Calling an ambulance: what is considered a threatening condition and what is not?

Kinds

Among all types of headaches, migraine and standard tension were the most common.
Both types can be accompanied by mild stiffness, or maybe serious and severe pain.

The pain is felt in the temple area or radiates to the eyes, to the back of the head, or to the area of ​​the cranial vault.

Quite often, with various pains in the head, there may be a vegetative disorder, that is, problems during the respiratory process, rapid fatigue, and so on.

Migraine has a paroxysmal form, which is also accompanied by severe pain in the head. The pain comes through pulsation. Such attacks can be caused by bright light or other types of irritants, as well as constant fatigue. As a rule, such headaches last up to several hours; at best, they end in half an hour.

Experts also identify a third common type of headache, which is called cluster pain or, in other words, beam pain .
The main distinguishing feature of such pain is its immediate appearance. In addition, a person feels a cluster headache exclusively on one side of the head. These types of attacks can be repeated over several months, or can end in a week.

Prevention

Effective headache prevention is, first of all, lifestyle changes. Doctors recommend:

• normalize sleep: you need to sleep at least 8 hours every day and at night;
• have a good rest;
• minimize stress as much as possible;
• avoid physical inactivity: walks in the fresh air, moderate sports at the amateur level, swimming will help improve blood circulation and strengthen the muscle corset;
• eat right: avoid overeating, minimize the consumption of spicy, salty, canned foods, smoked foods, etc.; the diet must contain a sufficient amount of vitamins, macro- and micronutrients;
• normalize body weight;
• minimize or eliminate smoking and alcohol consumption;
• Drink at least 2 liters of clean water daily.

In addition, it is necessary to regularly visit doctors, monitor chronic diseases, and, in their absence, undergo a comprehensive check-up diagnosis.

Causes

Pain in the head can have a completely different onset, from banal fatigue to infection with some kind of infection. But, despite the initial cause, the mechanism for creating pain is the same. Let's look at it in more detail.

First, the inflammatory process begins, which affects areas of the human central nervous system. Next, irritation of the membranes of the brain occurs.

This happens for two reasons, first of all, there is an increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure , and the second reason is poisoning of the body . At the end of the process, a spasm occurs and the blood vessels dilate.

Some experts highlight a theory about the mental source of headaches. At first glance, the cause of this type of pain is obvious. But in fact there can be a very large number of reasons. Let's look at the most common of them :

1. diseases that were caused by infection;
2. various tumors in the head area;
3. increased blood pressure;
4. diseases in the sinus area;
5. disruption of hormones;
6. human sensitivity to weather conditions.

Treatment

Treatment for headaches depends on the cause. Specific diseases require appropriate therapy. If we are talking about long-term, chronic processes, for example, cerebral ischemia, migraine, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, etc., the following groups of drugs can be prescribed:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): necessary for quickly relieving pain and eliminating inflammation;
• Unlimited use of NSAIDs leads to side effects in the form of gastritis, ulcers of the gastric mucosa, gastrointestinal bleeding, and long-term use of NSAIDs leads to the appearance of ABUSE HEADACHES - arising from taking painkillers.
• antispasmodics (including combined): effective for vascular spasms of any origin, including migraine, arterial hypertension, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
• sedatives: help reduce stress levels, normalize sleep, enhance the effect of analgesics, often enough to relieve headaches;
• antidepressants, tranquilizers: necessary if the drugs of the previous group are ineffective;
• nootropic drugs: improve metabolism in the brain, increase resistance to stress; required for encephalopathy, cerebral ischemia, vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• B vitamins: improve the conduction of nerve impulses, improve the functioning of the brain and spinal cord;
• Agnioprotectors and blood thinners: improve blood fluidity, increase the supply of tissues with oxygen and nutrients.

The following may be used as an adjunct to drug therapy:

• physiotherapeutic procedures: magnetotherapy, electrophoresis, phonophoresis, laser therapy, electrosleep, diathermotherapy, etc.;
• restorative or therapeutic massage, especially effective for pathologies of the cervical spine;
• physiotherapy;
• acupuncture;
• manual therapy;
• Spa treatment.

