VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: lek. Patryk Jasielski
Every person experiences headaches with different frequencies. Usually it is harmless and lasts for a short time. It can be located in different parts of the head. The headache on the left side may only be temporary, e.g. related to exhaustion. However, it is sometimes a symptom of a dangerous disease. What are the most common conditions of the headache on the left side?
Headachecan be one of the symptoms of many diseases. It may be secondary to other conditions (symptomatic) or constitute a separate disease. It is then the primary (spontaneous) headache. In diagnosing, it is important to identify the location of the headache as different medical conditions cause pain in different parts of the head. Its character is also often different. It can be sharp, stabbing, stinging, crushing or distressing pain. It is sometimes chronic and difficult to locate accurately. Pain on the left side of the head occurs in many diseases. Here are the 10 most common diseases.
Migraine
Migraine is one of the most common neurological diseases, affecting up to 20% of the population. It belongs to the spontaneous headaches. The reasons are not fully known. The family inclinations associated with the triggers of a migraine attack - fatigue, dehydration, and high stress - are probably important. Characteristic symptoms develop during a migraine attack. It is a one-sided, throbbing headache that lasts from 4 to 72 hours.
This is usually severe pain that increases physical activity. It is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to noise, light and certain smells.
There are migraines with and without aura. In the first one, apart from the aforementioned ailments, there is an aura before the pain appears. These are visual disturbances in the form of flickering scotoma. Sensory disturbances, speech disorders or hemiparesis are less common.
The diagnosis is made by a neurologist based on the interview, physical examination and ordered laboratory tests.
A group of medications called triptans and painkillers are used to treat a seizure.
In the prevention of seizures, anti-epileptic drugs, calcium channel blockers, serotonin receptor blockers and botulinum preparations are used.
Cluster headache
This is another sub-type of spontaneous headache. It is much less common than migraine, mainly in men.
The causes are unknown, but it is likely a family disease as it affects several members of the family very often. It manifests itself in one-sided, very intense pain that grows rapidly. It is prickly or burning in nature. It usually lasts from 1 to 1.5 hours and mainly affects the parietal area, eyeball and forehead.
Pain is accompanied by characteristic symptoms, such as:
- tearing,
- redness of the eyes,
- eyelid swelling,
- stuffy or runny nose
- and increased sweating of the scalp.
All these symptoms are located on the pain side. Cluster headache is characterized by an average of 3 attacks per day. Symptoms often take several weeks to appear.
Later they disappear for several months. Periods of pain occur on average 3 times a year. The episode of pain can be caused by sleep or alcohol. The diagnosis is made by the doctor on the basis of the characteristic course of the disease.
The treatment involves intranasal oxygen, triptans and steroids.
AEDs are effective in preventing seizures.
Types of headache
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Brain tumor
Brain tumors are a broad group of neoplastic diseases of various localization and growth rate. Their symptoms may vary depending on where they appear. However, the most common, occurring in over half of patients, is headache.
This is one-sided pain, unless the tumor grows large, then there is pain on both sides of the head. It is distracting and grows with time. It usually appears in the morning and is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Characteristically, vomiting reduces pain. In addition to these symptoms, there are sensory disturbances, muscle paresis in the limbs and personality changes. The diagnosis is made on the basis of a computed tomography of the head or magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical tumor excision and radiotherapy are important in the treatment.
Diseases of the temporomandibular joint
The temporomandibular joint is a very important joint for the proper chewing process. He is responsible for moving the lower jaw. Its spontaneous inflammation or in the course of rheumatic diseases can lead to pain on the left side of the head. The ailment first appears around this joint when chewing.
In more advanced inflammation, it tends to radiate towards the ear, temples, nape and occiput, sometimes to the top of the head. Generally blunt in nature. Strongestis during the maximum opening of the mouth and sideways movements of the lower jaw. In addition, you can hear crackles in the joint and limitations in mobility.
There is increased muscle tension in the area and tinnitus. Diagnosis is made by a physician examination and imaging tests such as X-rays.
Treatment involves the use of dentures and painkillers.
Ear shingles
It is a viral disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. In the course of this disease, characteristic vesicles filled with transparent contents appear, which burst and form scabs. These changes are usually located on the abdomen, back and chest, always on one side of the body and do not spread to the other side.
