Headache is considered to be a symptom that is known to every person. This symptom accompanies many pathological conditions. One example is the intoxication syndrome, in which there is a headache. Based on this, this symptom can accompany any inflammatory pathology. However, there are certain diseases of the head. There are many of them. These ailments are pathological processes that occur in this particular part of the body. Among such diseases, there are lesions of the brain and its membranes, blood vessels, problems with the skin of the face, hair. In addition, mental disorders can be attributed to this group of pathologies.
Description of diseases of the head
Diseases of the human head is an extensive group of pathologies, which includes many ailments. Most often they are associated with damage to the central nervous system. Nevertheless, dermatological diseases, oncological processes, injuries, developmental anomalies can also be attributed to the pathologies of this area. HowIt is known that there are many causes of pain. However, not all pathological conditions of the head are accompanied by this symptom. In some cases, manifestations of such diseases include neurological and psychological disorders. Sometimes the development of pathology is evidenced by symptoms such as cognitive decline, sleep disturbance. Headaches are equally common among both children and adults. Gender also does not matter in these pathologies. In some cases, diseases are congenital and are detected already in the neonatal period. Examples are hydrocephalus, intrauterine growth retardation, developmental anomalies. Sometimes diseases are diagnosed in early childhood. However, this does not mean that the pathology was not genetically determined (Down syndrome, cerebral palsy). In the adult population, acquired head diseases predominate. Most often they develop from vascular lesions, injuries, neoplasms. Some pathologies are hereditary, and the cause of their occurrence is unknown. Although genetically determined, they can appear at any age. Such ailments include most mental disorders (schizophrenia, multiple personality syndrome), some neurological pathologies.
Causes of head diseases
The cause of head disease depends on what kind of pathology occurs in a given patient. There are the following unfavorable factors contributing to the development of ailments:
- Infectious agents. In most cases, microorganisms cause inflammatory diseases. These include pathologies of the brain and its membranes. In addition, bacterial and viral particles are the cause of skin diseases.
- Fungal infection of hair follicles.
- Hereditary predisposition. Many head diseases are genetically determined. This is especially true of mental pathologies. For example, a disease such as schizophrenia is often inherited or observed in close relatives. It is now known that with some ailments, a change in the genetic code occurs. Such pathologies include Alzheimer's, Pick's, Parkinson's, Huntington's chorea, etc.
- Bad habits.
- Arterial atherosclerosis and hypertension.
- Obesity.
- Oncological processes in the brain.
- Benign neoplasms.
- Tropical insect bites, encephalitic tick.
- Specific pathologies: syphilis, AIDS.
- Vasculitis.
- Head injuries.
In some cases, the cause of the disease cannot be determined. Congenital pathologies develop as a result of fetal ischemia during pregnancy, infectious lesions in the mother, bad habits, chemical and ionizing effects.
Classification of diseases of the head
Some patients ask the question: "What is the name of the disease when the head hurts?" As mentioned above, this symptom canlead to many pathologies. Consider those associated with diseases of the head area:
- Meningitis. This group of pathologies occurs due to inflammation of the meninges. The most dangerous is bacterial (purulent) meningitis. Regardless of the etiological factor, with inflammation of the meninges, a severe headache is observed.
- Encephalitis. This group of diseases differs in that the inflammatory process covers the substance of the brain itself. The main sign of encephalitis is the occurrence of severe neurological symptoms.
- One of the pathologies accompanied by pain is migraine. The cause of this disease has not yet been clarified.
- Acute and chronic diseases of the vessels of the head. This group of diseases is one of the most common neurological pathologies. Thrombosis and bleeding from cerebral vessels (stroke) are considered especially dangerous, since acute ischemia often leads to disability and mortality in the population.
- Degenerative pathologies of the nervous system. In some cases, you can see the following picture: the patient's head is shaking. What disease is characterized by this symptom? Most often, degenerative pathologies develop in old age. To a greater extent, they are manifested by motor and neuropsychic disorders. An example is Parkinson's disease, in which there is a tremor of the hands and head, memory impairment, and a change in gait.
- Atrophic pathologies of the central nervous system. Characterized by a gradual decrease in the number of brain cells. Examples are Pick's disease and Alzheimer's,chorea of Huntington. These pathologies are characterized by progressive memory impairment, movement disorder.
- CNS tumors. Often accompanied by pain in a certain area of the head.
- Mental pathologies.
- The defeat of the skin and its appendages.
All of the listed types of head diseases have different etiology and mechanism of development. However, many of them are accompanied by similar symptoms. With all pathologies, the structure of the nervous tissue is damaged. As a result, there is a headache and signs of damage to a certain area of the central nervous system. Also, structural changes in the brain with tertiary syphilis, AIDS can be distinguished into a separate group.
