Headache in forehead is sometimes described as a frontal lobe headache. Headaches are one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor for missing work or school. Generally headaches can cause pain anywhere in your head but a frontal headache mostly causes pain and pressure in the forehead and temples.
There are several conditions when you feel pain in your forehead. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Tension headache.
- Cluster headache.
- Sinus headache.
- Eye strain headache.
- Spinal headache.
- Giant cell arteritis.
- Cough Headache.
- Fasting Headache.
- Headache due to Lack of Sleep.
1- Tension Headache
Tension headache is the most common type of headache and is experienced, to some degree, by the majority of the population.
Symptoms:
- Dull pain and sense of pressure around your head in the form of a band. The pain radiates from back of the head towards the forehead.
- Pain behind the eyes and in the temples.
- Headache on top of head.
- Mood and sleep disturbances.
Causes:
Stress, Anxiety, Fatigue, and Depression are among the most common causes.
Treatment:
Headache in front of head can simply be released by taking over the counter painkillers like acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen. The treatment solely depends on the cause.
2- Cluster headache
Cluster headache can be distinguished from other headaches by their striking periodic occurrence. One may experience, either one or several attacks of headache in forehead along with pain in back of head, temples, behind and around the eyes, within a 24 hour period.
Symptoms:
- Watery or swollen eyes.
- Nasal discharge and congestion.
- Headache in forehead and temples.
- Agitated or restless feeling.
Causes:
The cause of cluster headache is still unknown. But there is a genetic tendency and male dominance. Also, some other factors can trigger an episode i.e. alcohol, smoking, and noise pollution.
Treatment:
Acute attacks of cluster headaches can be managed by inhalation of 100% Oxygen and sumatriptan in the form of a subcutaneous injection.
3- Sinus headache
Sinus headache is characterized by headache in forehead and face as the inflammation in the sinuses, builds up inflammatory products, and exerts pressure.
Symptoms:
- Congested nose.
- Swelling in the face.
- Fever.
- Fatigue.
A constant feeling of pain and pressure in cheeks, forehead, around the eyes, and nasal bridge that aggravates upon lying down, moving, or even upon bending forward.
Causes:
Inflammation of mucosal surfaces, lining the sinuses, blocks the drainage ducts. Thus resulting in the accumulation of inflammatory products in the sinuses that exert pressure and cause headache in forehead, cheeks, and nose.
Treatment:
Headache, as well as the underlying cause (which in most cases is an allergy), are to be treated side by side.
- For headache: over-the-counter painkillers can give relief.
- For fever: anti-pyretics are given.
- For allergy: anti-histamines prove to be helpful.
4- Eye strain headache
Eye strain headache more commonly observed in people who work in front of computer screens all day and fatigue causes pain in the eyes and headache in forehead.
Causes:
Working for long hours in front of a computer screen can cause your eyes to dry out resulting in itching, redness, and soreness. This makes it difficult to focus on the screen and causes your eyes to tire out resulting in headache in forehead, behind the eyes and temples.
Symptoms:
- Headache in forehead and temples.
- Watery and dry eyes.
- Soreness and burning in eyes.
- Difficulty focusing.
- Twitching in eyes (muscle spasm in muscles around eyes).
Treatment:
- For acute headache: take over the counter painkillers.
- Other remedies include: taking a break, being sure to blink, sitting father from the screen, using anti-glare programs, and going for regular eye exams.
5- Spinal headache
Spinal Headache is felt as a dull and throbbing pain that begins at the back of head or front of head 1,2 days after a spinal tap.
Causes:
If spinal fluid keeps on leaking through the point of perforation during a spinal tap, it decreases the pressure in the brain. Thus resulting in a headache in forehead or some times pain in back of head.
Symptoms:
- Stiffness along with pain in neck
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Tinnitus and Vertigo
- Seizures and blurred vision.
Treatment:
A doctor may recommend increasing your oral intake, consuming caffeine, staying hydrated and taking oral analgesics.
However, If you develop a headache after a spinal tap. It should not be ignored and should consult your doctor as soon as possible.
6- Giant cell Arteritis
Giant cell arteritis is inflammation of blood vessels that are located on the temples. Characterized by headache in forehead, pain in the temporal and occipital region which is accompanied by scalp tenderness.
Some people develop jaw pain that is triggered by chewing or talking. If the symptoms aggravate, this may lead to visual disturbance which has chances of worsening to blindness in one eye due to occlusion of posterior ciliary artery.
Symptoms:
- Headache in forehead, pain in the temporal and occipital region.
- A flu like feeling.
- Weightloss accompanied by loss of appetite.
Treatment:
This can be managed by giving a corticosteroid like prednisolone along with other drugs depending on the severity of symptoms.
7- Cough Headache
Cough Headache is usually caused by strain such as sneeze, cough, blowing the nose, etc. It is classified into Primary and Secondary Headache. Headache in Forehead is mostly associated with primary headache.
Symptoms:
- Usually sharp and stabbing in character.
- Has an abrupt onset and it goes away within a few minutes.
- There are no other symptoms like nausea, photophobia, runny nose, or watery eyes.
Treatment:
- Indomethacin is given for an acute attack .
- Spinal Tap can be performed to relieve the pressure in case of increase intracranial pressure.
8- Fasting Headache
Fasting Headache is mostly experienced in Forehead due to hypoglycemia caused by skipping meals, rigorous dieting, and taking meals at longer intervals. This is most commonly experienced by people who opt for intermittent fasting as method of choice to loose weight
Symptoms:
- Hunger pangs
- Loss of coordination
- State of confusion
- Feeling Agitated.
- Low mood and Energy levels
Treatment:
- Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen can help.
- Oral Rehydration Solution can overcome the electrolyte depletion very fast.
9- Headache due to Lack of Sleep
Headache due to lack of sleep is felt on Forehead, Back of Head and Top of Head due to formation of proteins that cause chronic pain by lowering threshold of pain.
Symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Mild Nausea
- Photophobia and phonophobia
- Low mood
- The pain is throbbing and pulsating in character, ranging from mild to moderate in intensity.
Treatment:
- Analgesics: aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen
- Excedrin: For a migraine attack.
- Triptans: For Tension Headache.
- Antiemetics: chlorpromazine, metoclopramide
- Indomethacin: For Cluster Headache.
- Anticonvulsants: Topiramate
- Muscle relaxants: Nuberol Forte.
FAQ
Working for long hours in front of a computer screen can cause your eyes to dry out resulting in itching, redness, and soreness. This makes it difficult to focus and the focus on the screen and causes your eyes to tire out resulting in headache in forehead behind the eyes and temples.
Inflammation of mucosal surfaces lining the sinuses blocks the drainage ducts. Thus resulting in the accumulation of inflammatory products in the sinuses that exert pressure and cause headache in forehead, cheeks, and nose.
There are several conditions when you feel pain in your forehead some of them are mentioned below:
Tension headache.
Cluster headache.
Eye strain headache.
Sinus headache.
Spinal headache.
Giant cell arteritis.
