The Sudden Pain of a Thunderclap Headache

You’re sitting around at home, watching a program or getting something on the computer.  Perhaps you’re at your desk hard at work, or trying out the latest new dishes at your restaurant of choice.  Suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, it hits:  a huge whopper of a severe headache.  It comes suddenly, and only gradually goes away – and during the time you’ve got it, there’s no question you feel its effects.  This is pain that is often described as the worst headache ever suffered.  If you are experiencing these sorts of headaches, you’re perhaps a sufferer of a type known as a thunderclap headache.  The name is certainly appropriate, as the onset of the affliction can be likened to a pop of thunder from the sky.  In a matter of a minute, the pain reaches its peak intensity; these headaches might last anywhere from a few hours to sometimes a week or more.

So what might cause these headaches??  The reasons that these headaches occur can be varies, and range from less severe to life-threatening.  A thunderclap can strike for no particular given reason, and could be any number of things – such as a torn lining in a blood-supplying brain artery, or an infection like meningitis…a condition that strikes many people, sometimes during adolescence or in a collegiate setting.  It could also be caused by the lack of flow of spinal fluid to the brain due to a cyst or some other blockage, among many other reasons.

In order to determine whether you are a thunderclap headache sufferer, you should get medical help immediately if you experience one of these headaches.  Go to the doctor and once there, you’ll likely be put through several potential tests, such as a spinal tap, or a CT scan that X-rays the brain.  Thunderclaps could be caused by a serious condition like a weakened blood vessel in the brain, or a hemorrhage.  You could be experiencing signs of a brain aneurysm.  Such would be a life-or-death situation that you can’t play around with – a significant reason why any headache of this type should be dealt with by going to the hospital to seek immediate diagnosis and treatment.

If you’re dealing with a thunderclap headache, it’s a burden regardless of what the cause may be – but take these things very seriously and make sure everything is fine...don’t wait!!!