Headache on the Left Side

Headache on the Left Side

Headaches are very common. In the United States, it is estimated that about 45 million Americans complain of headaches each year. That’s about 1 in every 6 people or about 16.54% of the population. 

What causes a headache?

In medicine, a headache is defined as any pain felt in any region of the head. It may occur in one or both sides of the head. It can be isolated in one location or radiate from one area to another. 

The quality of a headache can vary. Some may experience a sharp pain while others may have a throbbing sensation or dull ache. 

Types of Headache

Generally, headaches are classified by their cause. They can be a primary or secondary headache.

Primary Headache

A primary headache happens as a result of inflammation or overactivity of pain-sensitive areas of your head. It’s not an underlying symptom of a disease or condition; the headache itself is the main problem. 

Although the pain felt in a primary headache is not as debilitating as with secondary headache, it can still affect one’s quality of life. 

Secondary Headache

A secondary headache is one that’s caused by another condition. It’s rare and can be more dangerous than primary headaches.

Secondary headaches are often a symptom of a more serious medical condition. This can be due to brain tumors, meningitis, or brain aneurysms. 

Left Side Headaches

Headaches can occur in any part of the head, including the left side. The following headaches can cause pain on the left side of the head:

Migraine headaches

A migraine headache is not your typical headache. It can cause debilitating throbbing pain that can leave you on bed rest for days!

Symptoms 

Classified as a primary headache, a migraine headache is a neurological condition that can cause a variety of symptoms. It can cause nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, odors, and noise, fatigue, dizziness, blurring of vision, and loss of appetite. 

Cause

The exact cause of migraine headaches are still not fully understood. However, experts discover certain factors that can trigger the onset of migraines. These include emotional stress, caffeine, hormonal changes, certain chemicals and smells, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, and certain medications (e.g. taking too much pain medications and medications that cause blood vessels to swell).

Treatment

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for migraine headaches. However, there are ways to manage them. This includes:

• Pain medications
  The pain from mild to moderate migraines can be alleviated with over-the-counter pain medications. These medications often have aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, caffeine, and naproxen in them. It is best to take these OTC pain meds while pain is still mild.
  
  If OTC pain medications don’t provide enough relief, your doctor may recommend prescription pain meds.
  
  
• Home remedies
  Some of the home remedies for alleviating migraine headaches include rest, application of cold compress, massage, biofeedback, yoga, and acupressure. 

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are a rare form of headaches. The pain can be so severe and recur the same way each time. 

This headache usually occurs in groups or clusters (hence, the name), with each attack lasting about 1 to 3 hours on average. Men tend to get cluster headaches more often than females. 

Symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms of cluster headaches include:

• Sudden onset of pain, usually behind or around the eye
• Pain that peaks in about 10 to 15 minutes
• Watery eyes 
• Eye redness
• Eyelid drooping or swelling
• Nasal congestion
• restlessness

Cause 

Experts still don’t know exactly what causes cluster headaches. However, they suspect that their occurrence may have something to do with the sudden release of serotonin or histamine in the body.

Researchers are able to point out some things that may trigger cluster headaches. This includes:

• Alcohol drinking
• Smoking
• Exercise
• Heat 
• Cocaine use
• Bright light
• Foods containing nitrates such as processed meats

Treatment

Cluster headaches are treated following two approaches – one is for ending an attack and the other approach is for preventing future attacks.

For an ongoing attack, you may be given a high-dose oxygen therapy via face mask for 15 to 20 minutes. You may also be prescribed with a nasal spray containing sumatriptan. 

Sumatriptan is a selective serotonin receptor agonist. This causes blood vessels in the brain to constrict, which helps in relieving the pain. 

To prevent future cluster headache attacks, your doctor may prescribe you with medications to be taken daily. Some of the medicines prescribed for preventing cluster headachesinclude:

• Verapamil
• Prednisone
• Lithium Carbonate

Cervicogenic Headaches

Cervicogenic headache is a secondary headache. This means that this headache occurs as a result of an underlying physical or neurological condition.

Symptoms

Cervicogenic headache symptoms may include:

• Moderate to severe pain on one side of the head (the pain may also be felt on the neck region)
• Neck stiffness and reduced range of motion
• Blurring of vision (usually affecting only one eye)
• Pain felt in the shoulder, arm, or between the shoulder blades

Some people may also experience:

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Difficulty swallowing

Cause

Cervicogenic headache may occur as a result of trauma or an underlying medical condition such as cancer, infection, or rheumatoid arthritis. 

The onset of this headache may be triggered with:

• Abnormal posture of the head and neck
• Abnormal sleeping posture
• Valsalva maneuver (you exhibit this maneuver when you try to expel air with your mouth shut and nostrils pinched tight)

An ongoing cervicogenic headache can also get worse with the factors mentioned above.

Treatment

There is no single, specific treatment for cervicogenic headaches. It’s usually a combination of therapies to relieve the pain.

Some of the most common therapies recommended for these headaches include: 

• Manual therapy such as massages, physical therapy, and manipulation
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) therapy
• Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
• Drug therapy

Some of the most common drugs prescribed for cervicogenic headaches include anti-eleptic drugs, muscle relaxants, tricyclic antidepressants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and Botulinum toxin.

Other causes of left-side headaches

There are certain conditions that can cause left-side headaches. This includes vasculitis and brain/cerebral aneurysm.

Vasculitis is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation of the blood vessels.

A particular type of vasculitis called temporal arteritis can affect blood vessels in the head. This can cause a headache that’s similar to “thunderclap headache.” In this type of headache, the pain can get so severe within 1 minute and can last in 5 minutes.

Brain aneurysm, on the other hand, is a medical condition characterized by a formation of bulge in the brain’s blood vessels. Oftentimes, it doesn’t cause any symptoms unless it ruptures. 

Just like with vasculitis, brain aneurysm can also cause thunderclap-like headaches.

When to see a doctor

You should see a doctor if your headache is so severe or if the pain is accompanied with other symptoms such as blurring of vision, sweating, nausea and vomiting, and weakness one one side of the body.

It’s also important to see a doctor if your headache worsens, causes changes to your mental function or personality, or significantly affects your quality of life.