What causes headaches if blood pressure is normal?

Apr 16, 2023 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Tian Hongbo

Introduction

Headaches without high blood pressure may result from excessive熬夜 (staying up late), excessive mental stress, and consequent sleep deprivation. They could also be caused by stimulation or compression of head blood vessels or muscles, leading to tension-type headaches that irritate cerebral blood vessels and nerves. Additionally, the presence of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) may cause paradoxical embolism, allowing venous blood to shunt into arterial circulation, resulting in small thrombi reaching the cerebral vessels and causing headaches.

In general, headaches occurring without high blood pressure may be caused by non-disease factors, or may result from medical conditions such as tension-type headache or patent foramen ovale (PFO). The specific analysis is as follows:

1. Non-disease factors

Headaches without elevated blood pressure may be due to excessive熬夜 (staying up late), or excessive mental stress leading to sleep deprivation. Symptoms usually gradually improve after adequate rest and sleep, and no specific treatment is required.

2. Disease factors

1) Tension-type headache

This type of headache may arise when blood vessels or muscles in the head are stimulated or compressed, causing muscle contractions that impair blood flow and stimulate brain blood vessels and nerves, resulting in ischemia and headache symptoms. Treatment may include medications such as acetaminophen tablets, loxoprofen sodium tablets, or diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets, taken according to medical advice.

2) Patent foramen ovale (PFO)

Patients with PFO may experience paradoxical embolism, where venous blood shunts into the arterial circulation, allowing small clots to travel to cerebral blood vessels and cause headaches. Surgical intervention is typically recommended, such as transcatheter PFO closure or surgical repair via thoracotomy.

In addition, headaches may also be caused by coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. It is recommended to identify the underlying cause and adopt appropriate treatment accordingly.

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