What is Nervus Intermedius Neuralgia? When the nervus intermedius nerve deep in the ear is compressed by a blood vessel, then this results in a pain known as Nervus Intermedius Neuralgia. It is also known as Geniculate Neuralgia. Deep ear pain and headaches are followed by this neuralgia. Some has reported the pain as they have an ice pick in their ear. Common Pain Triggers:
In Nervus Intermedius Neuralgia, the pain strikes deep in the ear and lasts for minutes or for hours. This typically occurs in middle-aged women (exact incidence is unknown). Same as of Trigeminal Neuralgia, the facial pain is stabbing, sharp, electric-like sensations. Facial pain diagnosis tool may help you diagnose the Nervus Intermedius Neuralgia. Causes: Exact causes are not known for this neuralgia. However, on the basis of some of the case studies, it is said to be caused because of the irritation of the nervus intermedius due to compression from a blood vessel. Symptoms to Diagnose: For the diagnosis of nervus intermedius neuralgia, facial pain diagnosis tools play an important role. Following are some of the major symptoms, patients have experienced.
This neuralgia is somewhat similar to trigeminal neuralgia. CT scan and MRI is used for the further diagnosis for Nervus Intermedius Neuralgia. As for treatment, medication and surgery are available under the guidance of neurosurgeons. What is Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia and How to Diagnose?
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When a visual disturbance is associated with the migraine it is known as Ocular Migraine. It can occur with or without accompanying the migraine. What you will experience when you have an ocular migraine?
With migraine treatment guidelines one can take a step towards treating the ocular migraine. According to the migraine diagnosis tool, there is a combination of factors that triggers the ocular migraine. Triggers may vary from one to other person and they are as follow: #1 Loud Sound and Bright Lights: Loud, heavy sound and bright light may trigger the ocular nerves and lead to pain which will finally make ocular migraine. Try to avoid loud sound, low volume in earphones, brighter and sharp lights. #2 Frequent Weather Change A change in weather can trigger an ocular migraine. Whether change comes along with cold, fever, coughing, sneezing etc. these changes may act as a triggering factor for ocular migraine. #3 Alcohol and Red Wine Alcoholic beverages and red wine contain alcohol in good amount. Alcohol is been proved to be a triggering factor for ocular migraine. Therefore, the migraine diagnosis tool suggests avoiding these beverages. #4 Strong Odours and Food Containing Nitrates Food such as hot dogs, luncheon meats contains nitrates. Nitrates are not good for ocular migraine. Also, strong odours can also trigger a migraine. #5 Foods Containing Tyramine and Monosodium Glutamate Aged cheese, smoked fishes, fava beans and soy products contain tyramine. And spices, broths, fast foods, seasonings contain MSG (monosodium glutamate). Both of these are proved to be trigger factors for ocular migraine. Migraine treatment guidelines suggest avoiding such type of foods. Final Words One can try to recognize the triggering factors by keeping a note of headache. Note every point on a diet, sleeping habits, exercise and menstruation cycle. Above are the factors from which ocular migraine can get triggered. Therefore, keep in mind every factor and avoid certain foods. Difference between Cluster Headache and Migraine A neurological condition with multiple symptoms where it is frequently characterized by intense, debilitating headache is known as Migraine. Nausea, vomiting, numbness, difficulty in speaking are some of the common symptoms of migraine. With the help of headache diagnosis tool, migraine headache is determined with reported symptoms, clinical history and by other possible causes. Women are likely to have a migraine more as compared with men. It can begin in childhood or may not begin until early adulthood. Symptoms There are four stages of migraine having different symptoms. But it is not necessary that everyone who has migraines goes through all of the following stages. #1 Prodrome Before one or two days of occurring migraine, one may notice the following changes which will act as a warning sign to have migraine: • Increased thirst and urination • Food cravings • Frequent yawning • Mood changes • Constipation • Neck stiffness #2 Aura Aura is a reversible symptom and may occur before or during migraines. Symptoms begin gradually for several minutes and last for 20 to 60 minutes. They are generally visual but may include other disturbance. Symptoms include: • Vision loss • Weakness or numbness in the face • Pins and needles like sensation in arm or leg • Difficulty in speaking • Uncontrollable jerking • Visual phenomena #3 Attack Frequency and how often migraines occur depends from person to person and lasts from 4 to 72 hours, if untreated. Symptoms such as: • Vomiting • Nausea • Pain on one side or both sides of the head • Sensitivity to sound and light #4 Post-Drome After one has a migraine attack, it might feel drained and confused and elated. And a sudden jerk or head movement may bring on the pain again. Few words: When a migraine starts affecting your daily life, this is an alert sign that one must see a doctor as soon as possible. Migraine may be severe and uncomfortable. Headache diagnosis tools can be your first step to manage it and help one diagnose migraine headache. How Chronic Migraine Impacts Your Life and How to Cope With it? What is Primary Stabbing Headache? Extremely intense, short, stabbing headaches, lasts for few seconds is known as Primary Stabbing Headaches or Ice Pick Headaches. They may occur as a primary headache or secondary headache.
