Migraine and Headache Symptoms

Tension Headaches

People with tension headaches commonly report these symptoms:

Episodic Tension Headaches (occurs less than 15 days per month)

• Pain is mild to moderate, constant band-like pain, pressure or throbbing
• Pain affects the front, top or sides of the head.
• Pain usually begins gradually, and often occurs in the middle of the day
• Pain may last from 30 minutes to several days

Chronic Tension Headaches (occurs more than 15 days per month)

• Pain may vary in intensity throughout the day, but the pain is almost always present
• Pain affects the front, top or sides of the head
• Pain comes and goes over a prolonged period of time

Associated Symptoms of Tension Headaches include:

• Headache upon awakening

• Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep

• Chronic fatigue
• Irritability
• Disturbed concentration
• Mild sensitivity to light or noise
• General muscle aching

Migraines

The symptoms of migraine headaches can occur in various combinations and include:

• Moderate to severe pain (often described as pounding, throbbing pain) that can affect whole head, or can shift from one side of the head to the other
• Sensitivity to light, noise or odors
• Blurred vision
• Nausea or vomiting, stomach upset, abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• Sensations of being very warm or cold
• Paleness
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Fever (rare)
• Bright flashing dots or lights, blind spots, wavy or jagged lines (aura)

Cluster Headaches

• Intense one-sided pain described as having a burning or piercing quality that is throbbing or constant
• Pain is located behind one eye or in the eye region, without changing sides
• Pain lasts a short time, generally 30 to 90 minutes. But, it can last from 15 minutes to three hours. The headache will disappear only to recur later that day (most sufferers get one to three headaches per day during a cluster period).
• Headaches occur very regularly, generally at the same time each day, and they often awaken the person at the same time during the night.

Sinus Headaches

• Deep and constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose
• The pain usually intensifies with sudden head movement or straining and usually occurs with other sinus symptoms, such as nasal discharge, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and facial swelling.

Reviewed by Department of Neurology, Department of Pediatric Neurology, The Cleveland Clinic.

Colds in children

Colds in children

The ‘common cold’ is caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat and sinuses. A virus is a germ that makes people sick. Colds are most common in the fall and winter when people are indoors and in close contact with each other.

It may seem like your child has one cold after another all winter. Young children haven’t built up immunity (defenses) to the more than 100 different cold viruses that are around. That’s why they can get as many as 8 to 10 colds each year before they turn 2 years old.

Once you have had a cold virus, you become immune to that germ. Therefore, children get fewer colds as they get older.

How do colds spread?

Children can catch colds from siblings, parents, other family members, playmates or caregivers.
Germs usually spread in one of three ways:

• Direct contact—such as kissing, touching or holding hands—with an infected person. If you have a virus, you will have germs in your nose, mouth, eyes, on your skin. By touching other people, you can pass on the virus.

• Indirect contact means touching something—a toy, doorknob or a used tissue—that has been touched by an infected person and now has germs on it. Some germs, including those that cause colds and diarrhea, can stay on surfaces for many hours.

• Some germs spread through the air when a person coughs or sneezes. Droplets from the cough or sneeze may reach another person’s nose or mouth.

How do I know if my child has a cold?

Typical cold symptoms include:

• runny or stuffed-up nose and sneezing,
• coughing,
• headache,
• mild sore throat,
• loss of appetite,
• fatigue, and
• mild fever.

The influenza (flu) virus causes high fever, cough and body aches. It strikes more quickly than a cold and makes people feel worse. Children with colds usually have energy to play and keep up their daily routines. Children with influenza are usually in bed.

When should I call my doctor?

Babies under 3 months of age can find it hard to breathe through a blocked nose. Feeding can be difficult. Call your doctor to make an appointment or take your baby to an emergency department if your baby:

• is having trouble breathing,
• is not eating or is vomiting, or
• has a fever (rectal temperature of 38.5°C or higher).

Some respiratory viruses that cause colds in older children and adults may cause more serious illness in babies and toddlers. These illnesses include croup (hoarseness, noisy breathing, barking cough), pneumonia (lung infection), bronchiolitis (wheezing, trouble breathing), or sore eyes, sore throat and neck gland swelling. Children with these conditions need to be seen by a doctor.

