One of the most common complaints that patients of all ages come to the doctor with is throbbing in the head. Such noise and sensation of blood flow, knocking, synchronous with the pulse, arise for various reasons. Pulsation can occasionally appear after stress, hypothermia or increased physical activity. And it can occur often and be a symptom of serious disorders in the work of blood vessels and other organs. It can be just an unpleasant sensation or throbbing pain. But in any case, it is advisable to consult a doctor if this happens often.
What is a pulsing in the head?
This symptom can appear in perfectly he althy young people. The feeling of blood flow through the vessels occurs due to mental overstrain, accumulated fatigue or stress. Pulsation can be weak or strong, accompanied by pain or tinnitus. Pulsation is often localized in the occipital part of the head. In this case, it is associated with a malfunctionvessels. There may also be a sensation of a pulse in the frontal, temporal or parietal region.
Why does it feel like this?
A he althy person, when exposed to certain factors, may suddenly experience tinnitus, pulsation. At the same time, the head may feel light or, conversely, an unusual heaviness will be felt. This most often happens with a sudden fright, stress or severe physical overstrain. This condition causes an increase in heart rate and simultaneous narrowing of the arteries. Therefore, blood, pushing under pressure through the vessels, makes them pulsate.
Such headaches can occur as a reaction to changing weather conditions, fluctuating hormonal levels in women, due to a sedentary lifestyle, or due to weakened immunity after serious illness. Hypothermia or even excessive consumption of cold foods can also cause throbbing in the head. Often this feeling occurs as a result of severe overwork, accumulated fatigue or emotional overstrain.
What diseases cause throbbing pain?
In many cases, the frequent occurrence of such a sensation indicates the development of serious he alth problems. Very often, various vascular diseases do not show any other signs, except for the fact that the patient has a throbbing in the head. Other diseases may be accompanied by different symptoms, one of which will be pulsation. It is necessary to be examined by a doctor when such a feeling appears, so that in timediagnose serious illnesses.
What diseases cause throbbing and pain:
- aneurysm;
- atherosclerosis;
- hypertension;
- kidney disease;
- osteochondrosis of the cervical region;
- glaucoma;
- brain tumors;
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- migraine;
- sinusitis;
- pulpitis;
- trigeminal neuralgia.
Aneurysm of vessels is the most common cause of pulsation
Very often the cause of sudden death of a person is precisely this disease. An aneurysm is a thinning of the wall of a cerebral artery and the formation of a bulge that interferes with normal blood flow. This condition can continue without symptoms for many years. Occasionally there are headaches, and in half the cases - a pulsation in the head. Suddenly, an aneurysm can rupture, and such a brain hemorrhage always results in death.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia: symptoms in adults
The treatment of this disease is only to relieve discomfort, since in many countries it is not even considered a disease, referring to the manifestation of other pathologies. This condition is also called neurocirculatory dysfunction. Quite often, when adolescent girls complain of shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, decreased performance and throbbing pain, doctors diagnose "vegetative-vascular dystonia". Symptoms in adults, treatment and prevention of attacks of this disease usually do not change with age. But the disease occurs mainly in women under 30 years of age. The problems that arise in this case are associated with a violation of vascular tone. This is what causes a sensation of throbbing in the back of the head or temples.
Disorders of the vessels that cause pulsation
The feeling of a pulse in the head most often occurs if something interferes with the normal passage of blood through the vessels. At the initial stage, this condition may not be accompanied by pain. Some patients go to the doctor with complaints that they have a throbbing in the head. After examination, one of the diseases that cause such a sensation is discovered.
- Atherosclerosis of vessels is characterized by the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of arteries. They disrupt the normal flow of blood, create turbulence, which causes a pulsating noise.
- Hypertension or high blood pressure leads to vasoconstriction. The higher it is, the stronger the pulsation in the head can be felt when getting out of bed or during any physical activity.
- A tumor in the brain can put pressure on a blood vessel, causing it to narrow. Because of this, there is a pulsation in the head, especially noticeable in the morning.
Migraine
This is one of the most common diseases that cause throbbing pain in the head. Migraine is little studied, and doctors still do not understand the causes that cause it, as well as why it occurs most often in women. Usually with this disease there is a throbbing pain in one side of the head. It may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, weakness,sensitivity to loud sounds and bright lights.
Diseases of other organs
- Some kidney diseases associated with a violation of the outflow of urine, lead to an increase in the volume of circulating blood. This also negatively affects the cerebral arteries, causing noise with every heartbeat.
- Cervical osteochondrosis often causes pulsation in the back of the head. After all, it leads to a narrowing of the vertebral artery. The blood flow entering the vessels of the brain under pressure causes such noise.
- Glaucoma is accompanied by a strong increase in intraocular pressure. This leads to the appearance of pulsation in the temporal and frontal parts of the head.
- Sinusitis, frontal sinusitis and even ordinary sinusitis often cause a feeling of fullness and pulsation of blood in the forehead.
Diagnosis of causes of pulsation
It is very important to see a doctor if these symptoms appear. After all, a pulsation in the head can be a sign of serious diseases, such as aneurysms, atherosclerosis, or hypertension. Therefore, timely diagnosis will help to avoid complications. When contacting a doctor, it is important to tell in more detail about your feelings: when and how often the pulsation occurs, where it is localized, what factors provoke it, and whether there is pain. Usually, after collecting this information, the doctor prescribes the following diagnostic procedures:
- blood and urine tests;
- MRI or ultrasound of the brain;
- electroencephalogram;
- angiography;
- X-ray of the cervical spine.
Will be neededalso consultation with a neurologist, ophthalmologist, cardiologist, otolaryngologist, neurosurgeon.
Features of the treatment of this condition
If after the examination no serious disturbances in the state of the vessels were revealed, to get rid of the pulsation in the head, you need to change your lifestyle. Regular light physical activity, proper nutrition, taking vitamins and the absence of stress will easily help to cope with discomfort. And to relax and relieve emotional stress, you can use breathing exercises, do auto-training or yoga.
If a violation of the work of blood vessels is detected, first of all, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease. In addition, physical therapy, massage, physiotherapy, hirudotherapy and spa treatment will help to normalize the condition. It is not recommended to take any medications on your own, as this can harm yourself even more. Only with severe pain can you take an Aspirin, Paracetamol or Ibuprofen tablet.
Folk treatments
As an addition to the main treatment, various folk recipes can be used. But this can be done only after consulting a doctor. What is the best way to cope with the pulsation in the head:
- tea from freshly crushed ginger root with honey and lemon normalizes blood circulation;
- if there are no problems with the stomach, you can eat a tablespoon three times a daychopped horseradish root mixed with sour cream;
- strawberry flower tea relieves cerebrovascular spasms;
- drink 3 times a day a glass of decoction of mulberry shoots;
- make a tincture of garlic on vodka and take by adding a few drops to milk;
- dandelion flower syrup normalizes the state of blood vessels;
- you can also drink decoctions of valerian root, hawthorn berries, chamomile flowers, motherwort, mint.
