What you need to know about headaches and intestinal complaints
A headache is pain that can occur in different areas of the head: on one or both sides of the head, the forehead, the top of the head, or the neck and back of the head. In some cases, the shoulders may also hurt. The pain may be located in one place or radiate. A headache may feel like pressure, or it may be sharp, throbbing, or dull, and it may develop gradually, remain present in the background, or begin suddenly. The pain can be very severe and may be accompanied by nausea. A headache can last less than an hour or continue for several days.
A headache may be a primary headache caused by a change in the chemical activity of the brain and the nerves or blood vessels around the skull. The muscles of the neck may play a role, or there may be a combination of these factors. The most common types of primary headache are:
- Cluster headache
- Migraine (with and without visual symptoms and nausea), on one side
- Tension headache, often originating from the neck
- Trigeminal nerve
With secondary headaches, the pain occurs as a symptom of an illness, head injury, or medication. In this case, there may also be a relationship between headaches and intestinal disorders. Headache symptoms may then be caused mainly by, for example, constipation, a parasitic infection, or celiac disease. For persistent headaches, it is therefore useful to investigate intestinal complaints.
If there is an underlying condition, treatment is desirable. Products such as alcohol, sugar, and caffeine can be avoided. In some cases, it is advisable to change your diet. A rotation diet can often help identify which foods cause headaches. In case of high histamine levels, omit: red wine, chocolate, aged cheese, nuts. In case of constipation: eat more vegetables and try natural laxatives.
Tests for headaches combined with intestinal complaints
For a combination of intestinal complaints and headaches, stool testing through Darmklachten.nl can help. View our recommended test packages and individual modules below.
+Chronic gastrointestinal complaints (IBS) package
Price range: € 350,00 through € 475,00 meer informatie
Causes of headaches
- Alcohol
- Red wine and chocolate in people with histamine sensitivity
- Certain foods such as nuts, avocado, tomatoes
- Processed meats containing nitrates
- Food additives, including monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Skipping a meal
- Celiac disease
- Food allergies
- Ice cream headache (from eating something cold)
- Poisoning
- Lack of sleep
- Problems originating from the neck or body posture
- Stress
- Chronic intestinal complaints, constipation
- Flu
- Frontal sinus inflammation, sinusitis
- Hay fever
- Eye disorders, for example glaucoma
- Dental infections
- Middle ear infection
- Encephalitis or meningitis
- An aneurysm, a bulge in an artery in the brain
- Concussion
- A brain tumor
- Blood clot (thrombosis) in the brain
- Side effect of medication or after stopping medication
More information about the tests
- Digestive parameters: pH, fat, starch, color, and consistency of the stool – read more…
- Yeasts and fungi – Testing for the presence of, among others, Candida albicans – read more…
- Histamine intolerance – Testing for the absence of the enzyme diamine oxidase – read more
- Antigliadin and anti-ht-Transglutaminase – Markers for gluten intolerance – read more…
- Intestinal parasites – Testing for infections with intestinal parasites – read more…
About Darmklachten.nl
Darmklachten.nl is an initiative of MGlab&Advies, a laboratory specializing in stool testing. …read more
