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A brain mystery: Why do some headaches trigger nausea and photophobia?
Headache, or pain in the head, either in the face, head or neck, can be bothersome to many people. Although headaches can vary in type, including migraines, tension headaches, or cluster headaches, they all share a common characteristic: many sufferers experience nausea and light sensitivity along with the intense headaches, making each attack It all became unbearable.
Scientists are working to explain why certain headaches are accompanied by certain symptoms, but the process is taking time.
According to surveys, headache is one of the most common physical discomforts among humans, and almost half of adults will experience headache in a certain year. Tension headaches are the most common type, affecting around 160 million people (21.8% of the population), followed by migraines, which affect around 848 million people (11.7%). This means that headaches not only affect daily life, but may also cause psychological problems such as depression.
Causes of headaches
There are more than 200 types of headaches, which can be divided into major and minor headaches. Primary headaches are benign, recurrent, and without a specific underlying disease or structural problem. Migraines and tension-type headaches fall into this category and usually first occur between the ages of 20 and 40. In contrast, minor headaches are caused by other medical conditions and can be quite dangerous if not treated promptly.
Many studies have shown that migraine features include pulsating headaches accompanied by nausea, photophobia, and sensitivity to sound.
Classification of headaches
According to the International Headache Society's classification system, headaches can be divided into major and minor. Among major headaches, migraines and tension-type headaches are the most common. In the case of migraine, it usually presents as pulsating pain on one side, accompanied by nausea and fear of light. These symptoms occur due to neural detection and sensing in the brain.
Mechanisms of nausea and photophobia
When we experience a migraine attack, neurological changes occur in the brain, leading to an increase in the sensation of pain. At the same time, parts related to the digestive system and visual system are also stimulated by the nerves. This is why we often experience lingering nausea and photophobia when a headache strikes.
"Overexcitation of pain-sensing nerves may cause surrounding blood vessels to dilate, which triggers feelings of nausea and photophobia."
According to the latest brain neuroscience research, this process is caused by the release of neurotransmitters. When encountering intracranial pressure or stimulation, blood vessels will dilate and the surrounding pain nerve endings will be activated, resulting in pain and other corresponding physiological reactions.
How to deal with these symptoms of nausea and photophobia
Currently, experts recommend medication to relieve nausea and photophobia that accompanies every headache. These drugs are primarily used to combat migraines; some triptans, for example, are effective and need to be tailored to each individual's situation.
Seek professional help
If you frequently experience headaches accompanied by nausea and photophobia, it is recommended that you seek professional medical help for a careful examination and diagnosis. Through a doctor’s evaluation, the most appropriate treatment plan can be determined and potentially dangerous secondary headache conditions can be prevented.
ConclusionRegularly keeping track of your headache diary can help your doctor better understand your condition and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Why some headaches trigger nausea and photophobia remains a mystery, but as we better understand the workings of the brain and the mechanisms of these headaches, we may be able to find better treatments in the future. This is not only to alleviate the patient's pain, but also a deeper exploration of the brain. Can we fully understand the root cause of all this?