Surgical techniques are necessary for advanced osteochondrosis, malignant and benign tumors and other conditions that cannot be corrected by conservative methods.

Surveys

The primary doctor to contact is a neurologist . What examinations do patients undergo if they have a headache? Only a doctor can give a list of directions. First of all, the patient is interviewed, the doctor is interested in the duration of the pain, its nature, and so on.

Help: In order for the primary diagnosis of the disease to be completed, you need to be examined by several doctors, such as a neurologist, dentist, ophthalmologist, and undergo tests . But, as a rule, it is necessary to undergo examinations using the latest medical procedures.

No reason to worry

Many people simply do not know in what cases they should seek emergency medical help, and therefore call an ambulance for any trifle.
Sometimes they even make a fuss and demand that someone come to them and do a routine injection or bandage - that is, a procedure that is done in a clinic at their place of residence. Therefore, first we will name a range of situations in which the ambulance should not be disturbed. So, the ambulance does not leave:

● to carry out scheduled appointments of the local doctor (injections, IVs, dressings, etc.) or to issue certificates and ballots; ● in case of exacerbation of chronic diseases (if the patient’s condition does not require emergency medical care); ● to provide dental care; ● for intrahospital transportation; ● for transporting the deceased to the morgue.

Differential diagnosis

Due to the fact that headache can have a large number of symptoms, it is imperative to carry out a differential diagnosis. For each doctor, the main task is to determine the connection between a specific headache and a specific disease. You need to understand that there will be no benefit in treating an exceptional symptom.

We present to you the sequence of all necessary examinations:

1. The first step is to interview the patient. It is important for the doctor to find out the duration of pain, their sequence, nature and location of pain. It is also important to find out the patient’s body’s reaction to taking analgesics. Often, most people cannot describe such pain when they first see a doctor with such a problem;
2. After the general survey has been completed, doctors prescribe certain tests that need to be completed in the near future. But it is important to choose the right diagnostic measures so that the patient receives his course of treatment faster.

general information

Currently, doctors identify more than 200 causes of headaches in adults. Pain in itself is not a disease, it is only a symptom of a particular pathology. Diseases of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems, spinal osteochondrosis and inflammation of the sinuses, ophthalmological problems and chronic intoxication - all this can cause discomfort.

Only a full examination, including a thorough examination, consultations with specialists, laboratory, functional and instrumental diagnostics can accurately determine the cause of a severe headache and select the correct therapy. In this case, the medications will not only block the discomfort, but also eliminate its source.

Which MRI should I do?

If the pain in the head is incredibly severe and lasts for quite a long period, and also has many symptoms that are associated with irritation, poor sleep, upset stomach, vomiting and nausea, then this indicates some serious diseases in the brain area.
If an MRI of the brain is prescribed during diagnosis, this should be done to check for vascular pathologies.

Migraine occurs due to the fact that the blood vessels in the human brain contract at a certain moment.

Due to this, a spasm occurs in the brain. A tomograph of this type allows you to learn about blood flow disorders, as well as reflections of various ischemic types.

Some patients encounter a problem after an MRI - their headaches begin to hurt more severely. The nature of this phenomenon has not yet been revealed - the construction of the image is carried out due to electromagnetic influence, and it is harmless to the body.

In any case, the various examinations must be complete. This will allow the doctor to see the whole picture of the disease and prescribe the most accurate treatment. Through a complete diagnosis, you will be able to find out the cause of the pain in your head. As a rule, specialists first do an MRI of the brain.

Important! If even after such a procedure the cause of the pain in the head does not become clear, then additional diagnostics will be required in the form of an MRI, but of the spine of the human body, namely its cervical region.

Such procedures are carried out regardless of whether there are headaches at the moment. A complete medical history will provide complete information for the doctor.

We invite you to watch an interesting video on the topic:

Pain in various parts of the head

The location of the pain can tell a lot about its cause.

