High Blood Pressure and Headaches

Is there any link between high blood pressure and headache? In the olden days it was thought that headaches are caused due to high blood pressure but as science advanced researchers found that there is no link between frequent headaches and high blood pressure. Headache can be caused due to several reasons like cold, fever, sinusitis, stress, worry etc.

Head ache was linked to high blood pressure because during headache the blood pressure tends to rise temporarily due to the discomfort and pain experienced by the body. To understand the difference between headache and high blood pressure it is better to first understand the meaning of headache and high blood pressure separately.

What is Headache?

Have you suffered from headache? The obvious answer is yes as most of the people might have suffered from headache during their life time due to some reason or the other. Headache in general terms mean the pain that is felt in the head. But you will be surprised to know that the skull bones or the brain tissues do not have any kind of nerves that is sensitive to pain. Surprised isn’t it? But that is the truth. Then where does the actual pain occur which we call headache. The actual pain occurs in the scalp nerves or in the delicate nerves of the face, throat and mouth.

What is Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure means that condition when blood pressure count reaches higher than the normal measure. What is the normal measure? The normal measure is 120/80 in which the higher count that is 120 is called the systolic pressure and the lower count that is 80 is called the diastolic pressure. If there is a rise in these counts then it is called high blood pressure or hypertension. But wait, do not get confused. A person can be diagnosed as suffering from high blood pressure only when there is a persistent rise in the blood pressure level. Sometimes it happens that there is a temporary rise in the blood pressure level due to some kind of health problem or some other problem, this temporary rise cannot be termed as high blood pressure.

What is the link between High Blood Pressure and Headache? 

Truly speaking there is no link between high blood pressure and headache. On the contrary you will be surprised to know that people who are suffering from high blood pressure do not suffer so much from headache as the people whose blood pressure is normal. It has also been observed that people who were suffering from high blood pressure after taking medicines and controlling the high pressure suffered from frequent headaches. This may be due to the adverse effect of medicine. This does not mean that they should stop the medicines on the contrary they should consult the doctor and get the medicines changed.