the injury itself can be determined much later. Therefore, if the scalp hurts on one side, and other symptoms appear, you should seek help from a doctor. Other noticeable signs of a traumatic brain injury are as follows:
- general weakness;
- nausea and vomiting;
- ringing in the ears;
- dizziness.
Symptomatics will become more pronounced when the victim makes sudden movements.
Diagnostics
Treatment of all the above diseases should never be carried out without a preliminary examination by a specialist. First of all, it is necessary for the doctor to make the correct diagnosis by conducting a detailed anamnesis of a particular pathology. To do this, the patient must describe the nature of the resulting pain, duration and frequency, as well as other symptoms that accompany the disease.
In some cases, it is possible to assess the general condition of the patient only with the help of instrumental or laboratory methods of research, which should include ECG, CT, MRI, ultrasound, blood tests, as well as the identification of hormonal levels. It is only after receiving the data that the specialist can make the final decision as to which therapeutic method to use for the mosteffective treatment in one case or another.
Migraine treatment
Many people who suffer from recurrent migraine headaches use homegrown remedies to relieve symptoms. To do this, you need to take some special position of the body, in which the pain goes away. Someone uses a heating pad with ice, which is applied to the forehead, to eliminate the symptom. For others, taking a cold shower helps with a migraine.
Of course, such remedies will alleviate migraine attacks to one degree or another, but in such a situation there are a number of some disadvantages. First of all, such procedures will only alleviate the symptom, but will not be able to completely relieve the patient of soreness. In addition, such methods are not always available, because a person’s head can get sick absolutely at any time. That is why those patients who often suffer from migraine should always have medication with them that can quickly suppress an attack.
Which pills to choose?
Most patients with severe headaches due to migraines use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This should include, for example, medicines made on the basis of ibuprofen. These medicines are able to stop a headache attack very well, but you should pay attention to the fact that they have a small, but a list of contraindications and side effects.
Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs experts calldrugs of first choice. They mean that they are prescribed to all patients who suffer from migraine headaches. And if anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs do not help in the fight against this symptom, then the most powerful drugs are prescribed, which should include those made on the basis of ergot alkaloids, which have a very significant list of side effects. As a rule, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs successfully stop pain attacks. Already after the use of 400 mg of ibuprofen, the patient's head hurts not so much, the duration of the attack decreases, as well as the severity of other symptoms: vomiting, nausea, anxiety, photophobia.
Conclusion
In some cases, headache attacks can go away on their own, without the use of medicines, after which they no longer recur. However, relapses are often observed, with each time the pain becomes even stronger. If you are suffering from such a condition, then it is imperative to seek help from a doctor. If the headache is a symptom of a serious illness, then it can become chronic. In addition, if the symptom is not cured in time, it can provoke very serious consequences for the patient's body.