Children of all ages should see a doctor if the cold seems to be causing more serious problems. Call your doctor to make an appointment or take your child to an emergency department if you notice your child:

• is breathing rapidly or seems to be working hard to breathe,
• has blue lips,
• is coughing so bad that he is choking or vomiting,
• wakes in the morning with one or both eyes stuck shut with dried yellow pus,
• is much more sleepy than usual, doesn’t want to feed or play, or is very fussy and cannot be comforted,
• has thick or coloured (yellow, green) discharge from the nose for more than 10 to 14 days.

Call your doctor if your child shows any sign of a middle ear infection (ear pain, drainage from the ear), which can be caused by a cold.

What can I do if my child has a cold?

There is no cure for the common cold. Colds usually last about 1 week but can continue for as long as 2 weeks. They usually go away on their own.

• Keep your child as comfortable as possible. Offer plenty of fluids and small, nutritious meals.
• Check your child’s temperature. To ease pain, aches or a fever with a temperature greater than 38.5°C, use acetaminophen. Ibuprofen may be used for children over 6 months old. Unless your doctor says otherwise, give the dose recommended on the package every 4 hours until the child's temperature comes down. Do not give acetylsalicylic acid (ASA [eg, Aspirin])—or any medicine containing it—to children and teenagers with colds because it can lead to brain and liver damage (Reye syndrome).
• If your baby or toddler is having trouble breastfeeding because of a stuffed nose, use a rubber suction bulb to clear mucus from the nose. Use saline nose drops or saline nose spray if the mucus is very thick. The spray goes well into the nasal passages and may work better than the drops.
• Don’t give over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines (which don’t need a doctor’s prescription) to children younger than 6 years old unless your doctor prescribes them.
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before giving OTC drugs to children or to anyone taking other medicines or with a chronic illness. Read label instructions carefully. Do not give more than is recommended.
• Coughing helps clear mucus from the chest. Many OTC cough and cold products contain drugs to ease coughing. Usually they include dextromethorphan (also called DM) and/or diphenhydramine. Most studies of these drugs have been done in adults. The few that have been done in children show no benefit.
• Decongestants and antihistamines (medicine to clear nasal and sinus congestion) will not help coughing. Decongestants taken by mouth do not work very well and can cause your child to get a rapid heartbeat or to have trouble sleeping. Antihistamines do not work for colds.
• Medicated nose drops or sprays provide only brief relief and shouldn’t be used for more than 2 to 3 days. They can actually make the congestion worse. Don’t use these products in children under 6 years old.
• Cool mist humidifiers are not recommended because of the risk of contamination from bacteria and mould. If you do use one, disinfect it daily. Hot water vaporizers are not recommended because of the risk of burns.
• Antibiotics will not help get rid of a cold. Antibiotics should be used only when children develop more serious illness caused by bacteria, such as an ear infection or pneumonia.
• Children can continue their normal activities if they feel well enough to do so. If they have fever or complications, they may need a few days of rest at home. Your child can go to school if he feels well enough to take part in the activities. Children with colds can still play outside.

How can I prevent a cold?

• Hand washing is the most important way to reduce the spread of colds:
• Wash your hands after coughing, sneezing or wiping your nose.
• Wash your hands after being in contact with someone who has a respiratory infection.
• Wash your own hands and your child’s hands after wiping your child’s nose.
• When water and soap are not available, use premoistened hand wipes or alcohol-based hand rinses. Keep hand rinses out of your child’s reach because they may be harmful if swallowed.
• Keep babies under 3 months old away from people with colds, if possible.
• Teach your children to cover their nose and mouth with tissues when they sneeze or cough, or to cough into their upper sleeve or elbow.
• Avoid sharing toys that young children place in their mouths until they have been cleaned.
• Avoid sharing cups, utensils or towels with others.
• If your child attends daycare, tell the caregiver about any symptoms and ask if your child should stay home that day.
• Make sure your child receives all of the recommended immunizations. While vaccines won’t prevent colds, they will help prevent some of the complications, such as bacterial infections of the ears or lungs. Influenza vaccine protects against influenza but not against other respiratory viruses.

