Headache in the temple area bothers people of all ages. Some people experience headaches in the left temple or the right, while others suffer from pain in both temples. At the Yusupov Hospital, doctors first use a comprehensive examination to determine the cause of the headache in the temple. Treatment is prescribed depending on the type of pain.
Neurologists, therapists, and oncologists collectively establish a diagnosis and develop patient management tactics. Professors and doctors of the highest category use innovative methods of headache therapy. The medical staff is attentive to the wishes of patients. Psychotherapists provide support to patients with unstable emotional states.
The main causes of pain in the temples
Headache in the right or left temple can be caused by various reasons. It can have a pulsating, pressing character, and less often it can be cutting. A severe aching headache in the temple area often occurs in the morning, which forces the patient to wake up before the alarm clock.
Attacks of headaches in the temples come unexpectedly. If you have a headache in the temporal region, you should immediately contact a therapist at the Yusupov Hospital. He will conduct an initial examination and prescribe an examination. After receiving the research results, the therapist refers the patient to a neurologist, cardiologist or oncologist. If necessary, patients undergo a complex examination and receive consultations from leading specialists from partner clinics.
The most common cause of frequent headaches in the temples is considered to be pressure drop. Seizures can occur due to some disease. There are more than two hundred main causes that can cause headaches in the temples. The most common causes of temporal headaches include:
- disruption of the circulatory system;
- viral and bacterial diseases;
- age-related changes in the body;
- intoxication;
- trigeminal nerve entrapment;
- hormonal dysfunction;
- carious teeth.
It is worth noting that absolutely any pain that is felt in the facial area can provoke the appearance of temporal pain. The true cause of a headache is difficult to identify. Constant headaches in the temples and forehead often bother people who lead a busy lifestyle, get tired, and get little rest.
Causes of pain by nature and location
You can determine the cause of throbbing pain in the head by analyzing the place where the patient feels it. Sensations can move around the skull, but most often they appear in a specific part.
Pain in the back of the head
Pain in this part of the skull is characteristic of high blood pressure. It also manifests itself as a pressing character, becoming more pronounced if you turn and tilt your head. It is worth noting that such a sensation in the back of the head can warn of the development of a stroke.
But there are also such provoking factors that cause pain in the back of the head as diseases of the cervical spine, namely:
- scoliosis;
- osteochondrosis.
The pain disappears when the cause is eliminated, and with it the patient feels a relieved state in the shoulders and neck, cramps disappear, and sleep improves.
Pain on the left
Characteristic of migraine. Associated symptoms:
- visual impairment;
- disturbance of consciousness;
- dizziness;
- nausea;
- photophobia;
- loss of orientation.
Pain on the right
Pulsation of a jerking nature indicates trigeminal neuralgia. The pain affects the area of the eye, forehead, temple and jaw. In cases where the pain persists, you need to consult a doctor.
Discomfort in the temporal region
A number of diseases can manifest themselves in this way, for example:
- trigeminal neuralgia;
- migraine;
- increased blood pressure;
- intoxication;
- VSD.
Frontal region
Pain in the frontal part of the head is accompanied by convulsions, disturbances of consciousness and blurred vision. They may indicate increased intracranial pressure.
Also, pain in the forehead can be caused by sinusitis, respiratory infections and eye diseases. It may also be the result of the development of a malignant brain tumor.
Discomfort when moving your head
If unpleasant pulsating sensations in the head become more pronounced while moving the head, this may indicate diseases such as:
- neuritis;
- osteochondrosis;
- inflammation of the sinuses.
Symptoms typical for such cases are:
- nausea;
- prostration;
- dizziness;
- fever;
- partial paralysis
Patients with such complaints are promptly sent for hospitalization and treatment.
Pain and nausea
The cause of such changes in the body may be food poisoning. Throbbing in the head and nausea indicate changes in the brain or nervous disorders. The attack can also be triggered by head injuries.
Pulsation in the head without accompanying pain
The most common cause of such changes is disruption of the central nervous system or cardiovascular system.