Jabs and jolts, opthalmodynia periodical, ice-pick pains, sharp short-lived head pain; and needle in the eye syndrome are some of the terms that used previously for primary stabbing headache. Treatment No treatment is required because of the infrequent and brief nature of primary stabbing headache. But the evaluation of the doctor is a must. Or with the help of headache diagnosis tools, you may get to know about the headache. Symptoms
This headache is more common in migraine patients and may occur in the same area where they get their migraine headache. What is Primary Cough Headache and Symptoms to Diagnose it? What is Occipital Neuralgia? A very common cause of headache is Occipital Neuralgia. Involvement of the occipital nerves i.e. two pairs of nerves originate near the second and third vertebrae of the neck, are inflamed or injured. This may lead to pain in the back of your head or at the nase of your skull. It may spread to the area behind the eyes and to the back, side and front of the head. According to Virtual headache specialists, people can confuse occipital neuralgia with migraine or other types of headache due to the symptoms. Headache diagnosis tools can differentiate as both are not similar. It happens that doctors can’t find a cause for it many times. Occipital Neuralgia, in simple words, occurs when there is pressure to your occipital nerves because of inflammation or injury. What Are the Causes? Following may be the causes of Occipital Neuralgia
Intense pain feels like jabbing, sharp or electric shock in the back of the head and neck. Virtual Headache Specialists have noted down some other symptoms which are the following:
Few Words: Diagnose occipital headache with the help of headache diagnosis tool as soon as possible, because treatment is very essential and different, hence it is necessary to see your doctor for the correct diagnosis. 10 Natural Ways to Get Rid Of the Headache What is Hypnic Headache? Hypnic headache is a somewhat unique one! It occurs only during sleep and wakes people from sleep. Therefore, it is also known as the “Alarm Clock” headache. It is a rare primary type of headache. It often occurs around the same time several nights a week. What Are The Causes? What causes this headache is not sure till now. According to Virtual Headache Specialists, there may be a connection between certain stages of sleep and them, though more research and studies are needed to find out what creates or triggers the headache and it can be prevented with headache diagnosis tools. It generally occurs in people above 50 years but nowadays in young people as well. What Are The Symptoms? Mild to severe pain occurs and spreads across both sides of the head. It usually bad to wake you up when the person is sleeping. Hypnic headache occurs at the same time of night, generally between 1-3 am and lasts for 15min to 4 hours. Virtual Headache Specialists say some experience the headache at least 10 times a month whereas half of the people have them every day. Some people have to experience migraine-like symptoms such as sensitivity to sounds and light and nausea. Headache diagnosis tool can help to lower the pain. People recently diagnosed or never evaluated with hypnic headache must check themself with their doctor to check there are no underlying secondary causes for the headache such as high blood pressure, low blood sugar, sleep apnoea or medication withdrawal. Other conditions to rule out are brain tumours, stroke, infection and internal bleeding. Virtual Headache Specialists suggests telling your doctor about over the counter or other medication you are with especially nitroglycerin or estrogen, as these can cause similar symptoms to hypnic headache. Conclusion: As hypnic headache is rare, therefore it should be diagnosed with headache diagnosis tools only after other causes comes into the picture. As it begins during sleep and wakes the patient, caffeine, lithium carbonate, topiramate, melatonin etc have been proved successful in treating a hypnic headache. What is External-Pressure Headache and How to Diagnose it? When you go to your doctor for your headache treatment, the doctor initially diagnosis the headache. Because there are many types of headache and a headache is also considered as a symptom for many other diseases and disorders. Location, frequency and severity of headache pain you are having is been asked by your doctor for better diagnosis. In order to identify the other problem (also headache) and other reasons why are you having a headache, there are some headache diagnosis methods available which you can use. #1 Virtual Headache Specialist Here we want to introduce one more headache diagnosis tool, which is Virtual Headache Specialist. Virtual Headache Specialist analyzes your symptoms and pain characteristics. It then provides a list of the most likely possible diagnoses based on your responses. #2 Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) ESR measures how quickly the red blood cells sediments(fall) to the bottom of a test tube. Generally, the faster the blood cells fall, the more severe the inflammation. When you have swelling and inflammation, the blood's proteins clump together and become heavier than normal. Therefore, they fall and settle faster at the bottom of the test tube when measured. #3 MRI It produces very clear pictures, or images, of the brain without the use of X-rays. An MRI may be recommended if you are getting daily or almost daily headaches. In addition, an MRI scan is used to evaluate certain parts of the brain that are not as easily viewed with CT scans, such as the spine at the level of the neck and the back portion of the brain. #4 CT Scan X-rays and computers are used to produce an image of a cross-section of the body are called CT scan. A CT scan of the head may be recommended to rule out other conditions if you are getting daily or almost daily headaches. #5 Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) It involves inserting a catheter into an artery in the leg and passing it up to the blood vessels in the brain. Then a contrast dye is injected through the catheter and with this X-ray images are taken of the blood vessels to detect a problem with blood flow. Blood chemistry, urine analysis, sinus examinations, EEG, eye analysis etc are the other available tools which are also used. So these were the most common and widely used headache diagnosis methods available. How to Diagnose Migraine Headache? “If I am good at something, then it's a migraine attack!” Alexa, a migraine patient told us. She was only 19 when migraine attacked her. On average, she is having a three-day attack twice a month. Initially, she too was having several myths about migraine, which made her took migraine very lightly. But now, Alexa is taking care of her by all possible methods.
