Headaches Specialist
-
- Tweet
Walnut Creek Urgent Medical Care
Urgent Care & Internal Medicine located in Walnut Creek, CA
A condition with countless causes, headaches can range from a minor distraction to completely debilitating. It’s thought that nearly 15% of Americans suffer from severe headaches disruptive enough to affect their quality of life. If you suffer from regular headaches, the expert providers at Walnut Creek Urgent Medical Care in Walnut Creek, California, can diagnose the cause of your headaches and provide the treatment you need to alleviate your pain. To learn more, call Walnut Creek Urgent Medical Care or walk into the clinic today.
Headache Q & A
What are headaches?
A headache is any pain localized in the head and can occur in a variety of locations, including on one or both sides of the head, as well as in a radiating fashion across your whole head. This pain can last anywhere from a few hours to days at a time.
What causes a headache?
Headaches happen for many reasons, and the causes are generally separated into two categories:
Primary headaches
Pain brought on by a primary headache stems from an overactivity or problem with the pain structures in your head. Types of primary headaches include cluster headaches, migraines, tension headaches, cough headaches, and chronic daily headaches.
These headaches are caused by certain triggers that can vary from person to person, but can include factors such as poor posture, stress, lack of sleep, certain foods, and alcohol.
Secondary headaches
Headaches brought on by underlying medical conditions are called secondary headaches. These occur when a condition activates the pain structures in your head. The causes can range from common problems like sinusitis or dehydration to more serious conditions like a stroke or brain cancer.
Examples of secondary headaches are sinus headaches, spinal headaches, and even “ice cream” headaches, also called “brain freeze.”
What are the symptoms of headaches?
Pain is the primary symptom of most headaches. This pain can occur all over your head and can feel dull and throbbing to sharp and sudden. Depending on the type of headache you have, you can also experience other symptoms, including:
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Sinus pain
- The appearance of flashing dots and lights or wavy lines called auras
- Sensitivity to light
For some, headache symptoms can affect other areas of their health, such as making sleep difficult or discouraging activities that might trigger a headache.
How are headaches treated?
The care providers at Walnut Creek Urgent Medical Care provide treatment for your headache depending on the type of headache and any underlying conditions that might cause them. Some types of headaches, such as tension headaches, respond well to pain-relief medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin.
Some chronic types of headaches require specialized medications for relief. Triptans, for example, are a standard medication for migraines and work by affecting the serotonin levels in your brain.
Secondary headaches require treatment on a case-by-case basis depending on the cause of the headache. For example, you can often treat those brought on by allergies with decongestants and antihistamines.
If you suffer from regular headaches and aren’t sure of the cause, let the care providers at Walnut Creek Urgent Medical Care in Walnut Creek, California, solve the mystery with an expert diagnosis. Call or come in right away to receive expert care with little to no wait time.