Vascular diseases of the head
Vascular pathologies of the head is a group of diseases characterized by impaired blood supply to the medulla. They can occur at any age but are more common in older people. There are acute and chronic vascular disorders. The first is stroke. Acute ischemic cerebrovascular accident is a disease that occurs due to obstruction of the vessel lumen by a thrombus or embolus. In most cases, this type of stroke has a more favorable prognosis. The cause of the development of ischemic stroke can be atherosclerotic lesions of the cerebral arteries, cardiovascular and oncological pathologies, diseases of the hematopoietic system, prolonged immobilization (stay in one position of the body). Hemorrhagic stroke is a life-threatening condition that requires immediatesurgical treatment. The etiological factors of this disease are complicated hypertensive crisis, malformation and vascular aneurysm. Chronic pathologies include dyscirculatory encephalopathy. DEP often occurs in the elderly. The main reason for the development of encephalopathy is the gradual narrowing of the lumen of the cerebral vessels due to atherosclerosis. Also, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is considered an etiological factor.
Atrophic brain diseases
Atrophic pathologies are conditions in which there is a decrease in brain activity due to breaking connections between neurons. The reasons for this phenomenon have not yet been fully elucidated. It is believed that changes that occur at the gene level lead to atrophic pathologies. Therefore, such ailments are often observed in members of the same family. One of the clearest examples of brain atrophy is Alzheimer's disease. Often it is this memory impairment that can be seen in various films. With such a pathology, a person gradually loses orientation in his own personality. The patient does not remember the events that occurred in his life recently. However, the years gone by remain in his memory. Thus, there is a progressive impairment of the patient's personality. Pick's disease is considered a similar disease. The differences between these pathologies are in maintaining the ability to write and speak. Another atrophic disease is Huntington's chorea. This pathology is characterized by a movement disorder, that is,the inability to control their activity. Later, other signs of head disease join. Among them are mental disorders, memory impairment, aggressive behavior, etc. The first signs of the disease are observed in middle age.
Another pathology characterized by hyperkinesis is Parkinson's disease. With such a disease, the extrapyramidal system of the brain is damaged. This pathology is characterized by tremor of the limbs, changes in muscle tone, the inability to stop the movements of one's own body. One of the clearest symptoms is that the person's head is shaking. “What kind of disease and how to deal with it?” - often, relatives of the patient are interested. Unfortunately, etiological therapy against this pathology has not been developed, since the exact cause of its development is unknown. Patients with atrophic and degenerative disorders of the nervous system require constant care and support from loved ones.
Diseases of the scalp
In addition to diseases of the head itself, dermatological pathologies also belong to the pathologies of this group. Among them - damage to the skin and its appendages, in particular, hairline. This issue is of particular concern to the female half of the population. Indeed, such violations as brittleness and hair loss, loss of shine and silkiness are common. To fix this, women make various masks, use special shampoos. However, scalp hair disease also occurs in men. In these cases, there is oftensymptom like alopecia. This disease is characterized by pathological hair loss, leading to baldness. Distinguish diffuse and focal (nested) alopecia. Baldness can develop not only in men, but also among the female population. The exact causes of this symptom are not known, it is believed that it occurs with the combined effect of several damaging factors. Most often, diffuse alopecia develops with chronic anemia, diseases of the adrenal glands. Alopecia areata can be caused by a fungal infection. In most cases, it develops after contact with infected pets (cats). Also, the cause of alopecia areata are thyroid pathologies, chronic stress, helminthic invasion, etc.
Head diseases: symptoms of ailments
Given that there are a lot of head diseases, their symptoms can be different. This is especially true for pathologies of the central nervous system. The clinical picture depends on the type of head disease. Disease symptoms:
- Neurological disorders. They are found in inflammatory, oncological, vascular, degenerative and atrophic processes. Symptoms of neurological disorders depend on the localization of the pathological focus. With damage to the right side of the brain, disorders are noted in the left limbs (and vice versa).
- Headache. It is observed in inflammatory processes (encephalitis, meningitis), neoplasms, cerebrovascular accident. The most severe headache occurs due to migraine.
- Cognitive disorders (decreasedmemory, perseverance, sleep disturbance). It is observed at the initial stages of degenerative and dystrophic pathologies, with dyscirculatory encephalopathy.
- Decrease in intelligence. Occurs at the last stage of DEP (senile dementia). In some cases, mental retardation is congenital and develops due to chromosomal abnormalities.
- Mental disorders.
- Convulsive syndrome.
Symptoms of dermatological diseases include skin peeling, rashes, itching, alopecia.
Diagnosis of head pathologies
To find out the cause of the head disease, it is necessary to conduct a series of studies. Among them, the main one is a neurological examination. Instrumental diagnostics is also carried out. It includes such studies as ultrasound of the vessels of the head and neck, EEG, EchoEG. If degenerative, oncological and atrophic processes are suspected, magnetic resonance imaging is performed.
Head diseases: treatment of pathologies
The choice of treatment depends on the pathology. In inflammatory diseases, antibiotic therapy is prescribed. The drugs of choice include a solution of "Penicillin", "Ceftriaxone", "Erythromycin". In order to improve blood circulation, medicines "Cerebrolysin", "Piracetam" are prescribed. Treatment of mental illness is carried out in a special medical institution. Painkillers are used as symptomatic therapy. With a tendency to thrombosis, it is recommended to use the Aspirin medication daily. For acute disorderscirculation, aneurysms and tumors need surgery.
Prevention of head diseases
Prevention of head diseases implies the following recommendations:
- Do not walk without a hat in low temperatures.
- To correct lipid metabolism in patients with atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome.
- Visit a neurologist if you suspect a head disease.
