Tracing A Thunderclap Headache
You are suffering from one of the worst headaches of your life. It seems to have popped up out of nowhere. Usually it lasts from a few minutes to half an hour. You could have a thunderclap headache.
A thunderclap headache feels just like it sounds—a sudden headache marked by a severe pain that can peak in seconds.
The headache is most often caused by a hemorrhage, or bleeding, from one of the brain’s blood vessels into the space between the two membranes that surround and protect the brain.
Such hemorrhaging is generally caused by an aneurysm, or bulging blood vessel, which can either burst and cause bleeding or lead to a blood clot.
In a study of 10 women with thunderclap headaches, Dutch researchers from the University of Amsterdam found that the patients’ headaches were caused by another serious disorder of the brain’s blood vessels not associated with thunderclap headache. This disorder has a markedly different treatment.
In a study published in The Lancet, researchers reported that the women had thunderclap headaches caused by cerebral venous sinus thrombosis—a clot blocking the large vein along the top of the brain.
Thunderclap headache is abrupt and very rare. It can last for a few minutes or half an hour and the most common cause is an aneurysm. While a thunderclap headache can be caused by thrombosis, such headaches are generally accompanied by other symptoms such as seizures and weakness.
Thunderclap headaches is a term that can be used to describe a group of sudden headaches. When these type of headaches are caused by a brain hemorrhage, they are accompanied by nausea, a stiff neck and sensitivity to light.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, other symptoms that go along with the condition are: numbness, speech problems, vomiting, change in vision and confusion.
Some thunderclap headaches can be harmless. But since there is no way to know for certain whether or not it is indicative of a more serious condition, you should probably go to the emergency room if you think you’re experiencing a thunderclap headache.
All types of headaches have primary and secondary causes. For a primary thunderclap headache, it might be due to a cough, heavy exercise, exertion or sexual activity. Primary thunderclap headaches aren’t dangerous.
A secondary thunderclap headache may indicate another condition such as blood vessel issues in the brain like a brain aneurysm, causes it with other symptoms. A secondary thunderclap headache may indicate a life-threatening condition. Causes of secondary thunderclap headaches are:
§ Subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding in the space that surrounds your brain). This is the most common cause.
§ Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (sudden constriction of the vessels that supply blood to your brain). This is the second most common cause.
§ Brain aneurysm (bulging or bleeding blood vessel).
§ Head injury that causes a brain bleed.
§ A stroke (blocked or bleeding blood vessel).
§ A sudden, severe rise in blood pressure.
§ Late-term pregnancy complications including rise in blood pressure (eclampsia) and bleeding in your pituitary gland during pregnancy or soon after delivery.
§ Pheochromocytoma and carcinoid tumors.
§ Pituitary apoplexy (a blockage in blood flow or bleeding in your pituitary gland).
Treatment for thunderclap headaches includes first assessing the headache for an underlying condition. Some thunderclap headache conditions require surgery in order to repair torn or ruptured blood vessels. If there is no other underlying condition, then you can treat the headache with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medicine to reduce the swelling.
When dealing with a thunderclap headache, it is always important to deal with the underlying condition to avoid a more serious outcome. Paying attention to diet and regular exercise will keep blood pressure from rising. Quitting smoking and monitoring cholesterol will ensure that you don’t have problems with blood vessels. And avoiding triggers is another way to prevent thunderclap headaches from occurring.