Types of pain in the temples
Any headache in the temples and eyes is characterized by sharpness and suddenness. If the pain syndrome occurs due to overwork or emotional turmoil, the duration of a temporal headache can be 30 minutes or can last 24 hours. If a throbbing headache in the temples occurs in the morning, it can be assumed that its cause is vascular disorders. This pain is accompanied by general weakness, nausea, and tinnitus.
Headache in the temple area due to trauma can manifest itself in different ways: pulsation in the temples, movement of the source of pain from the temporal lobe to the occipital lobe. If appropriate measures are not taken, acute pain can become chronic.
For persistent headaches in the temples, the causes of which are unknown, doctors recommend that the patient keep a diary. It should note the number and nature of headaches and how they are relieved. Thanks to these records, it will be easier for a specialist to get a picture of the course of the disease.
How to get rid of pain in the head and temples
If a severe headache in the temples occurs at home, you can try to get rid of it without resorting to drug treatment. The choice of a method to reduce temporal pain should be approached carefully. You can do a head massage yourself. Find a comfortable position and start massaging your head with your fingertips. If a headache occurs in the right temple, start making massage movements on the right side of the head, if in the left - on the left. Then run your fingers all over your head, including the temporal, occipital, and frontal areas. When you finish the massage, remain in a relaxed state for a few minutes.
Temporal headaches may go away after taking a warm shower. The patient's blood circulation to the brain improves, which allows him to get rid of headaches. The bath relaxes, which will also help relieve pain. Walking in the fresh air for half an hour can reduce headaches in the temples, which are caused by migraines. If, after attempts, the headache in the temples does not go away, contact the Yusupov Hospital.
Tingling in the head
General information
Tingling in the head is a common sign indicating the appearance of disorders in the body. This is possible evidence of overwork and the development of quite serious diseases. To understand why tingling occurs, you need to understand the possible causes of its occurrence.
Causes
Overwork. The body's signals about problems can be noticed when almost any disease manifests itself. And overwork is no exception. Lack of necessary rest and constant stress contribute to the loss of vascular tone, which causes a deterioration in the outflow of blood from the brain. All these are the reasons for the appearance of tingling in the head, as if with needles. In this case, to eliminate the discomfort, you just need to rest. In particular, healthy sleep is a good helper in this matter. Eye strain can also cause tingling in the head. Eye strain can occur if:
- there is no prevention of eye diseases;
- the patient constantly reads in poor lighting conditions;
- There is constant work on the computer.
If the causes of discomfort are hidden precisely in eye fatigue, then in addition to this symptom, pain in the frontal part of the head, nephralgia of the eyes and other pathologies may appear. It’s worth getting a good night’s sleep or taking a time out, possibly a long one. Prevention of eye fatigue is compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards when:
- reading books;
- working on a computer.
Migraine. A developed migraine can cause tingling in the head. Migraine is one of the neuralgic pathologies, which is also accompanied by pulsating pain sensations in one, for example, the back of the head, then in the other. Eliminating the causes of migraines is not difficult, usually these are:
- severe stress;
- “chronic” lack of sleep or constant oversleeping;
- drinks containing alcohol;
- oral contraception;
- weather change and others.
With all this, the appearance of migraines is eliminated by medications that are aimed at relieving pain. Such drugs include analgesics such as aspirin, pentalgin, sumatriptan.
Dystonia. Tingling on the head is caused by vegetative-vascular dystonia. This disease leads to disruption of the functionality of many organs, but the cardiac system is mainly affected. Dystonia can appear when:
- overwork;
- brain injury;
- strong emotional shocks;
- viral infection;
- constant use of alcohol;
- use of substances with psychotropic effects.
In this case, the appearance of:
- drowsiness;
- feeling of heaviness in the head;
- pulsating and tingling;
- temperature;
- swelling and trembling of the limbs;
- squeezing pain in the heart and others.
