How to help a high blood pressure headache?

Study results provide conflicting evidence on whether high blood pressure causes headaches.

According to a paper in the Iranian Journal of Neurology, headaches due to high blood pressure typically occur on both sides of the head. The headache pain tends to pulsate and often gets worse with physical activity.

According to the authors, high blood pressure can cause headaches because it affects the blood-brain barrier.

In very severe cases, when blood pressure is extremely high, hypertension can result in excess pressure on the brain, which can cause blood to leak from the blood vessels in this organ.

This leakage causes edema, or swelling, which is problematic because the brain sits within the skull and has no space to expand.

The swelling places further pressure on the brain and causes symptoms that include a headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, weakness, seizures, and blurred vision. If a person receives treatment to lower their blood pressure, their symptoms will usually improve within an hour.

The American Heart Association (AHA) maintains that people do not usually experience headaches when their blood pressure is high unless it goes above a reading of 180/120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). At this point, it becomes a hypertensive crisis, which is a medical emergency.

Researchers have also looked at whether having regular headaches might affect a person’s overall heart health.

• Take prescribed blood pressure medication (if you have any)
• Call 911 or ask someone to take you to the emergency room.

Taking pain-relieving medication isn’t enough to cure a hypertension headache. It might feel like the pressure is building up inside your head, causing severe pain and a pulsing sensation. Sometimes, a hypertensive headache can be accompanied by other symptoms, including:

Taking pain-relieving medication isn’t enough to cure a hypertension headache. It might feel like the pressure is building up inside your head, causing severe pain and a pulsing sensation. Sometimes, a hypertensive headache can be accompanied by other symptoms, including:

No matter what the cause, those with a headache seek fast relief. However, if you do have diagnosed high blood pressure and are on medication to treat it, it’s important to be mindful of which treatment you choose.

Always check the label of your medications and make sure that you won’t be doing more harm than good with the way you choose to treat your headache.

There are natural ways to treat headaches at home, and adding certain foods to your diet is a great place to start. Some headaches are caused by inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory agents are all foods that will reduce inflammation in your body and improve circulation. These anti-inflammatories include:

Shop online for flaxseeds.

Eating whole grains is always a good idea. However, make sure to avoid white flour if you’re having a particularly nasty headache. Reaching for whole grains instead will balance your blood sugar levels, which has been shown to control migraines.

Certain essential oils, such as peppermint and lavender, soothe the central nervous system. These oils can help provide relief from that “head pounding” feeling, especially in the case of headaches that are caused by stress.

Drinking too much caffeine has been shown to increase the number of headaches you have, in addition to elevating your blood pressure.

Be mindful of how much caffeine is in your diet. Also remember that if you’re cutting back on caffeine, chances are that you’ll have a headache as a symptom of withdrawal.

Over-the-counter medicines like aspirin are common headache treatments. If you have high blood pressure, you should only take aspirin if your blood pressure is currently well managed.

According to the Mayo Clinic, daily aspirin therapy is recommended for some people that are at higher risk of stroke.

Shop online for aspirin.

If your headache is becoming unbearable, your first instinct might be to reach for some type of pain reliever. Just know that if you're taking high blood pressure medications, aspirin or acetaminophen are your best options, Dr. Laffin says.

While we can’t get into everything here, this article will focus on high blood pressure (hypertension) and headaches. There is a connection between the two, but it likely isn’t what you think.

First I’ll explain what hypertension is. Then I’ll discuss if high blood pressure can cause headaches, as well as treatments for headaches and when to see a doctor about head pain.

Most of the time, high blood pressure does not cause symptoms.

The only case where hypertension appears to cause a headache is with a hypertensive crisis. This occurs when blood pressure soars to 180/120 mm Hg or higher and is associated with symptoms of end organ damage. Asymptomatic hypertension (high blood pressure without any symptoms). is not a medical emergency. If you experience asymptomatic high blood pressure contact your doctor for an appointment.

Hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency, as it can lead to stroke, heart attack, kidney damage, memory loss, and other severe complications. If your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or higher, wait five minutes and take your blood pressure reading again.

If your blood pressure is still elevated but you don’t have any other symptoms, contact your healthcare provider for guidance. However, if your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or higher and you experience any of the below symptoms, seek emergency care immediately:

Headache happens in 20% of hypertensive urgency (serious high blood pressure with no signs or symptoms of end-organ damage) cases. Hypertensive headache feels like:

Most times, high blood pressure happens without any symptoms. But when it comes with symptoms, a person may experience:

There are many ways to treat headaches, from over-the-counter (OTC) medications to lifestyle changes to alternative therapies. While the below are safe for an otherwise healthy person, it’s important not to self-diagnose the cause of frequent or chronic head pain.

A doctor can evaluate your symptoms, health history, and other factors to properly diagnose any underlying cause of your headaches and work with you to create a treatment plan.

Two main types of medications may help alleviate different headaches:

Stress may play a role in both headaches and migraines in adults.

While stress is an everyday part of life, finding ways to manage stress can help. Consider the following:

Although some caffeine is all right and may even have positive effects on headaches, too much caffeine may trigger migraines or headaches in some people. At the same time, caffeine withdrawal—which happens when you suddenly cut back or completely give up caffeine—may also cause head pain.

If you have frequent headaches, consider how much caffeine you consume on a daily basis from beverages like coffee, soda, and tea. If you suspect caffeine may be contributing to your headaches, gradually reduce your intake.

Other treatments for headaches include:

As a bonus, these things may also help manage high blood pressure.

If you have frequent, persistent, or worsening headaches or migraines, speak with your doctor.

An occasional headache could be blamed on tiredness, stress, or hunger, but frequent headaches may be a sign of an underlying health problem. Your doctor will ask how and where you feel headache pain—whether it’s on one side of your head, both, or all around.

They may also ask what time of day you typically get them, if there’s anything that seems to help, and if you have associated symptoms such as dizziness or blurry vision. Communicating all these details to your healthcare provider will help ensure that you receive an effective treatment plan.

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