Headache, weakness, fever

We all know that upper respiratory tract infection is a relatively common disease in clinical practice. Colds are common respiratory infections. Common symptoms include: nasal congestion, headache, fever, cough, body aches, etc. At present, it is still recommended to drink plenty of water, rest regularly, and eat a light diet. If the symptoms are still not relieved, it is recommended to take a chest X-ray. Moreover, in daily life, perhaps the most common illnesses we experience are headaches and colds, so let us understand what causes headaches, weakness, and fever!

1. What are the types of headaches? Headaches can be divided into primary headaches and secondary headaches according to their causes. Primary headaches refer to those headaches that are not caused by other underlying diseases or conditions. The most common ones include tension headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, etc. More than 90% of headaches are primary headaches. Secondary headaches refer to headaches caused by other underlying diseases or conditions. ENT diseases such as sinusitis and glaucoma can cause headaches; upper respiratory tract infections and fever can cause headaches; changes in hormone levels can cause headaches, such as headaches that occur during women's menstruation and pregnancy; and headaches caused by encephalitis, stroke, and brain tumors. The following focuses on several common primary headaches: Tension headaches are the most common type of headache among all adults and adolescents. They are mostly a feeling of pressure in the bilateral occipital, temporal, and parietal areas. They occur almost every day and are also called chronic daily headaches. They are related to persistent contraction of the head and neck muscles and depression and anxiety, and are often accompanied by sleep disorders. Migraines often present as moderate to severe throbbing or piercing pain; often accompanied by nausea and vomiting; patients are afraid of light, sound, and sleepiness; some patients have visual and sensory abnormalities before the headache. The headache can last from several hours to three days, and the frequency of attacks is uncertain. Some children may not have headache symptoms, but only experience repeated vomiting, which is called abdominal migraine. Some patients may experience a mixture of migraine and tension headaches. There is also a type of headache we call cluster headache. As the name suggests, it is a type of headache that occurs very frequently. Although it is less common than the above three types, it is the most serious type of headache, manifested by severe drilling pain in the eye sockets, occurring 1-3 times a day, lasting for 2 weeks to 3 months, and may occur again after an interval.

2. How do headaches occur? Various pathogenic factors acting on the head stimulate the pain nerve endings, which then generate nerve impulses, which are transmitted to the center through the pain conduction pathway and finally to the cerebral cortex, where the cortex conducts comprehensive analysis and perceives pain. Headaches that come on suddenly are usually caused by an illness, such as an infection, cold, or fever. Other causes include sinusitis, pharyngitis, and otitis media. Sometimes, headaches can be caused by head trauma or a more serious illness. Tension headaches are often associated with family or social-related psychological stress. Other factors include alcoholism, dieting, overuse of the eyes, and poor neck and back posture. Headaches can also be triggered by factors such as passive smoking, furniture odors, noise and light pollution, weather changes and eating certain foods such as chocolate, coffee and cheese. Excessive physical exercise can sometimes trigger migraines in adults or children. Therefore, it is important to work with your doctor to find out some of the factors that are likely to trigger your headaches. 3. Are headaches hereditary? Will children's migraines heal on their own as they grow older? Yes, headaches, especially migraines, run in families. 90% of children or adolescents with migraine have a family history of the disease, and when both parents have migraine, 70% of the children will develop migraine. If only one parent has migraines, the child has a 25-50% chance of also having them. Headaches may improve as children grow older, and sometimes headaches return after being absent for a period of time. By high school, many boys' migraines will have resolved themselves, but girls' migraine frequency increases due to changes in hormone levels, and the number of teenage girls experiencing migraines is about three times that of boys.

4. What should I do after I have a headache? You should go to the hospital in time to ask a neurologist to examine you. After taking a detailed medical history and physical examination, the neurologist will determine which diseases may be causing the headache and what other tests need to be performed. You need to provide as much information as possible about the nature of your headache and your complete medical history to assist your doctor in making a correct judgment. Do not take painkillers blindly before figuring out the cause of your headache. If the headache is truly unbearable, a specialist should decide whether you can take painkillers and which type of painkillers are appropriate. After the cause is identified, the key to pain relief is to treat the cause, and only on this basis can painkillers be taken appropriately. The good news is that once headaches are correctly diagnosed, effective treatments can be found. 5. What are the treatments for headaches? Treatment for headaches depends on many factors, including the type of headache, how often you have it, and what's causing it. Not all headaches require medication. Treatment should also include educating patients about the disease, providing psychological counseling to relieve stress, biofeedback therapy, etc., and should emphasize individualized treatment plans that vary from person to person. When the treatment begins, patients should also actively pay attention to the entire treatment process and its efficacy. They can record the changes in the severity of headaches every day (headache diary) to cooperate with the doctor in further adjustments to the treatment plan.

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