Do you have to take pills if you have a headache. Answered by the doctor

MD, pediatrician, nutritionist, co-founder of UniProf Academy of Physicians

Should you tolerate a headache or should you take a pill right away?

To drink or not to drink pills for headache? The answer to this question depends on the cause of its occurrence. Uncontrolled intake of medications can cause health problems, especially when the headache becomes a symptom of a disease.

Back in 2013, the International Headache Society (IHS) proposed a classification according to which headaches are divided into three groups.

Primary headaches

This is the name given to those that are not caused by a co-morbid condition.

الصداع النصفي

An independent neurological disease, which occurs due to a violation of the tone of the cerebral vessels. It has three stages: aura (the appearance of “spots” or “flies” in front of the eyes), the appearance of headache, the appearance of nausea and vomiting.

In this disease, an attack can last from seven to 42 hours. Pain appears in one part of the head, as if pulsating, and with physical exertion increases. However, light activity can even benefit. In what cases sport helps to cope with headache, read in the article.

Treatment: the first stage of treatment is to relieve symptoms, including with the help of painkillers. If the pain does not go away after taking the medication, the doctor may prescribe more potent drugs.

Cluster headaches

Are characterized by a severe course, affect one side of the head, have a squeezing, burning, sharp character. The duration of the attack – from 15 to 45 minutes.

Treatment: self-treatment is usually powerless. The usual headache pills do not give effect. In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Tension headache

Appears in episodes from 30 minutes to several days. It is characterized by the absence of pulsation. Such pain as if compressing the head, does not increase with physical activity, sometimes it is accompanied by a slight nausea. The reasons for its appearance – muscle tension and emotional factor.

Treatment: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or simple painkillers are used. In this headache should not take drugs containing caffeine, barbiturates, codeine.

Secondary headaches

Related to the underlying disease. Among the causes of their occurrence: injuries to the head, neck, cancer, mental illness, infections, abuse of medications, including anti-headache medications.

Treatment: to get rid of secondary headache, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease. If you try to dull the symptoms with painkillers, there is a risk of not noticing the disease itself and provoke a worsening of the condition. Only the attending physician can prescribe a specific headache medication, taking into account the diagnosis and contraindications.

Neuralgic headaches

These are piercing pains, attacks can be repeated one after another and last for hours or even days.

Treatment: ordinary painkillers in this case are ineffective, special drugs are required.

Separately it is worth highlighting psychalgia or phantom headaches. They occur without any somatic, hormonal, organic lesions. Most often they are provoked by neuroses, which are accompanied by anxiety and panic attacks. In this case, the pains are treated with the help of sedatives and psychotherapy.

In some cases, some products can relieve headaches. Which ones, read in the previous article.

If you are constantly haunted by headaches, do not self-medicate. Instead of experimenting with painkillers, see a doctor to find out the exact diagnosis and get timely help.