constant headaches and nausea
Constant Headaches and Nausea
Constant headaches, when accompanied by nausea, may not be a good indicator for your health. Both the signs are common, but if they are a constant occurrence then it might affect your health badly. Read more to know about the possible causes behind these problems.
Statistics say...
...that more than eight million Americans visit their doctor to cure headaches each year.
In most cases, headache and nausea may go hand-in-hand. Further, these two conditions have a close connection, as headaches could lead to nausea, and vice versa. To start off, nausea is a feeling of uneasiness and discomfort in the stomach and head. It is coupled with a strong urge to vomit. It is not a sickness, but a symptom of several conditions.
Talking about headaches, there are different types of headaches which have a variety of causes and conditions. Headaches normally involve mild or severe pain in different parts of the head, including the back of the neck. Normally, headaches could occur due to minor reasons, though at times, they may be indicative of a major health problem.
Neurological illness and dizziness are a manifestation of nausea. Talk about headaches and you would see many of these causes overlapping. Headache, or cephalalgia as it is medically called, is an umbrella term for a symptom of numerous head-related conditions. There are acute and chronic headaches, and depending on that, medicines are given. However, all headaches do not require medication.
In many cases, it is just an indicator that, perhaps, you are too stressed, are experiencing fatigue, and need to rest. After you rest, you feel better. Sometimes, as mentioned earlier, it could also be a result of nausea and common cold. In fact, headache with nausea is a very common occurrence. Migraines can also cause continuous headache and nausea. Injuries to the head are another cause of headaches.
Causes of Constant Headaches and Nausea
Now, there are umpteen reasons for this condition and the causes can be difficult to pinpoint. Take a look at the reasons for constant headache and nausea.
Common Causes
◈ Anxiety
◈ Stress
◈ Fatigue
◈ Eye Strain
◈ Lack of Sleep
◈ Tobacco Use
◈ Morning Sickness
◈ Alcohol Consumption
◈ Caffeine Consumption
◈ Tight Muscles
◈ Hormonal Changes
Severe Causes
◈ Dehydration
◈ Vertigo
◈ Diabetes
◈ Depression
◈ Cancer
◈ Heart attack
◈ Crohn's Disease
◈ Drugs
◈ Migraine
◈ Pregnancy
◈ Infections
◈ Concussion
◈ Blood pressure
◈ Chronic Fatigue
When to Call your Doctor
Headache and nausea, being a common occurrence, is usually ignored by many of us. However, some conditions can get worse if no medical attention is given. Here are a few symptoms, which if observed, you should contact your doctor immediately.
► Convulsions (also known as fits).
► Loss of ability to move the arms and legs.
► Severe headache, along with nausea and vomiting.
► Constant headache, with difficulty in concentrating.
► Tiredness and difficulty while communicating.
► Headache that is followed by a head injury.
Treatment Measures
► There are several remedies to deal with this ailment. To get rid of it, the best way is to deal with the root cause of nausea. For instance, if traveling in a bus or car is causing it, do not do that.
► In addition to this, you can resort to over-the-counter nausea medications, or take slow deep breaths and consume vitamin B-6 or ginger supplements. If all these do not work, consult a doctor.
► In case of headaches, they are normally cured by resting, and taking over-the-counter medicines. Just like nausea, the perfect way to deal with headache is to identify any specific cause and avoid it, like alcohol, a particular foodstuff, or the like.
► If you have a headache that radiates pain to the eyes, then get an eye checkup. Acute headaches can be dealt with the paracetamol-genre of pain killers.
► On the other hand, if the headache is chronic, acupuncture can provide relief from headaches emanating from migraines as well as tension.
► If the cause is alcohol or tobacco consumption, then it is advised to reduce the use or stop for the sake of your health.
Headache and nausea can also be caused by a brain tumor. However, this is a very rare occurrence. Barring a few cases, the feeling of nausea accompanied by a headache is not a very serious problem. A healthy lifestyle, balanced diet, and regular exercise can normally keep them at bay.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical professional.