Causes of Headache, Acute meningeal irritation, Rising intracranial pressure, infectious diseases, Giant-cell arteritis, Migraine, Tension headache, Analgesia-induced headache
Headache The brain parenchyma is insensitive to pain. Headaches result from distension, traction, or inflammation of the cerebral blood vessels and dura mater. Pain is referred from the anterior and middle cranial fossae to the forehead and eye via the trigeminal nerve, and from the posterior fossa and upper cervical spine to the occiput and neck via the upper three cervical nerves. Both infratentorial and supratentorial masses can lead to frontal headaches by causing hydrocephalus. Causes of a headache Acute meningeal irritation: due to subarachnoid haemorrhage or meningitis caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or metastases. Rising intracranial pressure Infectious diseases: cause a headache during the acute phase. Locally important infections need to be determined (e.g. malaria; meningitis including TB; trypanosomiasis; typhoid, arboviral and typhus fevers; fungal infections). Giant-cell arteritis: may rapidly result in blindness. Occurs in elderly people