A frontal headache might occur across the forehead or isolated to a single spot. The discomfort might even extend down to the eyes with nagging pain in the eyeball. The pain might also cover the whole face that results to full debilitation until it resolves.
This type of headache typically lasts for a short time up to a couple of hours but is likely to recur. In rare instances, the headache might last for a few days on a continuous basis.
In case the pain is severe and recurs frequently, certain tests are required to determine the cause. There are also certain triggers that can start a frontal headache such as alcohol or being exposed to the sun for extended periods.
What are the causes?
- Muscle strain – this is the leading cause of a frontal headache. It occurs once the muscles around the front region of the head tighten and go into spasm.
- Eye strain – overusing the eyes might result to a headache. Due to the continuous use of computers or TVs for long hours, it can strain on the eyes.
- Sinusitis
- Migraine
What are the indications?
A frontal headache is simply a symptom of an underlying health condition. The site of the pain, severity and frequency tend to differ from one individual to another depending on the cause of the headache. Some of the symptoms that might occur along with the headache include the following:
- Burning sensation and tearing of the eyes
- Runny nose
- Diplopia
- Frequent episodes of sneezing
- Jaw pain
- Dizziness
- Nausea with or without vomiting
Management
When managing a frontal headache, conservative measures are initially used. This includes lifestyle modifications in which the potential triggers are identified.
The doctor might recommend certain exercises to provide pain relief. In case the lifestyle measures are not beneficial in alleviating the frontal headache, certain medications are required to manage the pain. These include pain medications such as ibuprofen. Muscle relaxants are also used to relieve the headache.