A one-sided headache is a state met often in daily life, which sometimes may be merely a temporary symptom that goes away by itself or with preliminary treatment. But in some cases, particularly if it has a character similar to migraine or has other symptoms along with it, it may be a warning signal of a dangerous disease that requires urgent treatment. Understanding the causes, the symptoms, and the suitable approach to treatment is therefore exceedingly important for everyone.

What does a one-sided headache arise from?

A one-sided headache is an abnormality met often and can have a wide variety of causes, from states that are not dangerous through to serious diseases that must receive urgent treatment. The main causes of a one-sided headache can be as follows.

Migraine

This is the cause met most often of a one-sided headache. Patients usually have a throbbing pain or a squeezing pain, and there may be symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound along with it, particularly in the group of working people who have high stress and insufficient rest.

Symptoms from tender points (Trigger Points)

These symptoms from Trigger Points usually arise in people who have tight muscles in the area of the neck, the upper back, and the shoulders, causing points of pain in the muscle which can send radiating pain (Referred Pain) to the area of the head or to the area of the one-sided headache.

Stress

When stress arises, the body usually responds by tensing the muscles without being aware of it, particularly in the area of the neck, the upper back, the shoulders, and the scalp. Chronic tension in these muscles can lead to the forming of tender points (Trigger Points) and send radiating symptoms to the area of the head.

Other causes

A one-sided headache also has other causes connected with it, such as an aneurysm of a cerebral blood vessel or a dissection of a blood vessel; abnormality of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that causes grinding of the teeth without being aware of it; inflammation of the nasal cavity or the sinuses (Sinusitis); and abnormality of the eyesight, and so on. Although some causes are not met often, they may be a serious cause of a severe one-sided headache.

One-sided headaches that are dangerous and for which a doctor should be seen

A one-sided headache in some cases may be a warning signal of a state that is dangerous to life, which must receive urgent treatment. The symptoms that should be watched for and for which a doctor should be seen at once are as follows.

A severe headache at once: the pain reaches its highest point within a few seconds, which may indicate a ruptured blood vessel in the brain; a doctor must be seen at once
Pain together with symptoms of the nervous system: weakness of the arm and leg, numbness, unclear speech, abnormal vision, which may be a signal of cerebrovascular disease
Headache together with high fever and a stiff neck: it may be meningitis, which must receive urgent treatment
Pain that becomes more severe when coughing or bending down: it may indicate abnormally high pressure inside the skull
Pain that wakes one from sleep: particularly in the middle of the night or early in the morning, it may be connected with a tumour in the brain
Pain after receiving an injury to the head: there may be bleeding beneath the membrane of the brain or a cracked skull
Pain together with a red eye and a dilated pupil: it may be acute glaucoma, which is an ophthalmic emergency
Pain in those with impaired immunity: it should receive urgent assessment, being at risk of infection in the nervous system
Pain in those older than 50 years who have never had pain before: it may be temporal arteritis, with a risk of losing the sight

The way of treating a one-sided headache correctly

Treating a one-sided headache has a wide variety of methods, both treatment with medicine and methods that do not require medicine, the suitable approach to treatment depending on the cause and the type of the pain, as well as on the severity and the frequency of the symptoms that arise, which should always receive correct diagnosis by a specialist physician before treatment is received.

The way of treating a one-sided headache by using medicine

Treatment with medicine depends on the type of the headache. The medicines used generally for pain that is not severe are basic painkillers such as paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In the case of migraine, the doctor may prescribe the specific group of medicines called triptans, which act directly on the blood vessels in the brain. As for those who have frequent or severe pain, they may receive preventive medicine, such as the group of beta-blockers, anticonvulsants, or certain antidepressants. That said, the use of medicine should be under the advice of a doctor only.

The way of treating a one-sided headache without using medicine

Treating a one-sided headache without using medicine counts as a choice that is effective and safe, particularly for those who want to avoid the side effects from using medicine, or who want treatment at the root cause rather than merely relieving the symptoms. These methods cover the changing of behaviour, treatment with modern medical technology, and therapy and treatment with rehabilitation medicine.

Western dry needling (Dry Needling) helps release the tender points (Trigger Point) in the muscles of the neck, the upper back, and the shoulders, which may send radiating pain to the head. Besides this it helps increase the circulation of blood and reduce tension
Treatment with electromagnetic waves (Peripheral Magnetic Stimulation) helps reduce a one-sided headache by adjusting the working of the peripheral nervous system in the area of the head and the neck through electromagnetic waves
Treatment with high-energy laser light (High Power Laser) helps reduce inflammation and stimulate the circulation of blood in the area of the pain, which may reduce the tension of the muscles and the nerves connected with the pain
Treatment with shock waves (Shock Wave Therapy) of the Focused Shockwave Therapy kind, which sends shock waves to the area that is the root of the one-sided headache, in order to stimulate the circulation of blood and reduce the inflammation precisely
Hydrodissection is another method of treatment when the cause of the one-sided headache is connected with compression of a nerve or with adhesion of tissue and fibrous tissue in the area of the neck or the head. The doctor injects a solution such as saline in between the nerve and the tissue compressing it, in order to release the pulling of the fibrous tissue and reduce the compression of the nerve
Adjusting posture and ergonomics: adjusting the sitting position at work, the position of the computer, and the office equipment so that they are suitable helps reduce the tightness of the muscles of the neck and the upper back
Managing stress, such as breathing deeply, meditating, resting sufficiently, and doing yoga to relieve headache, can also help reduce stress, which is an important factor stimulating a one-sided headache

In summary

A one-sided headache is another symptom met often in the present age, particularly among office workers who usually have symptoms of office syndrome as well. Changing behaviour, preventing, and treating on target will help relieve the pain.

For those who have a one-sided headache, you may consult the doctors and receive treatment by the team of specialist physicians at PYONG Rehabilitation Clinic, a clinic specialising in medical practice in the field of rehabilitation medicine, ready to care for every kind of pain. Those who are interested may contact us from today.