There are several myths related to migraine, which could make you believe that it is very common, no medication is needed and you will be fine soon. But no! Migraine is not as simple as you think. Here are some myths you should know about migraine. #1 Migraine Is Just A Headache Truth- It is a type of headache, but when you have it, the pain can be substantially more severe. Migraine is a neurological disease where structural changes occur in the brain. Not only a headache, but migraine is often associated with nausea, difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly, sensitivity to light, sound and odour, vertigo, and neurological problems such as visual disturbances, numbness, speech and language impairment, or weakness. #2 All Headaches Are Migraine Truth- NO! Migraine is distinct from headaches because of its duration, severity and accompanying symptoms. There are many different types of headaches with proper classification. #3 You Can Treat Migraine If You’re Pregnant Truth- While some medications used for migraine headache treatment may be unavailable to pregnant women because of their harmful side-effects on the mother or developing fetus, there are plenty of safe alternatives. Talk to your neurologist or headache specialist about it and they will design a treatment plan. #4 Caffeine Is The Cause Of My Migraine Truth- Caffeine is found in some of the most effective headache medications. Most of the people have found that caffeinated drink like coffee or soda helps them alleviate head pain. Use it only when needed to avoid daily headaches. #5 Diet Plan That Will Cure Migraine Truth- some foods generally thought to trigger a migraine or at least lower the migraine threshold, like alcohol, gluten, monosodium glutamate, chocolate and cheese. Some patients try to eliminate these foods from their diet, but the list of trigger foods is extensive, and avoiding all of them may be unhealthy. Every patient’s body processes food differently, therefore, this won’t work. #6 Migraine Is Not Life-Threatening, Just Annoying Truth- Migraine can be very dangerous, as it induces fatal conditions such as stroke or aneurysm. #7 No Medication Can Treat Migraine Truth- We understand that some days it may feel like nothing can touch your migraine pain. It can be a helpless feeling. There is no cure for migraine yet, we have many effective treatment options and are well on our way to discovering new and even more effective treatment options. There is no set time for how long a migraine typically lasts, but it sets to be anywhere between 4 to 72 hours. Children and teenagers can get a migraine as well. Also Read: What is Cold-Stimulus Headache and How to Diagnosis it? What is New Persistent Daily Headache? New persistent daily headache (NDPH) is a new-onset headache occurring in a person who does not have a past history of frequent headaches and which then persists on a daily basis for more than 3 months. The headache is unremitting from the start or from within 3 days of its onset. It is one of the types of primary headache syndromes that present as a chronic daily headache, which is a headache present for more than 15 days a month for more than 3 months. The defining feature of this type of headache is that you vividly remember the circumstances, sometimes even the exact date, of the first headache. Initial headache treatment is usually based on the type of headache the symptoms resemble the most: migraine or tension. Types of NDPH:
Characteristics The onset is clearly remembered and can be pinpointed.
It is usually either throbbing like a migraine or tightening like a tension headache
No test can make the diagnosis till now. Instead, diagnosis is based on the history of how your headaches started and progressed. Having a continuous headache and remembering the details of its sudden onset is the first step in making the diagnosis. Can be diagnosed by:
Also Read: 7 Strange Reasons That Causes Headache What is Trigeminal Neuralgia? Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a painful, chronic condition involving the trigeminal nerve. There are two separate trigeminal nerves, one on each side of the face. These nerves are responsible for carrying the sensation of pain and other sensations from the face to the brain. Even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup or shaving— may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain. It’s often described as feeling like electric shocks or stabbing. You may initially experience short, mild attacks. But trigeminal neuralgia can progress and cause longer, more-frequent bouts of searing pain. Trigeminal neuralgia affects women more often than men, and it's more likely to occur in people who are older than 50. Most people with TN experience symptoms in cycles — the pain comes and goes for days or weeks, then subsides. In some cases, the condition becomes progressive and pain is always present. Doctors usually can effectively manage trigeminal neuralgia with medications, injections or surgery. Fast Facts on Trigeminal Neuralgia
Causes of Trigeminal Neuralgia In many cases, the cause of TN is never found. However, known causes include:
Symptoms to Diagnose TN Attacks of pain may occur hundreds of times each day in severe cases. Some patients may have no symptoms for months or years between attacks. Following symptoms occurs from which you can diagnose Trigeminal Neuralgia:
TN can diagnose with MRI. If you are attacked with Trigeminal Neuralgia, and you are having a headache, then you can go with the headache treatment to resolve it for some time. Trigeminal neuralgia can be debilitating, but managing the symptoms can drastically improve the quality of life. Everything You Need To Know About Migraine |
AuthorVirtual Headache Specialist offers headache diagnosis tool to identify your headache or facial pain type to get proper treatment. Archives
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