• Back of the head. Discomfort or pain in this area is most often associated with diseases of the cervical spine (osteochondrosis, spondylosis), vascular development abnormalities, and occipital neuralgia. Sharp pain often accompanies a hypertensive crisis.
• Whiskey. Pain in this area may be unilateral or bilateral. It may indicate migraine (usually unilateral), otitis media, inflammation or injury of the temporomandibular joint, or damage to the temporal artery (autoimmune arteritis). A sudden attack may indicate a stroke.
• Forehead. Pain in the frontal region is most often a sign of acute respiratory viral infection (in this case, it is accompanied by an increase in body temperature). Ophthalmic diseases, sinusitis and migraines can also provoke attacks.

X-ray

Using an x-ray, you can determine whether there is hydrocephalus, as well as any other injuries.
This simple process is carried out due to the fact that so-called X-rays pass through the human body and all its tissues.

You need to understand that not all tissues can receive such rays, since they are different in density. A similar feature can be recorded on a certain film in the form of a less bright color.

As for soft tissues, they appear as a darker color.

Due to such features, the doctor can identify damaged tissue, find out the cause of this damage and prescribe direct treatment. This examination method is simple and does not require the use of serious equipment. In addition, it has a much lower price compared to the previous ones. It is for this reason that it is used as one of the first in all types of diagnostics. But it is worth knowing that x-rays in the head area are carried out to determine the integrity of the human brain bones.

Severe headaches: what to do

99% of the population experiences a headache at some point in their life. If this pain is periodic and is not accompanied by loss of consciousness and severe neurological disorders, then people adapt to it. And in vain. With proper discipline of the patient, in more than half of the cases, headache treatment is quite successful. Unfortunately, not everyone goes to the doctor on time.

Doctors name many causes of headaches. In the latest classification there are over two hundred of them. The main ones are vertebrogenic (the name is very symbolic - this category includes all types of headaches that arise due to obstruction of blood flow in the back of the head), pain due to migraines, with changes in blood pressure, after traumatic brain injuries and with infectious diseases ( even, for example, with a chronic runny nose).

Psychogenic headaches also occur. This includes tension headaches (mental or physical), as well as pain associated with anxiety and depression. Most often it is an aching, or pressing, or throbbing pain, concentrated in the occipital, temporal or frontal areas, or “spread” throughout the head. Patients agree on one thing: it can be tolerated for quite a long time, more than an hour for sure. And there is no motivation to immediately go to the doctor. This is how they live - for years, decades... A handful of pills, good sleep, timely vacation - and everything returned to normal by itself.

It will hurt and go away

If not only your family and colleagues know about your headache, but even your followers on social networks, and based on its intensity, you can, without measuring your blood pressure, figure out how many and what antihypertensive drugs you need to take this time, or you know exactly what kind tablet and in what dosage it helps, and carry the medicine with you, if your attending doctor raises his eyes to the ceiling and, sighing heavily, coos something confidentially about how “you need to worry and be less nervous,” then such a headache is most likely , will give you the opportunity to procrastinate further. And when your head hurts, you don’t really want to make an appointment, go to the doctor, explain something to someone... In any case, soon the “head will pass” and life will shine with all its colors again.

During a headache attack, people behave quite typically. A person seeks privacy; smells, bright lights and sounds are irritating. Some try to lie down and not move, some, on the contrary, walk around the room without stopping.

Remember Alla Pugacheva’s video about noisy neighbors? There is a wide bandage on the head, the nerves are stretched to the limit. Here is a portrait of a typical sufferer. The world is reduced to the size of a darkened and quiet bedroom. The condition when the head still does not hurt, on the contrary, is accompanied by an attack of violent activity and intense body movements. Everything is familiar.

Pain at its maximum

But one day the pain overshadows everything. It becomes so strong that you immediately understand: this is a “different” pain, unusual, unlike anything else. “Wild” is what her patients call her. Burning, boring, tearing or squeezing the head, piercing, sharp, intolerable, covering the entire head or part of it. This may be accompanied by loss of consciousness or confusion, convulsions, nausea and vomiting, immobility of one limb or half of the body, impaired speech or vision. Anything! After this, you are unlikely to experience any joy in life...

Medical advice will come later. And now - medical observations. In 99% of cases, with such a severe pain attack, people first take “some” pill. From those that are in the medicine cabinet, they were found at a neighbor’s place, they were shown on TV (well, where at first “everything hurts”, and then there is gulpfuls of happiness and the world is beautiful and amazing).

