headache

Spinal Headache Are the Consequence of Spinal Fluids Leaking Out

Spinal headaches come about due to a lumbar puncture or an epidural block when a needle that has been placed in the spinal cord results in a leak of spinal fluid thus causing a change in the fluid pressure in this area. Spinal needles are now available in better designs which help to reduce your chances of suffering from spinal headache as a consequence of their use.

The chances of suffering spinal headaches can however increase when the epidural needle accidentally passes through the covering of the spinal cord and cause a leak. Spinal headaches may then appear after five days of the procedure having been performed, and the best way to prevent such a condition is to take plenty of rest in a bed after the procedure has been performed on you.

Caused by Reduction in Cerebral Spinal Fluid Pressure

Spinal headaches will come about when the pressure of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the region of the brain as well as spinal cord gets reduced. It often happens that an epidural needle passes through the tough covering of the brain and spinal cord and causes a passage through which the spinal fluid begins to leak out, and if the quantity of such fluid that leaks out is great enough, the patient is bound to suffer from a spinal headache.

The most common symptom of the spinal headache is that the ache is very unique and will be especially severe when the patient sits in an upright position, and it will subside when he or she lies down. You will certainly require getting this condition treated and the first course may be to get enough hydration so that there is an increase in the CSF pressure. Use can also be made of intravenous fluids or drinking of beverages that contain high levels of caffeine which is both instrumental in raising the CSF pressure.

Probably the most widely used treatment for spinal headaches is taking bed rest for a day or two. However, there is not much scientific evidence to support the theory that bed rest is indeed a proper treatment for such a condition. Anesthesiologists may also give you a blood patch in order to seal the leaking fluid and this is done through the insertion of a needle in the exact same spot, or very close to where the anesthetic had been injected.

To prevent spinal headaches, use of a very tiny needle is recommended for spinal tap or spinal anesthesia. So too is it recommended that you drink lots of fluids after the procedure has been performed. 

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Some of the More Common Headache Types that Can Strike You Down Anytime

When headaches come they will cause you a lot of discomfort, and often you will be at a loss as to how to describe the headache type that is bothering you. Merely saying that your head is aching will not be enough to describe a particular headache as there are different types including tension headaches, migraine headaches as well as cluster headaches and organic headaches. Another headache type is rebound headaches and headaches in general will trouble young children including babies and can be severe enough to immobilize the sufferer.

Many New Medications Are Now Available

Nevertheless, the medical fraternity has not spared any effort in coming up with methods and cures to relieve headaches whatever is their type. The latest medications that are used in conjunction with therapies that do not require taking drugs can help to prevent, stop or even manage headaches ranging from the mild to the toughest types.

Perhaps the most common headache type that everyone has suffered at some point of time or the other in their lives is the tension-type headache for which over-the-counter medications are used to treat such a condition. No doubt this is a very common headache type, but it can be severe enough to debilitate a person and it may be either episodic, or chronic.

Another severe instance of a headache type is the migraine headache that can cause a person to go into a state where they are unable to continue with their daily routines for a few hours, or even for a few days. Migraine headaches are a leading cause why people absent themselves from work and cause disruptions in family life. It is believed that almost thirty million Americans have suffered from migraines and almost four fifths have had a history of migraine headaches in their families, though it is yet to determine whether genes actually play any role in such a headache type.

The third headache type we know is the cluster headache that affects a person in groups of attacks often without a warning, and this is the severest as well as most intense of all headache types. Cluster headaches can last for a half hour to forty-five minutes, though some may last for many hours before finally disappearing only to return later on, and it is quite normal for a person to get up to four such headaches in a day which most often appear in the mornings, or come late in the nighttime and lasts weeks or even months

A headache type that affects only women is known as the hormone headache. Also, when you make use of medications for more than the recommended time and exceed instructions on the labels, or the advice of your physician you may be at risk of a rebound headache which is more likely to happen if the medications used contain caffeine that is normally found in many drugs. You may also be affected by sinus headache, or organic headaches. These are the common headache types that most persons will be affected by during their lifetime.

Tags: headache types, headache