Many people often suffer from headaches. There are two common causes, including “tension headache” and “migraine”. “Tension headaches” are generally less severe and involve a feeling of pressure on the sides of the head. “Migraine” usually has mild symptoms at first and then gradually worsens. It usually only affects one side of the head and feels like a popping noise. Daily activities such as walking or running stairs can aggravate the headache and may cause nausea or vomiting, and even exposure to light Very sensitive to lines or sounds. Triggers include mental stress, eating too much or being too hungry, drinking too much tea or coffee, lack of sleep or drinking too much alcohol; certain drugs or foods may also induce headaches, such as monosodium glutamate.
People who suffer from headaches for a long time should consider changing eating habits, improving sleep, reducing psychological stress, learning relaxation techniques, quitting smoking and drinking, and doing more exercise.
Headaches can also be the first sign of a serious illness or the need to see a doctor right away. Headaches that start after exercising or a minor injury may be due to internal bleeding in the brain. Severe headaches during pregnancy may have “pregnancy toxemia” leading to elevated blood pressure. Patients over 40 years old must be careful if there is a tumor in the brain. A headache accompanied by fever and a stiff neck could be meningitis. Sudden headache, which worsens rapidly, or accompanied by other symptoms such as coma, seizure, personality change, confusion, feeling weak, numbness of hands and feet, or visual impairment, should seek medical attention immediately.
50-year-old Mrs. Chen has been suffering from frequent headaches recently, especially in the morning, and her left hand and foot are not flexible. An MRI brain scan revealed a tumor in the right brain, and a biopsy confirmed a highly toxic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Whole body positron emission tomography scan showed no other organs affected by lymphoma, and no cancer cells were found in bone marrow aspiration. Mrs. Chen was suffering from a rare “primary brain lymphoma”. The doctor prescribed Rituximab for B cells, plus chemotherapy drugs that can penetrate into the brain tissue, including high-dose Methotrexate, high-dose Cytarabine ) and Thiotepa; after the disease is under control, Mrs. Chen still needs to undergo “autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplant” to reduce the chance of recurrence and increase the chance of cure.
Written by: Leung Hsien-sun Hematology and Hematology Oncology Physician
Column Name: Medical Qing Medical Conditions