In principle, this is the right tactic. The only problem that most doctors point out is the dosage. With a strong, almost unbearable headache, eager to “drown out” it immediately, people take an absolutely insane amount of painkillers that can “poison” the body for a long time. And then people wait. When it “passes,” when “the pill takes effect,” when morning comes. And when it gets really bad...

If the attack took you by surprise

So, a severe, first-time headache. You are conscious, externally there is no damage. What could it be? Whatever! After all, the brain itself cannot hurt - it has no pain receptors. Pain occurs due to tension or irritation of many pain-sensitive areas located in the head or neck: the skull (periosteum), muscles, nerves, arteries and veins, subcutaneous tissue, eyes, sinuses and mucous membranes. That's why:

Tip #1.

Do not try to diagnose yourself! If you have a severe, sudden, first-time headache, call a doctor! Sit down and call someone adequate and not fussy to help you (in case you lose consciousness). Do not take more than double the dose of painkillers and remember that the medicine takes time to work.

Tip #2.

Before dialing an ambulance, take your temperature. Because a headache can accompany the onset of a viral or infectious disease. In any case, you will give the doctor the opportunity to begin work on making a diagnosis two minutes earlier. Remember, sometimes minutes can save a life.

Tip #3.

Try touching your chin to your chest. If you can’t because the pain in the occipital region is intensifying, feel free to dictate this terrible symptom to the call center operator. Because meningitis is not a toy, but a very dangerous complication of many seemingly harmless acute respiratory viral infections.

Tip #4.

If you have a tonometer, measure your blood pressure. And preferably on both hands. Because a good half of all new cases of hypertensive crises are accompanied by very severe cephalgia. And a hypertensive crisis is already serious. It can easily lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Tip #5.

Remember in detail what happened the day before. There is a special type of headache - toxic. It occurs when poisoned by various chemicals or as a side effect from taking medications. This headache is often caused by drugs that lower blood pressure, nitrates, psychotropic drugs and many other substances. By the way, many teenagers’ lives were saved by the meticulousness of their parents, who inquired in detail from their sick child about the circumstances of the party the day before.

Tip #6.

Look and feel. Even a healthy person can experience a sharp headache after heat or sunstroke, being in a stuffy room, or from carbon monoxide poisoning or car exhaust. By the way, don’t forget about such a thing as amnesia. A person hit on the head sometimes completely forgets the circumstances of the injury. Look at yourself in the mirror, palpate the skin under your hair and neck for bruises, wounds or scratches.

Tip #7.

Don't waste time. The most unpleasant case is the presence of a space-occupying formation in the brain. It could be a tumor, an abscess, or even bleeding. The diagnosis can only be made with the help of neuroimaging, so if you have a headache for a long time, do not delay contacting a neurologist. Remember: headaches have no equal in their diversity!

Tip #8.

If the headache goes away as suddenly as it appeared, no. In some of its types, for example, with intracerebral bleeding, there may be a “bright” period before the most serious complications appear. Wait for the doctor. Don’t rush to write your will and finish the “most important things.” Try to sit comfortably and relax.

Tip #9.

When visiting a doctor, keep a piece of paper ready with a note of exactly what medications you took for headaches. And medical gratitude will have no boundaries!

Attention! If the headache is accompanied by loss of consciousness or confusion, convulsions, nausea and vomiting, immobility of one limb or half of the body, impaired speech or vision, then without any options, call a doctor immediately

. And do not engage in self-medication and mutual assistance.

For those around you, there is only one piece of advice: do not let the patient die from your “care.” Do not try to give water to a person lying unconscious, do not put foreign objects in the mouth during a convulsive attack, do not “flush the stomach” if there is profuse vomiting that does not bring relief, do not shake a dangling arm or leg! Loosen constricting clothing, allow fresh air to flow, and carefully turn your head to the side.

The sooner the patient gets to the hospital, the greater his chances of remaining alive and unharmed. After all, pain can be a manifestation of such serious diseases as stroke, meningitis or encephalitis. Remember, only a doctor can make a diagnosis. And the advice “do no harm” applies not only to doctors...

Valentina Saratovskaya

Photo thinkstockphotos.com