Headaches in teenagers: causes, treatment and prevention

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The transitional age is a serious test for children. Their hormonal background begins to change, and while the child's body is trying to rebuild, various kinds of he alth problems periodically appear. That is why headaches in teenagers are observed quite often.

This problem can appear for a variety of reasons. It is important to pay attention to it in a timely manner and provide assistance to a teenager, as this can be a sign of both simple overexertion and serious illnesses.

Main reasons

The causes of headaches in adolescents can be associated with both the influence of external negative factors and internal problems. These should be attributed, such as:

• Stress, mental strain, lack of sleep.
• Wrong diet.
• Migraine.
• Chronic diseases.
• Bad habits.
• Cold.

If headaches are often observed in teenagers, then you need to consult a doctor who will helpdetermine the cause of their appearance and select the required treatment.

External causes

In this case, headaches in adolescents occur under the influence of the situation or people and do not depend on their state of he alth. One such reason is irregular sleep. An excess of it or a lack of it provokes not only the appearance of a headache, but also a deterioration in mental activity.

Due to intense stress, as well as due to emotional overstrain, adolescents are in dire need of proper sleep. Experts recommend sleeping at least 10 hours a day. You need to go to bed no later than 22-23 hours, and it is recommended to get up every day at the same time.

Another cause of headaches in teenagers is stress. It can arise due to conflicts with friends, heavy workload, difficult relationships with teachers and parents. During this period, adolescents experience tension syndrome, which manifests itself in the form of squeezing, aching, throbbing pains.

Unpleasant symptoms go away with pain medication, but the root cause of the pain cannot be removed. It is important to establish a trusting relationship with your child, communicate as much as possible, and also ask him to share all his experiences. In especially difficult cases, they resort to the help of a psychologist.

Modern teenagers are often influenced by companies where they often get acquainted with bad habits, namely smoking, alcohol, drugs. They can give rise toheadaches, nervous pathologies, respiratory diseases, tooth decay, heart failure.

Nutrition must be selected, taking into account the developmental characteristics of a teenager, as this is the key to his good he alth and normal well-being. Under the influence of ongoing hormonal fluctuations, the child experiences an increased need for vitamins and trace elements. With poor nutrition, as well as the consumption of junk food, headaches, discomfort in the digestive system, and a breakdown can occur. Adequate fluid intake is also required.

Internal Causes

Frequent headaches in a teenager are mainly associated with the course of internal disorders, which should be attributed to, such as:

• scoliosis;
• hypertension;
• chronic diseases of ENT organs;
• heart rhythm disorder;
• vision problems;
• encephalitis;
• meningitis;
• vascular disease.

Scoliosis often begins to develop in adolescence as a result of the fact that the active growth of the skeleton begins, and the bones have not yet had time to get stronger. As a result, blood circulation worsens and a headache appears.

Acute and chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract can be a provoking factor. Additionally, signs such as:

• runny nose;
• sore throat;
• temperature increase.

Headaches in adolescents often occur due to increased pressure, which occurs as a result of hormonal changes in the body. In this case, more oftenjust starts to hurt and squeeze the back of the head. Other causes of hypertension are diseases of the kidneys, brain, and adrenal glands. Sometimes an increase in pressure is provoked by the consumption of coffee, a lot of s alt and energy drinks.

Severe headaches in a teenager may be due to meningitis. In this case, additional symptoms may be disturbing, which should be attributed to, such as nausea, fever, skin rashes. If these signs appear, you should consult a doctor.

Migraine

Frequent headaches in a teenager may indicate that he has a migraine. It manifests itself in the form of a pulsation in the frontotemporal part and mainly affects the head on one side only. Usually an attack begins with mild pain, which then gradually intensifies and becomes simply unbearable. Migraine is manifested by such signs as:

• nausea and vomiting;
• blurred vision;
• heightened sensitivity to sounds and smells;
• dizziness;
• loss of consciousness.

There may be other signs, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. As a teenager matures, some signs may disappear and others may reappear.

Cluster pains

They are characterized by short bouts of severe discomfort that occurs on only one side of the head. The main feature of pain is that it appears suddenly for no apparent reason. The main causative factor is the consumptionliquor.

Some doctors associate the appearance of pain with changes in the hypothalamus, while others - with bad habits. To prevent the occurrence of complications, drug therapy is required, and you also need to be under the constant supervision of a doctor.

When a doctor's help is needed

Frequent headaches in adolescents aged 14 can be a sign of a rather serious illness and require urgent medical attention. Be sure to consult a doctor if you experience symptoms such as:

• high temperature that cannot be brought down with antipyretic drugs;
• disturbed coordination and motor function;
• it's hard to raise your head;
• drowsiness, depression;
• vomit.

If all of these signs appear, you should definitely call emergency care, as such a condition can be very dangerous.

Diagnostics

Teenage physiology is different from that of an adult, which is why headaches often occur. If a similar problem is often observed, then you need to consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. This will prevent the transition of the disease into a chronic form. The main diagnostic methods are considered, such as:

• electroencephalography;
• examination of narrow specialists;
• tomography;
• blood test.

Only afterdiagnosis, the doctor will be able to choose the right treatment that will get rid of the headache.

Features of treatment

There are many causes of headaches in teenagers. Treatment must be selected separately for each child. That is why you need to undergo a comprehensive examination first. It is imperative to provide a teenager with a he althy lifestyle, which includes:

• obtaining vitamins and beneficial trace elements through nutrition;
• enough sleep;
• outdoor walks;
• parental support.

In addition, you need to additionally use medications, vitamin complexes. Medicines should be selected only by the attending physician, so you need to see a cardiologist, neurologist, pediatrician.

Drug therapy

If a teenager complains that he has a headache, then every mother wants to do something to make him feel better and eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Many painkillers have been legal since adolescence.

You can safely give drugs that contain ibuprofen in their composition. Well helps "Nurofen" from a headache in adolescents, as it acts very effectively and quickly. It is also allowed to take medicines such as:

• "Paracetamol";
• "Diclofenac";
• "Drotaverine";
• Ketorol.

Of course, giving drugs to a child thoughtlessly and in large quantities is categoricallyprohibited, as this can lead to the development of complications. Initially, you need to determine the main cause of the pain. If your head hurts constantly and painkillers do not help to stop the pain, then you need to consult a doctor.

Folk remedies

Headache in a teenage girl may occur due to hormonal changes in the body. In addition to medications, you can additionally use folk remedies and techniques. A cool compress on the head helps quite well and quickly.

Aromatherapy also works well. You can take a bath with mint and orange oils. They help relieve stress and relax. It must be remembered that they can provoke allergies, so before taking a bath, you need to make sure that there are no contraindications for their use.

If the soreness was provoked by overexertion, then even ordinary walks in the fresh air can help. It is recommended to ventilate the room before going to bed, as well as provide the child with a good sleep and rest. Before going to bed, it is advisable to drink a cup of relaxing herbal tea, as this will help you fall asleep much faster, and no pain will bother you when you wake up.

What could be the consequences

The main complications of severe headache in adolescents include status migraine and stroke. The first violation is characterized by the fact that attacks of pain appear one after another. Additional symptoms are repeated vomiting,nausea, severe weakness, dehydration, and even convulsions. This state of affairs may last for several days. Migraine status is characterized by:

• pain persists for more than 72 hours;
• not cured by conventional medications;
• distinguished by severe symptoms.

Migraine stroke is characterized by the appearance of migraine with aura. The recurrence of dangerous symptoms is observed for 7 days or more. There are also focal signs of stroke.

If you experience dangerous symptoms, you should definitely visit a doctor, as complications can be very dangerous for the he alth and even life of a child.

Prophylaxis

To prevent headaches in adolescent boys and girls, it is imperative to follow the basic rules of prevention. These should include:

• walk outside as often as possible;
• get good sleep;
• don't spend much time at the computer and TV;
• drink herbal teas;
• make head massage.

It must be remembered that frequent headaches must be observed by a doctor, as this may be a symptom of a pathological process in the body. This should be done especially if the soreness does not go away even after rest or the attacks become regular.

Headaches in adolescence can be very dangerous, as they often appear due to hormones that simplygo wild. In some cases, severe and persistent headache can be a sign of a dangerous disease - meningitis, stroke, brain sarcoma, vascular pathologies, as well as problems with other organs and systems.

Following all the basic rules of prevention, you can achieve a very good result and prevent the frequent occurrence of soreness.