Signs That Your Headache May Necessitate A Trip To Your Local Emergency Room
If you are like most people who have suffered from a headache at one point or another, you probably have gotten relief from over the counter pain reliever or some other form of prescription medication. But there are times that this may not be enough, and depending on the type of headache you are suffering from, or the other symptoms you may be exhibiting, you may need to make a trip to somewhere that provides 24/7 emergency room service. When should you seek emergency medical treatment? Here are a few times to consider it.
If Intense Pain Comes On Suddenly
Most headaches come on gradually, and may begin as a dull ache that gets worse over time. If you suffer from sudden intense pain that goes from bad to the worse headache you have ever had in a matter of minutes, you may be suffering from a thunderclap headache.
This type of headache is very concerning because it could indicate that you are experiencing a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is bleeding into the space surrounding your brain. You may also be suffering from hypertensive emergency, which is a dangerously high blood pressure, or cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, which is the presence of a blood clot in your brain. Any of these conditions, as well as others that could cause a thunderclap headache, are all life threatening. You should immediately go to a location offering emergency room services.
If You Are Suffering From Neck Pain, Fever, Or Rash
If you are suffering from a headache and you are also experiencing neck pain, stiffness, a fever, and/or a rash on your body, you will also want to seek emergency medical treatment. While some of these signs could indicate flu or other non-emergency conditions, when you put them all together they could be an indicator that you have swelling of the protective membranes surrounding your brain, or meningitis.
These are several different forms of meningitis. While they are all serious, some can be deadly, and unfortunately some of these are even contagious. The forms of meningitis are as follows:
- Bacterial Meningitis
- Viral Meningitis
- Fungal Meningitis
- Parasitic Meningitis
- Amebic Meningitis
- Non-infectious Meningitis
If You Have Severe Pain Just Behind One Eye
If you are suffering from severe pain just behind one eye that feels like it is burning, stabbing, or squeezing, you may be suffering from cluster headaches. People report that the pain is so bad, that they actually have suicidal thoughts during these pain episodes. In addition to the pain, you may also experience the following:
- Drooping eyelid
- Pupil constriction
- Redness Of the eye
- Runny nose and more
You may also struggle to think straight, be confused, agitated, and aggressive. Some people who suffer from cluster headaches may experience almost the opposite symptoms and appear to be exhausted, depressed, and/or suffer from anxiety. If left untreated, they can come on more rapidly and may be debilitating in nature.
If You Are Experiencing Weakness Or Numbness Of Your Extremities
You will also want to seek out emergency medical treatment if you are experiencing a headache along with any type of weakness or numbness in your arms or legs. While these symptoms can indicate hemiplegic migraines, they can also indicate that you are having a stroke. An emergency medical professional will be able to discern the differences between the two.
Do not take any chances with your health. If you are having a headache that does not feel normal, quickly seek emergency medical treatment. An emergency room, like one at Van Wert County Hospital, will be able to examine you, run the relevant tests, as well as give you the appropriate treatment for whatever condition they may find.
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