HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Suggest Treatment For Severe Headache

Posted on Fri, 27 Jan 2017

Question: My mother is having severe headache for the past 1 month. It is not continuous and she feels a pinching pain every now and then.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
More information is needed.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for posting your query.

I need some more information so that I can help her better:

1. Location of headache,
2. How long does the headache last?
3. any nausea or vomiting?
4. Does the headache become more severe in sunlight or with loud noise?
5. Any other family members with headache?

Dr Sudhir Kumar

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (33 minutes later)

Thanks Doctor.
1. At the start, the headache was in the middle but for the last 3 days, it is just at the back side of right year.
2. She is experiencing sudden pinching pain that lasts for a second or so.
3. No nausea or vomiting.
4. It usually aggravates during the afternoon. It remains fine after having the tablets but after sometime starts again.
5. No other member in family is having headache.

Thank You again for your help.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Suggestive of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back and providing more information.

Her symptoms are suggestive of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs), where the headaches lasts for a few seconds.

Carbamazepine or gabapentin may be started to prevent the headache episodes.

For my patients, I start carbamazepine at a dose of 200 mg twice daily.

Best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar