Headache is certainly a frustrating thing to experience. Either mild or severe headache, one thing that we can agree on is it can be a great deal and certainly a culprit for a bad day. While headaches may go away with rest and taking painkillers, some can get so bad that a person will result in finding doctors to get immediate relief. There are many types of headaches, ranging from mild to severe that could be a life threatening one. One of them is a “thunderclap headache”.
As the name suggests, thunderclap headaches are a headache that happen suddenly and rapidly, just as a clap of thunder. It is often described as severe headaches that usually peaks within the first 30 seconds, and less than 1 minute. A person with thunderclap headaches often said that it is “the worst headache” but it is worth noting that not all headaches with “the worst headache” can be classified as thunderclap headache. In many cases, the worst pain will slowly go away within an hour but in some cases the pain may last for a week or more.
Thunderclap headaches can easily be distinguished with other common headaches such as migraine and tension type headaches based on the pain intensity and time of the pain itself. Other symptoms associated with thunderclap headache are neck stiffness, back pain, nausea, vomiting, confusion, loss of consciousness, vision disturbances, limb weakness and difficulty to speak. A person suspected with thunderclap headaches should get themselves checked by healthcare professionals as the causes leading to such headaches can be a life-threatening situation.
Thunderclap headaches can be caused by many medical conditions. Most common one that is a serious cause is brain haemorrhage. A brain haemorrhage that is not treated well or in a timely manner like stroke can easily cause a person to have permanent disability or worst, death. Other causes are problems with the brain’s blood vessels, brain swelling, high blood pressure, head injuries, enlarged artery or aneurysm in the brain, dehydration, infection around the brain or head and medication. Some cases of thunderclap headaches are with unknown causes but it is stipulated to be affected by physical triggers such as cough, strain during bowel movement, exercise and sexual activity. Since there are many causes that could be triggering or responsible for thunderclap headache itself, it can be difficult to be identified unless a person immediately seeks medical advice.
When a person decides to meet healthcare professionals, several procedures will be done to help identify the causes for such a headache. This includes a series of questions regarding patients’ medical history, neurology examination, imaging test such as CT-scan and laboratory findings such as blood test. All of these procedures not only help identify the cause but also help healthcare professionals decide the best treatment to help relieve the headaches and also eliminate the many causes predisposing to such pain.
There is no one fixated way to treat thunderclap headaches as treatment depends on its cause. Common treatments include medication to relieve pain such as acetaminophen or opioids, surgery, medications to control blood pressure and medications to help control recurrent thunderclap headaches that are typical with physical triggers.
In essence, thunderclap headache is the most severe type of headache that often peaks within the first 60 seconds. It can be caused by many medical issues and even physical triggers. Even though a person may experience only one episode of thunderclap headache in their life, some may experience more than once in the next few days, weeks or months after an initial attack. A person with thunderclap headache symptoms should always get to the hospital immediately to get the right diagnosis and treatment.