A rare variety is ear shingles. The skin lesions then develop on the auricle, in the external auditory canal and on the eardrum. They are accompanied by severe one-sided pain. It is sharp, prickly.
A dangerous complication is paralysis of the facial nerve. It is manifested by paresis of the muscles of the half of the face, inability to close the eyelid. The diagnosis is made on the basis of characteristic skin lesions. Treatment is given with antiviral drugs.
Giant cell inflammation of the temporal artery
It is one of the rheumatic diseases belonging to the systemic vasculitis. It usually occurs in people over 50.
The causative agent of the disease has not been determined so far. It presents with pain that is usually bilateral, although it can also be one-sided. It is accompanied by scalp hyperesthesia as well as swelling and pain in the course of the temporal artery.
In addition to pain, general symptoms such as low-grade fever, night sweats, anorexia, weight loss and weakness appear.
Sudden blindness may occur if the disease affects the arteries in the eye. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the symptoms and the laboratory tests performed, which show signs of acute inflammation.
In addition, imaging tests are performed, mainly ultrasound and biopsy of the temporal artery, for evaluation under the microscope. Treatment is carried out in a hospital and high doses of steroids are administered.
Paranasal sinusitis
The paranasal sinuses are air cavities located inside the bones of the skull. Man has 4 pairs of sinuses: maxillary, frontal, ethmoid and sphenoid. Inflammation is usually caused by viruses, less often by bacteria. The symptoms depend on which sinus is infected. There is pain in the jaw, medial part of the eye, in the nose and in the middle of the skull or in the back of the head.
Distress or pain are characteristicpiercing, piercing. Pain worsens when tapping and tapping on the diseased sinus. In addition, a runny nose appears, watery and then dense. A fever is often found. Sometimes the patient reports smell disorders. The doctor makes the diagnosis based on the characteristic symptoms.
Treatment of mild symptoms involves the use of inhalation, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, and drinking plenty of fluids. J
if the symptoms are severe, you have a high fever, this indicates a bacterial infection. An appropriate antibiotic is then administered.
Otitis media
Another cause of headache is otitis media. It is an infectious disease, often caused by viruses, less often by bacteria passing from the nose. Symptoms include severe, throbbing pain in the ear and head, worsening when tapping the mastoid process.
In addition, there are tinnitus and hearing impairment. A fever may appear, sometimes even up to 39 degrees Celsius. Children often suffer from anxiety, vomiting or diarrhea.
The doctor diagnoses the disease on the basis of viewing the eardrum with an otoscope.
There is then redness, swelling and often pus. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are used in the treatment, and if a bacterial infection is suspected, an appropriate antibiotic is used. With severe symptoms and the risk of rupture of the eardrum, the doctor may incise it.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is one of the common eye diseases. It is the result of increased pressure inside the eyeball. It leads to progressive atrophy of the optic nerve and loss of vision.
Usually the disease does not give symptoms for a long time. However, if the so-called the filtration angle through which the aqueous fluid flows within the eye. We are then dealing with an acute attack of narrow-angle glaucoma with very high pressure in the eye.
It manifests itself with severe one-sided pain. First in the eye area, then it spreads to the upper quadrant of the head and radiates all the way to the ear, forehead, and temple. It is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. There is sensitivity to light, tearing and blurred vision. The pupil is wide and does not react to light.
Diagnosis is based on an ophthalmic eye pressure test. Treatment requires prompt medical intervention in a hospital setting. The patient is given drops that lower the pressure and constrict the pupil. In addition, drugs that reduce the production of fluid in the eye.
Cervical headaches
The last of the discussed common causes of unilateral headaches are ailmentscervical. They result from nervous changes in the cervical spine. They occur in up to 18% of the population.
These are unilateral pain that begins in the cervical spine and continues to the temporal area, forehead and eye socket. It is a moderate pain, non-throbbing.
It is accompanied by other ailments such as nausea and vomiting, dizziness, intolerance to sounds and light. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the characteristic picture of the disease. The treatment includes pharmacological nerve blocks and surgical treatment.
Many diseases can cause a headache on the left side. These are diseases that originate in the ear, nose, mouth, and neck. They can be treated by a neurologist, ENT specialist or orthopedist. In the event of prolonged or sudden, severe pain and accompanying symptoms, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
