Headaches |
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HEADACHE is one of the most common
complaints nowadays. Since headache is an almost universal complaint,
it is a topic that almost everyone can discuss from painful, firsthand
experience. Headache, it should be quickly
recognized, is not a disease by itself, but rather a symptom of a
disease or a functional disturbance. The causes of many headaches are
relatively simple to discover; others may tax the collective brains of
topnotch specialists. Thanks to recent research, the diagnosis of
headache has become more exact and its treatment more certain than ever
before. In searching for headache causes, a physician will
require a detailed history and frequently a complete physical
examination of the patient. He will ask many questions about the nature
of the headache—where it is located, whether the pain is sharp or dull,
at what time of the day it is worse, and whether there is a family
history of migraine or high blood pressure. If the patient relates his
symptoms accurately, the physician may find significant hints and clues
as to where the trouble lies. When headache causes are obscure, to
arrive at a diagnosis the doctor may require various tests for the
eyes, blood pressure, blood, urine, nerve reflexes, and other
functions. |
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