It’s very Pinoy to self-medicate. We grew up with our moms giving us the tried and tested over-the-counter medicine after telling us that we have to sleep or rest to bet better. If that doesn’t work, there’s the age-old remedy of Vicks and hilot (traditional PInoy pressure massage) because “baka may pilay” (there must be a fracture somewhere). So we’d forgo going to the doctor to have ourselves checked. Years after, we realize that these were symptoms of something more serious.
I grew up having headaches every so often that renders me useless for three days – no light, no sound, ice chips in my mouth. I thought that its normal because it happens to my mom too until I got good advice from my doctor years after.
- Back of your head of neck
Most common cause: tension headache (stress, anxiety or lack of sleep) or migraine (abnormal activity in the brain; may be accompanied by a throbbing sensation in the head)
note: there is always a trigger to migraines, recognizing the pattern is key toavoiding them.)
Other possible causes: arthritis (joint inflammation) in your upper spine or occipital neuralgia (condition in which the nerves that run from the top of the spinal cord up through the scalp, called the occipital nerves, are inflamed or injured)
- Top of your head / “head band” area
Most common cause: tension headache
Other possible causes: migraine, occipital neuralgia, severe hypertension (rare), aneurysm (or bleeding, also called a hemorrhagic stroke which is rare.)
- Forehead/ Cheeks / Behind both eyes
Most common cause: tension headache / migraine
Other possible causes: Cluster headache (headaches that occur in patterns) or sinus infection
- Behind one eye
Most common cause: cluster headache
Other possible causes: migraine, occipital neuralgia, eye infection or aneurysm
- Temples
Most common cause: tension headache
Other possible causes: migraine, cluster headache, temporal arteritis (inflammation that damages large and medium sized arteries which is more common in the elderly) , temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder or the lock jaw syndrome
- Behind the ear
Most common cause: occipital neuralgia
Other possible causes: sinus infection, TMJ disorder or dental problems
- On one side of your head
Most common cause: migraine or cluster headache
Other possible causes: hermicrania continua (rare type of headache that doesn't stop. It causes pain on one side of your face or head. Doctors don’t know what causes this "continuous headache." But women seem to get it more often than men.) or aneurysm
- Not sure – hurts all over
Most common cause: tension headache
Other possible causes: migraine or sinus infection
- dull “tightening” feeling that doesn’t throb / head is tender to the touch
Most common cause: tension headache
Other possible causes: eyestrain, allergies, trauma, hunger or dehydration, caffeine withdrawal or brain freeze
This does not dispel the use of OTC’s but can give you an idea on what to tell your doctors when you go to get checked – especially when the pain is recurring and getting worse.
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References:
https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/headache-location-types https://www.healthline.com/health/headache/types-of-headaches