What is forehead pain? Is it dangerous?

1. Types of forehead pain and possible symptoms

Before learning about the causes of forehead pain, you need to understand some types of forehead pain and the symptoms of each type. Specifically:

- Throbbing pain

It is a type of pain where you can clearly feel the heartbeat along with the heartbeat. Each time the pain appears in waves, it often seems "heavy" and you can feel great pressure on the forehead. This type of pain in the forehead can often be caused by pain. migraine, drunkenness, stress caused.

Piercing pain​

Piercing pain such as stabbing is pain that lasts for a short time but has a high level of severity. When pain occurs, the brain seems to feel frozen, especially when you have just eaten or drank something very cold. More serious health problems that can lead to this type of pain include aneurysms, although rare.

- Shooting pain

This type of pain is often diffuse and comes on quickly, making it feel like it's "shooting" out from your forehead. It's common in conditions like high blood pressure and infections.

Other symptoms that may accompany forehead pain include weakness, fatigue, nasal congestion, fever, chills, runny nose, nausea, diarrhea, tremors, pressure in the ears, pain in the neck, pain in the jaw, tingling in the scalp, or eye pain.

When forehead pain begins, pay attention to any other symptoms or physical changes you may be experiencing. This will help diagnose the cause of your forehead pain more easily.

2. Causes of pain in the forehead

Forehead pain is often a symptom of common problems such as colds or headaches. Other causes can also cause forehead pain, including:

- Infection, inflammation

Sinusitis has the most common acute pain symptom of pain around the forehead or around the eye socket. This pain is relatively characteristic and easy to recognize, the level of pain gradually increases until the pressure in the frontal sinus is reduced, then the pain gradually subsides.

Other symptoms of frontal sinusitis include: runny nose, stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, loss of smell, bad breath, fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius, fatigue, and body aches.

Other infections such as colds or flu can also cause this symptom. The pain is often dull and severe, like being pressed. Sometimes the patient may also feel intermittent forehead pain accompanied by a feeling of tightness.

Additionally, swelling and inflammation can increase pressure around your forehead and temples. This can be caused by illness or increased fluid in the soft tissues of the head and neck.

- Headache

Migraines, cluster headaches, tension headaches, frontal headaches - all can cause a variety of symptoms, including forehead pain.

The pain can feel like a dull ache, a throbbing pain, or a sharp, stabbing pain depending on the type of headache you have.

For example, frontal headaches can be caused by a number of diseases such as cerebrovascular disease, tumors compressing the brain, infections in the head and neck area, functional or simple neurological disorders.

- Hormonal changes

Hormones affect a lot of our health. Hormonal changes, especially during periods such as the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause, can cause pain in the forehead by affecting the chemical balance in the body. This pain can manifest in many different forms, from a dull ache to a strong ache.

- Eyestrain

Reading, using a computer, or playing on a small electronic screen for long periods of time can all lead to painful discomfort in the forehead.

- Quit alcohol, quit caffeine

Quitting caffeine, alcohol, or other substances can cause many post-withdrawal symptoms, including forehead pain.

- Meningitis

Meningitis is a more serious infection of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can cause severe headaches, including pain in the forehead. Meningitis is considered a serious condition and requires immediate medical attention.

Meningitis headaches are very serious and intense, accompanied by other symptoms such as sudden high fever over 39 degrees Celsius, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, convulsions, drowsiness, lethargy or possibly coma.

- Cerebral aneurysm

A brain aneurysm can cause symptoms in the head. The enlarged part does not burst, but may leak a certain amount of blood to the outside, which can put pressure on soft tissues and lead to lasting headaches.

Once the aneurysm ruptures, the headache will be sudden and extremely severe. Symptoms that require immediate medical attention include: Dizziness, nausea or vomiting, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, seizures, loss of consciousness, vision changes, paralysis on one side of the face, dilated pupils , pain above and behind the eyes, sudden drooping eyelids...

- Stroke

In rare cases, a sudden, sharp pain in the forehead can be a sign of a stroke.

Serious symptoms that require emergency medical attention include: Weakness or numbness, especially on one side of the body; change in level of alertness or consciousness, such as fainting or loss of consciousness; slurred speech or inability to speak; sudden change in vision, such as complete loss of vision or pain in one eye; change in mental status, such as sudden onset of confusion, delusions, or hallucinations.

3. How to reduce forehead pain

Depending on the cause of your forehead pain, treatment will vary. According to Healthline, basic treatments to relieve forehead pain may include:

- Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs

Aspirin or ibuprofen can help relieve forehead pain until the underlying problem is resolved. If your forehead pain is caused by sinusitis or a cold, decongestants may provide some relief. However, note that decongestants should only be used for a short time.

- Prescription drugs

If you have a history of migraines or certain types of headaches, your doctor may prescribe medication to help reduce the symptoms of these headaches.

- Rest

Once forehead pain occurs, it is important to get enough rest. Especially if the cause of forehead pain is a migraine. You can use an ice pack to apply to your forehead to help relieve pain while resting in a dark enough room to help your nerves relax better.

- Botox

Botox injections can be a useful option for migraines because they help block neurotransmitters that carry pain signals from the brain.

- Acupuncture, massage

Although less common, alternative therapies such as acupuncture and massage can help relax stiff muscles in the forehead caused by tension or stress, thereby helping to alleviate forehead pain.

- Surgery

Surgery may be necessary in cases where a patient has forehead pain due to a brain aneurysm.

4. Can forehead pain be prevented?

Based on the causes of the disease, forehead pain can be prevented more effectively. It could be:

- Manage stress with mind-relaxing techniques such as yoga, deep breathing exercises, meditation...

- Eat regularly: If you maintain a regular eating schedule with healthy, nutritious meals, you won't have to worry about headaches due to hypoglycemia and hunger.

- Avoid certain activities that may trigger headaches: If you find your headaches increase when playing video games, sitting in the back seat of a car, or reading in dim light, try to avoid these activities.

- Monitor your blood pressure: Headaches caused by high blood pressure can be very painful and need to be controlled properly. People with high blood pressure need to keep their blood pressure at a stable level by living a healthy lifestyle, using blood pressure stabilizers if available, and monitoring their blood pressure regularly.

Finally, in many cases, forehead pain can go away on its own when the underlying health problems improve. However, if the pain persists, interferes with daily activities and work, or if the warning symptoms of a stroke appear as mentioned above, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible for proper intervention.