If such a disease appears, then you should remain calm so as not to aggravate the situation by panic. You need to try to improve your mood and distract yourself from depressing thoughts. Taking medications cannot be avoided. The life mode will also have to be edited.
Of course, if tingling occurs in any part of the head, for example the occipital region, and manifestations similar to the development of dystonia, you should consult a doctor. After confirming the diagnosis, medications will be prescribed aimed at restoring blood circulation and blood flow to the brain. Taking vitamins is also necessary. It is worth knowing that dystonia is not always an independent disease; it can be a symptom or manifestation of an even more serious disease.
Non-drug methods for treating temple headaches
Non-pharmacological treatment methods used by specialists at the Yusupov Hospital rehabilitation clinic are aimed at the main mechanisms involved in the formation of headaches. Among them, the leading ones are psychological factors (acute or chronic emotional stress), and muscle tension - myofascial, muscular-tonic, syndromes with the formation of trigger pain points.
The criteria for the use of non-drug treatments are:
- insufficient effectiveness of drug therapy;
- individual intolerance to drugs and or the occurrence of allergic manifestations when taking pharmacological agents;
- the patient’s tendency to become addicted and dependent when taking antidepressants and tranquilizers, which are widely used in the treatment of pain in the temporal region;
- development of abusive headaches with long-term use of analgesics in large doses;
- no contraindications to the use of non-pharmacological methods.
Pain is always a mental phenomenon. The longer and stronger the pain, the more often it is combined with anxious, depressive, hypochondriacal reactions, which can be primary or secondary. The duration and degree of pain affect the patient’s well-being and behavior. Under the influence of pain, personality traits, attitudes towards the world around us, ourselves, and the future change. Psychological correction carried out by rehabilitation clinic specialists is aimed at changing these negative influences, at the following points:
- improved personality functioning;
- correction of the patient’s experiences associated with the presence of constant long-term or paroxysmal recurring temporal headaches;
- elimination of existing emotional disorders.
Doctors at the Yusupov Hospital begin psychological correction from the very first conversation with the patient. The patient is given hope for improvement, anxiety is reduced, and he is encouraged to recover. In addition to an explanatory conversation, psychologists are in a state of hypnotic sleep.
Autogenic training includes:
- relaxation of skeletal muscles;
- regulation of regional heart rate, vascular tone, depth and frequency of breathing;
- mental relaxation through specially selected verbal formulas.
Breathing-relaxation therapy combines elements of mental and muscle relaxation with excursions of the chest in an inhalation-exhalation rhythm. Acupuncture is based on stimulation of strictly defined areas of the skin and subcutaneous tissue in the area of biologically active points. Postisometric relaxation is a technical type of manual therapy. It is used to induce muscle relaxation and pain relief.
Biofeedback is a method as close as possible to testing physiological functions. It differs from others by actively involving the patient himself in the treatment process. The method is based on biological control of physiological functions.
Light therapy is a method of exposure to bright white light. Through the retina, hypothalamus, and pineal gland, it affects circadian rhythms, the activity of melatonin receptors located outside the pineal gland, nonspecific brain systems, and changes endocrine, mental, and motor functions.
Drug treatment of temporal headaches
When choosing a treatment method for headaches in the temporal region, doctors at the Yusupov Hospital take into account the reason why it occurs. Treatment for tension headaches includes relief of painful episodes and preventative treatment.
In order to interrupt an attack of headache in the temples, simple analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. Treatment with these drugs should be used when the frequency of attacks is no more than twice a week. The use of simple analgesics should not exceed 14 days per month. The use of any medications for pain relief is monitored by keeping a diary. In patients with chronic headaches and comorbid depression and anxiety, simple analgesics are usually ineffective, and excessive use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can lead to the development of drug dependence.
Patients are prescribed ibuprofen at a dose of 400 mg. It has the least potential to cause gastrointestinal complications. Frequent use of paracetamol in large doses can cause liver damage.
