Left headache: causes, symptoms, treatment

Left headache is one of the most commonly complained conditions. The causes of left headaches can also appear from daily habits to symptoms from certain medical conditions. For more details, see the explanation of the left headache below.

Various things cause left headaches

The causes of left-sided headaches range from lifestyle factors such as frequent delaying eating to using drugs that are not in accordance with the rules. Here are some things that can cause headaches on the left:

1. Lifestyle factors

Without realizing it, your daily habits can cause headaches to appear only on the left. Some of the daily habits that can trigger headaches on the left include:

• Excessive alcohol consumption. Alcoholic drinks such as beer, wine, and other alcoholic drinks containing ethanol. Ethanol is a chemical compound that triggers the dilation of blood vessels in the head, which can cause headaches on the left side.
• Eating irregularly. Your brain needs sugar (glucose) from food in order to function optimally. That is why, when you often skip meals, your blood sugar will drop dramatically. As a result, your brain cannot function optimally and results in headaches on the left side.
• Lack of sleep. This condition increases the stress hormone cortisol which can trigger headaches, including in the left side of the head. That's the reason for a tension headache (tension headache) appear more frequently and get worse after you stay up late. In addition, people who have sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea more likely to experience left-sided headaches due to lack of sleep.
• Daily food. Some foods can be the cause of the left side headache. The most common are preserved or artificially sweetened foods, caffeine, processed meats, and salty foods.
• Stress. At any time, you can experience stress. This could be due to work, financial problems, problems with your spouse or family, or it could just be due to traffic jams on the road. Stress causes your body to generate a “fight or flight” response which strains your muscles and reduces blood circulation, which can lead to left-sided headaches.

2. Infection or allergy

Common infections such as colds or sinuses can cause left-sided headaches. Allergic reactions can also cause some people to experience headaches, which can appear on the left side of the head. This occurs because the sinus passages narrow when you have an infection or allergy, which makes your head hurt.

In addition, more serious infections, namely encephalitis and meningitis, also cause severe headaches that can appear on the left side of the head. This pain is accompanied by high fever, neck stiffness, and convulsions.

3. Too often taking pain relievers

Although the initial goal is to treat headaches, pain relievers such as (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and paracetamol) that you can take can actually make headache symptoms worse.

Especially if you take these pain relievers in excessive doses and are consumed more than 2-3 days per week. This condition is called rebound headache and it can happen almost every day. The pain generally starts when you wake up in the morning.

4. Migraine

The headache on the right can be triggered by a migraine.

Migraines are generally characterized by attacks of headaches that are often described as thumping, pounding, or pulsating on one side of your head. Migraines can be preceded or accompanied by an "aura" of visual disturbances or a sensation of numbness on one side of the body.

5. Nervous disorders

In many cases, left headaches can also be caused by nerve problems. Here are some of the nerve problems that can cause headaches on the left:

Occipital neuralgia

The occipital nerve sits above the spinal cord and extends down your neck to the base of your skull. If the nerve is irritated due to prolonged pressure, you will feel intense pain, precisely in the back of the head or base of the skull. The pain lasts from a few seconds to several minutes.

Giant cell arteritis

This condition occurs when there is inflammation and damage to the arteries that carry blood flow to the brain. Giant cell arteritis is often referred to as temporal arteritis or Horton's disease. The typical symptom of this disease is a headache accompanied by pain in the jaw, shoulder and hip.

Trigeminal neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia or facial pain is a condition that causes pain in the trigeminal nerve. These nerves are the main nerves on the face which are located at the temples.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic disease. Symptoms can last for days, weeks, or months and can disappear over a period of months or years.

6. Various other conditions

Left headache also occurs due to:

• Too much pressure on the head. Wearing a helmet or headgear that is too tight and strong can put pressure on one or both sides of the head. If it only appears on one side of the head, then you may experience left-sided headaches.
• Injury. A hard blow to the head from an accident or fall can cause traumatic brain injury. In fact, this condition can also cause you to have a concussion. Usually a concussion gives rise to symptoms such as intense headache, confusion, nausea and vomiting. The headache that appears can be felt on the left side of the head.
• Glaucoma. Increased pressure in the eyeball can cause symptoms of a left headache that is excruciatingly painful. Even so, sometimes headaches can also occur on both sides.
• High blood pressure. Hypertension does not cause symptoms. However, according to Harvard Health Publishing, an intense headache on the left could be a sign if they have severe hypertension. Severe hypertension usually comes on suddenly and affects about 1 percent of people who have hypertension.
• Brain tumor.One of the early symptoms of a brain tumor is a sudden, excruciating headache. This pain may be felt to the left side of the head. Usually accompanied by other symptoms such as blurred vision, speech problems, confusion, and difficulty walking.
• Stroke. Blood clots can block blood circulation to the brain and cause a stroke. Bleeding that occurs in the brain can also cause a stroke. Well, sudden and intense headaches are one warning sign of a stroke.

