HEADACHES, TRANSIENT ISCHAEMIC ATTACKS: TYPE OF HEADACHE
Just as a stroke can sometime cause a headache, SO TIAs can also be associated with a headache, exactly like the headache of a full-blown stroke.
What else could it be?
At first a TIA is just like a stroke; you only know it’s a TIA because it goes away again after a time. Any TIA that doesn’t go away isn’t a true TIA. It must have been caused by a clot which didn’t disperse, and which blocked the artery long enough, to kill off some of the surrounding nerve cells.
Just occasionally what looks like TIAs can actually be the lip of the iceberg for a rather more sinister event, such as a brain tumour. It can be remarkably difficult to spot these, but unexplained, recent weight loss, increasing or continuous headaches, no response to treatment, and abnormalities in blood tests are all features that point towards this diagnosis; but it often needs some very specialised tests such as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scanning to be sure of what is going on.
Orthodox treatment
Although TIAs are like mini-strokes, unlike strokes TIAs are eminently treatable. The aim is to reduce the stickiness of the platelets and stop them clumping together. A tiny dose of aspirin is sufficient – just a child’s dose (75-150 mg) once a day is all that is required to make the platelets a little less sticky (the normal adult dose of aspirin is 600 mg every four hours). Alternatively, your doctor may use a drug called dipyridamole (Persantin) which has the same effect.
Firstly, don’t panic. Although at first it looks just like a stroke, a TIA goes away completely after a short lime. Once you’ve had one TIA, you may be prone to i it hers; be sure lo consult your doctor to be sure of the diagnosis. And do remember that TIAs don’t necessarily lead to full-blown strokes.
Complementary treatment
I regular infusion of white willow bark or meadowsweet tea might help, as In lib of these contain aspirin in natural form. However, it may be best just to use a tablet of the pure drug, in a proper controlled dose. Taken regularly, aspirin will reduce the stickiness of the latelets help prevent clots.
Associated problems
Strokes are often associated with high blood pressure ; imbalances in the muscles of the neck can lead to muscular spasms and tension headaches. Physiotherapy or some of the other manipulative medicines may be helpful in dealing with this. Strokes mainly occur in older people, many of whom have a degree of cervical spondylosis or osteo-arthritis in the neck. Depression may follow a severe stroke and make muscle tension, and tension headaches, worse.
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