Preventive therapy is carried out for patients with chronic tension headaches. Antidepressants are most often used to prevent pain in the temples. Their effect is due to their own analgesic effect due to increased activity of descending analgesics. The analgesic effect of antidepressants occurs earlier than the antidepressant effect itself and when using smaller doses. The drug of first choice is amitriptyline. Other tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, maprotiline, clomipramine, and mianserin, are also used.
For severe headaches in the temporal region, you can take a simple analgesic or ibuprofen. If the pain does not go away, seek specialized medical help by calling the Yusupov Hospital.
Four of the best ways to quickly relieve headaches!
We are used to reaching for analgesics as soon as the pounding in our temples begins or the back of our heads are compressed. Although it is known that these drugs have a lot of side effects - they have a bad effect on the stomach, are difficult for the liver to eliminate, and overload the kidneys. It’s good if the head is your strong point and you swallow pills no more than once every six months.
What if your head hurts almost every day? The causes are most often either vascular or tension pain - from stress and a forced posture at a desk or driving a car. How to cope with headaches without pills? Here's what experts advise:
1. Massage
It has been scientifically proven that if a person often suffers from headaches and at the same time devotes some time to massage at least 2-3 times a week, then his attacks will be at least half as frequent and much weaker. Massage restores blood supply and allows the body to relax - and this relieves spasms - the main cause of pain. In addition, a head massage is very pleasant. Do it with smooth circular movements - moving from the back of the head to the forehead. And the bio-point responsible for normalizing pressure is located under the occipital protuberance [self-massage for headaches - in the BTW section].
2. Stretching
Tension pain occurs due to stagnation of blood in the collar area and because the muscles become numb and “stony”. It's simple! We stretch our neck, raising our head up, then lowering it down, then left and right, and finally making circular movements with our head. Moreover, at the end point of each movement, we make a stretching movement with our neck and fix the neck and head in this position for 10 seconds. Then rest for five seconds and proceed to the next movement.
3. Warm - cold
If the pain is throbbing, then you can apply ice or a wet towel to your temples - important arteries pass here that supply blood to the cerebral cortex. A slight drop in temperature can quickly relieve headaches, CNN Health reports. On the contrary, if the pain is pressing, then you should put something warm on the back of the neck - this will create an outflow of blood and lower the pressure.
4. Relaxed atmosphere
Very often we cannot cope with a headache without medication simply because we do not know how to relax. Hence the constant overvoltage. Give your poor little head “unloading” minutes - at least 20 minutes after a working day, listen to pleasant background music (preferably without words, so as not to concentrate on the meaning of the song and start humming), learn to control your breathing according to the yogic principle (breathe with your stomach, “knock down” breathing rhythm - this helps relieve stress). And most importantly, you need to accustom yourself to clear your head of all extraneous thoughts for a short time! According to scientists, in a day we absorb only 5-7% of the necessary information; all other thoughts are empty troubles.
BY THE WAY
It is better to do self-massage while sitting. All points need to be pressed with medium force for 1-1.5 minutes each.
So, if you have pain:
FOREHEAD
The first point is located above the bridge of the nose - in the middle between the eyebrows. Turn your thumb with your nail down and apply pressure with the pad.
Next, find a point located along the midline of the face 1-1.5 cm above the front border of hair growth. Press down on it with the pad of your thumb.
From above, inspect your hand with your fingers tightly folded. A muscle tubercle forms between the thumb and index finger. The point we need will be in its center. Press down firmly with the thumb of your other hand. Massage the points on both hands alternately.
WHISKEY
Feel the hole on your temple - this will be the “sun” point, especially revered in Chinese massage. It is better to massage these points simultaneously with your middle fingers.
The next point is located on the head directly behind the top point of the ear. Press on both points simultaneously with the pad of your middle finger.
NAPE
First, thoroughly stretch the muscles in the neck and shoulder area.
Then, using your index fingers, use light circular movements to massage the brow ridges from the bridge of your nose to the center.
Find a point under the occipital protuberance. Massage it a little longer - 2-2.5 minutes.