Symptoms of the left headache to watch out for

Although the pain that can be felt on the left side of the head is a fairly common health problem, this condition should not be underestimated. Here are some headache symptoms that you need to pay attention to:

1. Appears suddenly and is very painful

If you suddenly experience a sudden left headache accompanied by intense and unbearable pain, seek medical help immediately to the nearest hospital or health clinic.

Especially if you have never experienced pain on the left before. The reason is, the pain on the left feels like a hard hit on your head and this level of pain can get worse in just a few minutes.

2. Difficulty speaking accompanied by numbness

If you have a terrible left-sided headache followed by disturbances such as slurred speech, difficulty composing sentences, confusion, difficulty thinking, and difficulty understanding other people's words, you could be having a stroke.

Especially if symptoms appear, namely difficulty moving the limbs and a tingling or numb feeling appears.

3. Impaired vision

According to dr. Emad Estemalik from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine in the United States (US), left-sided headache with visual impairment can be a serious migraine symptom.

One-sided headaches due to migraines can cause your vision to be blurry or hazy. Also pay attention to other symptoms such as body weakness and tingling sensations.

4. Symptoms get worse if you change positions

Pay attention, is the pain in the head including the left side of the head that attacks so it becomes more excruciating if you change positions? For example, if you bend down, get up, or sit down.

If the pain gets worse when changing positions, this could be a symptom of leaking cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.

5. Does not work to be treated

If pain relievers do not improve your headache pain, then get the headache on the left to get checked out by a doctor. You are also advised to see a doctor if the headache on the back or on the left or right side that attacks does not subside, even though it has been more than 24 hours and you have been taking pain relievers.

How to deal with left headaches

Here are some options for how to deal with left headaches that are classified as effective and effective that can be tried if you suddenly have an attack, such as:

1. Take a break

When the left side of the headache strikes, immediately find a place to lie down or just sit down. Try to rest in a quiet room and avoid noise so you can lie down in peace. Try to calm down and relax your head and shoulders.

2. Breathe

As mentioned above, stress is one of the factors that triggers headaches, including those felt on the left side of your head. One of the effective ways to relieve stress to avoid headaches is to take deep breaths.

To start, sit quietly in a quiet and comfortable place. Close your eyes and inhale through your nose. Then, inhale deeply for a count of two. Hold your breath for a count, then exhale slowly, for a count of four.

3. Massage the head gently

You can try massaging the affected area using your index finger and / or thumb. For example, if your head hurts on the left side, massage your head in that area. Give constant light massage for 7-15 seconds, then release. Repeat again until you feel less pain.

4. Take pain relievers

If rest is not enough to relieve the left side of the headache, you can take pain relievers or pain medication. The drugs commonly used are aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen, naproxen.

However, it should be noted that taking these drugs must be adjusted to the type of headache that attacks.

5. Do simple stretches

Tightening of the muscles in the shoulders and neck can also cause left-sided headaches. Usually this is because you are sitting in a certain position for too long. Apart from that, fatigue and stress can also be other causes of headaches on the left.

Take time to stretch for a few minutes. No need to do difficult stretches, just do it with simple movements.

For example, you could try bending your head to one side and then slowly rotating it downwards in a semicircle, letting your chin touch your chest. You can repeat to the opposite side.

6. Drink lots of water

Many people ignore the benefits of drinking water. In fact, one of the benefits of this habit can reduce your risk of developing dehydration, which is generally indicated by a headache that also feels on the left side.

So, if you experience left-sided headaches accompanied by thirst, dry mouth, excessive fatigue, and frequent urination, try drinking a glass of water.

7. Stay away from your gadget for a while

If your job requires you to stare at a computer screen for a long time, give your eyes a break for about 10 minutes per hour. You can take a walk, chat with friends, and read magazines or books.

You can also use anti-radiation glasses while in front of a computer screen. In addition, pay attention to your sitting position. If you want to use a cellphone, try to get yourself in the right position.

8. Cold or warm compress

You can do the cold compress and hot compress technique to treat the left side of the headache. Try compressing the forehead and back of your neck using a warm cloth. This will help improve blood circulation and relax tight muscles.

After that, continue by compressing the sore head with a cold compress. This cool effect will shrink the blood vessels. When the blood vessels shrink, the pressure on the sensitive nerves in the head will decrease.