Right-sided headache triggers, implications, and instant relief strategies explained.
Headaches on the right side of your noggin? Here's what could be causing that pesky pain.
Whether it's a dull ache or a full-blown migraine, headaches can be a real pain in the crown. But when they hit just one side, you might start to worry. Let's dive into some common culprits behind right-sided headaches.
Potential Perpetrators
Headaches can stem from a wide array of factors, but we'll focus on those that tend to affect one side specifically.
Single-sided troublemakers:
- Temporal arteritis: It's an inflammation of the temporal artery, usually only on one side. Along with the headache, you might feel fatigue, jaw pain, and tender temples.
- Trigeminal neuralgia: This condition causes intense facial and head pain, typically impacting just one side at a time. It's due to a disruption to the trigeminal nerve at the base of the brain.
- Sinus headaches: If you've got a deviated septum, you might be prone to sinus headaches, which tend to affect just one side.
Double-sided hassles:
- Occipital neuralgia: It usually hits both sides, but can cause one-sided symptoms. This happens when occipital nerves, which run from the top of the spinal cord to the scalp, are damaged or inflamed.
Other causes of headaches can affect either side or both, such as allergies, flu, fatigue, head injury, infections, fluctuations in blood sugar levels, dehydration, muscle strains, and tumors.
Medication triggers:
Your favorite painkiller might be causing your headache! Overusing medication such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen can lead to a medication overuse headache, a common type of headache affecting a big portion of the global population.
What types of headaches affect the right side?
There are loads of headaches out there. Migraines and cluster headaches are the most likely to strike the right side. Tension headaches may also cause pain on the right side in some people.
When to call the doc:
Most headaches pass on their own, but if you get them frequently, it’s wise to book an appointment with your doc to discover the root cause. If, however, you're fighting these symptoms alongside other concerning signs, like vision changes, confusion, fever, increased pain during movement, neck stiffness, numbness, personality or cognitive changes, rash, sleep disturbances, slurred speech, weakness, or loss of consciousness – get medical help urgently!
One-sided headaches are not always a migraine. Other possible reasons include neurological problems, tension headaches, medication side effects, and allergies.
Staying hydrated can help keep dehydration-related headaches at bay. To treat this type of headache, healthcare professionals usually recommend replenishing fluids.
- If a deviated septum is responsible for your sinus headaches, they may only affect one side, specifically the right side.
- The neurological condition named Temporal arteritis, which is an inflammation of the temporal artery, can trigger a right-sided headache, accompanied by fatigue, jaw pain, and tender temples.
- Science has established Qulipta as a potential treatment for certain migraines, however, its effectiveness may vary among different personas.
- Some naive treaters might overlook the possibility of right-sided headaches being caused by Trigeminal neuralgia, a condition that causes intense pain on the affected side.
- When managing health-and-wellness, it's essential to note that headaches can stem from various medical-conditions, making it crucial to consult with a medical professional if you constantly experience right-sided headaches or if they're accompanied by other concerning symptoms.
