What Causes Headaches and When Should You Worry?

Headache is one of the most common medical complaints worldwide — nearly everyone experiences headaches, and they account for millions of physician visits annually. The vast majority of headaches are benign and self-limited. But a small subset signal serious underlying pathology that requires urgent evaluation. Knowing the difference — and knowing which features of a headache should prompt emergency care — is essential knowledge.

The Anatomy Of Headache Pain

The brain itself has no pain receptors (nociceptors). Headache pain originates from pain-sensitive structures surrounding the brain: blood vessel walls (including meningeal arteries and the dural sinuses), the meninges (the membranes surrounding the brain — particularly the pain-sensitive dura), scalp muscles and fascia, the periosteum of the skull, cranial nerves (particularly the trigeminal nerve, cranial nerve V, which is the primary pain nerve for the head), and the upper cervical nerve roots.

Categories: Primary Vs. Secondary Headaches