Have you had any surgery that made you experience a splitting headache afterward? Or do you have a family member who complained of the same thing? Well, it does sound weird if someone complains of a headache after a specific lower extremity surgery. However, we do not necessarily mean that it won’t happen. The same goes for experiencing a headache after a surgery like tooth implants. Whether it sounds related or not, a headache after surgery can still happen.
Causes of Headache after Surgery
Post-surgical patients complain of headaches for several different reasons. So, if you are about to undergo an operation and you want to know what would cause your headache after surgery, whether yours is minor or major, here are some common causes.
Anesthesia reaction
All surgery procedures require a certain amount and type of anesthesia.
General anesthesia. Surgeons recommend this type of anesthesia for patients requiring complicated operations concerning major organs of the body. When a patient is on general anesthesia, he loses consciousness and feeling, becoming disoriented to time, touch, and location.- Regional anesthesia. Surgeons can use spinal anesthesia or epidural anesthesia through this type. Regional anesthesia numbs a major portion of your body, and surgeons allow the medication to pass through the spinal cord.
- Local anesthesia. This type is actually a regional anesthesia, except that the area being numb is categorically smaller. Surgeons use this type when performing minor operations.
The typical headache after surgery caused by anesthesia has a name – a spinal headache. Doctors explain that leakage of spinal fluid into the surrounding tissues at the insertion site of the spinal or epidural needle may have caused such a complaint. Normally, the spinal fluid circulates the brain and the spinal cord and helps maintain the brain in a floating position when we are standing or sitting up. In the absence of an adequate amount of spinal fluid, the brain begins sagging due to leakage at the needle insertion site, hence, the spinal headache.
Surgery Type
The location and relation of the surgery can logically affect your complaint of having a headache after surgery. Although most surgeons would include headaches as a common post-surgical complaint about all types of surgery procedures, certain surgeries can directly affect how you develop migraines or headaches.
- Brain surgery. Since the pressure on your brain changes during and after the operation, brain swelling or change in the cerebrospinal fluid can trigger a headache after surgery.
- Sinus surgery. Swelling or inflammation of the sinuses that are nearest to the brain can also increase its pressure.
- Oral surgery. Oral surgery can leave you with a stiff jaw, which can then lead to uncomfortable tension headaches.
Present Condition of Patient
Aside from the involvement of anesthesia and the pressure added to the brain, your headache after surgery can also come from your pre-existing medical conditions.
If you have:
- Hypertension
- Anxiety
- Panic disorder
- Insomnia
- Chronic pain syndrome
- Anemia
- Dehydration
These medical conditions may indirectly cause your headaches as they begin to show their symptoms during your recovery period.
Treatment for Headache after Surgery
Positioning
Immediately after your surgical procedure, your surgeon would recommend that you maintain lying flat on your back, preferably with no pillows. This will maintain the pressure on your head all the while the anesthesia winds down and its effects subside.
Pain relievers
Ambulatory patients who can already move in and out of the bed can still complain of headaches. What they can do is to take pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Caffeine
Patients can also drink coffee or tea to increase the caffeine in their blood, triggering the reduction of pain stimulus to the brain.
Water
Because dehydration can cause you to experience headaches, hydrating yourself with healthy fluids can become an efficient remedy.
Cold compress
People who feel headaches with or without surgery can practice putting an ice pack on their heads to relax and relieve the tension.
Blood patch
Surgeons recommend this solution only to those patients who underwent surgery under regional anesthesia (spinal or epidural anesthesia). The process includes injecting the patient with his own blood into the spinal column, directly to the area where the spinal or epidural needle was introduced.
Doctors claim that the blood would clot and patch the hole around the injection site where spinal fluid leaks and causes the headache. Once the hole closes, the headache automatically stops.
Doctors would reassure their patients experiencing postoperative headaches not to worry. With rest, fluids, and time, most headaches will resolve themselves on their own. Suppose your headaches are extremely painful and don’t respond to usual treatment. In that case, you should always speak to your doctor to discuss treatment options.