When to check for headaches due to Covid-19?

Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that headache is a common symptom of Covid-19 besides cough, fever, diarrhea, and loss of taste. Survey with 2,000 patients with Covid-19 at the special page F0 . CareHeadache is the leading symptom that patients experience when infected with SARS-CoV-2.

According to Dr. Nguyen Huy Hoang, Viet Nga Hyperbaric Oxygen Center, headache symptoms appear due to blood vessel spasm, also known as vasomotor headache. When an artery constricts, it puts pressure on the nerves, causing temporary ischemia in certain areas of the brain and head muscles, causing a pain response. Besides, psychological stress and anxiety during infection are also causes of this condition.

Headache is a common symptom, but when experiencing unusual headaches, patients need to be monitored for timely treatment. “Patients should go to a medical facility when transient ischemic attacks appear, causing headaches, hemiplegia, and vision loss on one side,” said Dr. Hoang.

Headaches come on suddenly but are most likely a sign of a stroke. Before that, some studies also showed that patients with Covid-19 had a higher risk of stroke. Accordingly, the rate of stroke patients during Covid-19 infection is from 0.9% to 2.7%, 7 times higher than that of other viruses.

In addition, Doctor Hoang also advised that when experiencing headache symptoms with dense frequency and severe pain, patients need to visit medical facilities for timely examination and treatment.

Statistics from 15 studies around the world recorded that 44% of people had headaches. After 6 months, these symptoms persisted with a fairly high frequency, with about 50% of cases persisting. According to Dr. Hoang, patients need to apply a combination of measures to limit prolonged headaches that affect the quality of work and life.

To reduce symptoms of vasomotor headache stemming from a physical injury, patients can take blood-activated drugs to help improve blood circulation. In case of headache accompanied by shoulder and neck pain, combined with massage will help patients limit pain. In addition, patients can use over-the-counter pain relievers such as panadol, ibuprofen… to ease the pain, but should not be abused.

In addition, people experiencing headaches due to Covid-19 need a reasonable diet and living to improve their condition. Patients need to avoid anxiety, stress, reduce work intensity… and create a comfortable living environment. Regular exercise, avoiding negative news is one of the measures patients can apply to reduce symptoms.

Hong Thao