Heart Attack Symptoms and Warning Signs

Heart Attack Symptoms and Warning Signs

If you think you're having a heart attack, call 9-1-1 or your emergency medical system immediately.

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs: These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

If you or someone you're with has chest discomfort, especially with one or more of the other signs, don't wait longer than a few minutes (no more than 5) before calling for help. Call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number... Get to a hospital right away.

Calling 9-1-1 or your emergency response number is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. The staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. You'll also get treated faster in the hospital if you come by ambulance.

How do I know if a heart attack has occurred?

A doctor who's studied the results of several tests must diagnose a heart attack. The doctor will

• review the patient's complete medical history.
• give a physical examination.
• use an electrocardiogram (e-lek"tro-KAR'de-o-gram) (ECG or EKG) to discover any abnormalities caused by damage to the heart. An ECG is a medical device that makes a graphical record of the heart's electrical activity.
• sometimes use a blood test to detect abnormal levels of certain enzymes in the bloodstream.

Top 10 signs of pregnancy

Top 10 signs of pregnancy

1. Food cravings
2. Darkening of your areolas
3. Implantation bleeding or cramping
4. Frequent urination
5. Fatigue
6. Tender, swollen breasts
7. Altered sense of taste
8. Morning sickness
9. A missed period
10. A positive home pregnancy test

If you're extremely tuned in to your body's rhythms, you may begin to suspect you're pregnant soon after conception. But most women won't experience any early pregnancy symptoms until the fertilised egg attaches itself to the uterine wall, several days after conception. Others may notice no signs of pregnancy for weeks and begin to wonder "Am I pregnant?" only when they miss a period. Below is a list of some of the first signs of impending motherhood. You may experience all, some, or none of these symptoms of pregnancy:

1. Food cravings.

Yes, it's a cliché, but food cravings sometimes can be a sign of pregnancy. Don't rely on them as a sure symptom (it may be all in your head, or even a sign that your body is low on a particular nutrient), but if cravings are accompanied by some of the other symptoms on this list, start counting the days from your last period.

2. Darkening of your areolas.

If the skin around your nipples gets darker, you may have successfully conceived, though this may also signal a hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or be a leftover effect from a previous pregnancy.

3. Implantation bleeding or cramping.

About eight days after ovulation, you may experience implantation spotting, a slight staining of a pink or brown colour, as well as some cramping. This is caused by the egg burrowing into the endometrial lining. You might also see some spotting around the time you expect your period.

4. Frequent urination.
Once the embryo implants and begins producing the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), you may find yourself going to the bathroom more often.
5. Fatigue.
Feeling tired? No, make that exhausted. High levels of the hormone progesterone can make you feel as if you've run a marathon when all you've done is put in a day at the office. Fatigue is a hallmark of early pregnancy, though probably not a surefire symptom on its own.
6. Tender, swollen breasts.
If you're pregnant, your breasts will probably become increasingly tender to the touch, similar to the way they feel before your period, only more so. Once your body grows accustomed to the hormone surge, the pain will subside.
7. Altered sense of taste.
You may notice that your sense of taste changes. Some women say they have a metallic taste in their mouth, others that they cannot stand the taste of coffee, tea, or a food they usually like.
8. Morning sickness.
If you're lucky, morning sickness won't hit you until a few weeks after conception. (A lucky few escape it altogether.) But as early as a couple of days following conception, you may begin feeling nauseated and queasy. And not just in the morning, either -- pregnancy-related nausea can be a problem morning, noon, or night.
9. A missed period.
If you're usually pretty regular and your period is late, it's worth trying a pregnancy test. A missed period is the surest sign of pregnancy in a woman of childbearing age who usually has regular periods.

And finally...
10. A positive home pregnancy test.
If you've waited to test until at least the first day of a missed period and a blue line appears in the home pregnancy test window, you're most likely to be in the family way.