Headaches and nausea
Headaches accompanied by nausea are very often migraine headaches. Nausea and vomiting, photophobia, visual disturbances and noise sensitivity are among the typical symptoms of migraine. With appropriate pain medication and – in severe cases – nausea preparations, the symptoms can often be well controlled (see: Migraine therapy).
However, nausea can also occur with headaches, which have a much more dangerous cause. A classic example is the so-called subarachnoid hemorrhage. In this case, a rupture of an artery at the base of the skull occurs, resulting in a heavy bleeding.
The pressure in the skull rises sharply and suddenly massive headaches, neck stiffness (meningismus) and nausea with gushing vomiting occur. In addition, the patient often loses consciousness quickly. Severe or long-lasting headaches that have not yet been clarified by a physician and that may be accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea should definitely be clarified by a physician.
Synonyms Bing-Horton headache, erythroposopalgia, histamine headache Symptoms Cluster headache is quite similar to migraine headache. It is unilateral and is felt at the front of the skull or behind the eyes. The pain attacks are generally very violent, stabbing and occur at intervals.
Between the intervals the pain can change sides. On the side on which the headache appears, there is a watery eye, a runny nose and redness of the facial skin. Also the eyelid of the affected side may hang down.
A pain interval can last from 20 minutes to 3 hours and occur up to 10 times a day. There is an increase of attacks in spring and autumn. In cluster headache patients, the symptoms are often triggered by alcohol.
Therapy In the acute attack, it is best to give a medical aerosol spray (active ingredient: ergotamine). 3 strokes should be sufficient. Furthermore, in the acute phase, oxygen administration for up to 10 minutes is helpful.
To prevent further attacks, a cortisone shock therapy (active ingredient: prednisone) is recommended. Lithium can also be helpful in preventive therapy. Even if a response rate of only 25% is described in some cases, every patient should be given the opportunity to try this therapy once or twice due to the psychological strain.
- Lidocaine Instillations
- Triptans (especially subcutaneous sumatriptine injections)
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