| Have you heard of the term thunderclap headache? | | | | cerebral aneurysm. Another test that is done is a |
| Honestly, I have not until I started reading about | | | | spinal tap. This test takes spinal fluid and tests it for |
| headaches. My sympathies go out with those who | | | | abnormalities in white blood count or proteins. |
| suffer from thunderclap headaches as I found out | | | | Your doctor is looking for numerous potentially |
| that they can be extremely severe. | | | | dangerous brain issues. One of these issues is a tear |
| A thunderclap headache comes very quickly. In fact, | | | | in the membrane around your brain and spinal cord. |
| within one minute, the pain will be extremely severe | | | | This may allow for the leakage of spinal fluid. Your |
| and debilitating. Thunderclap headaches will have no | | | | doctor should also be looking for any potential |
| apparent cause such as an injury, poor sleep or | | | | bleeding problems in your brain. This includes a |
| dehydration. You will also notice that over the | | | | ruptured blood vessel, a bulging vessel that is ready |
| counter pain relievers will not affect thunderclap | | | | to burst, a blood clot or a tear in an artery that leads |
| headaches. | | | | to the brain. Any of these things are considered |
| The headache itself can last approximately last a | | | | potentially dangerous. If your tests confirm any of |
| stretch of as many as 11 days in a state that is less | | | | these things then you will need to have immediate |
| severe. A lot of times, thunderclap headaches can be | | | | emergency surgery in order to repair the bleeding. |
| the sign of a more serious problem. In fact, there are | | | | Luckily when these things are caught early enough a |
| some researchers who believe that thunderclap | | | | skillful brain surgeon can correct the flaw. |
| headaches are a warning sign that a blood vessel is | | | | Females over the age of 45 years old are more |
| about to burst inside of your head. In fact, 50% of | | | | prone to thunderclap headaches. If you have a |
| those who had bleeding in their brain had a | | | | sudden experience of a thunderclap headache, you |
| thunderclap headache first. | | | | should take note. If such headaches happen often |
| Your doctor should conduct tests to make sure that | | | | enough, you should go see a doctor. Your headaches |
| there is no medical problem linked to your thunderclap | | | | may indicate something dangerous or they may also |
| headache. The first test that they should do is a CT | | | | mean nothing at all. |
| scan. This computerized x-ray can see the various | | | | Your doctor may prescribe you some medications for |
| sections of your brain. After this test is completed | | | | these headaches. They are either in the form of |
| you should have an MRI done. This test uses radio | | | | nasal sprays or injections. These treatments act |
| waves and a magnetic field in order to see the | | | | instantly to relieve your pain. |
| structure of your brain. Depending upon what the | | | | More research is now being done on thunderclap |
| doctor finds when these tests are completed they | | | | headaches. Hopefully, more light will be shed on this |
| may order more testing. One such test is a cerebral | | | | debilitating headache. |
| angiogram. This test is done in order to look for a | | | | |