Doctor reveals how to tell if your headache is a sign of a brain tumour or just a cold

Although headaches are a communal ailment and usually thing to interest about, they tin astatine times beryllium signs of thing sinister, similar crab oregon a bleed connected the brain

A doc has advised however to archer the quality betwixt a sinister headache and a harmless one.

Dr Baibing Chen said 2 circumstantial symptoms are a telltale reddish flag. He said: "If a headache abruptly feels different, specified arsenic thunderclap headache, oregon it's lasting longer [than usual] it could beryllium of thing superior similar a bleed oregon tumour oregon aneurysm."

Headaches are typically thing to interest astir but the thunderclap headache, named aft a the weather phenomenon, is an agonising symptom which feels akin to being deed successful the head. It results successful "blinding symptom dissimilar thing experienced before," according to the NHS. This is considered a aesculapian emergency, and the wellness work advises sufferers to telephone 999 oregon get to A&E.

Dr Chen, who is based successful the US, told his Instagram followers abrupt thunderclap headaches whitethorn beryllium a motion of a burst humor vas successful the brain, which tin effect successful lifelong disability, coma and adjacent death.

Neck manipulation - a method carried retired by immoderate chiropractors - could enactment patients astatine hazard of processing the life-wrecking disease. However, Dr Chen has warned against it.

Dr Chen added: "Forceful cervix adjustments tin transportation a uncommon but superior risk, and that is vertebral artery dissection... A changeable successful the brainstem tin pb to 1 of the scariest things I've ever seen and it's called 'locked-in syndrome', wherever you're afloat alert but can't determination oregon speak."

But headaches tin besides beryllium a motion of a encephalon tumour, truthful medics typically counsel visiting the GP if headaches go caller oregon much frequent. Dr Chen suggests regular slumber helps support wide health, including the prevention of headaches.

"Chronic slumber deprivation tin summation the hazard of dementia and pb to a big of neurological issues. So adjacent with a engaged docket astatine the infirmary and coming location to 2 small kids I effort my champion to get prime slumber and get astatine slightest six hours erstwhile I can," the neurologist continued.

The NHS advises astir adults request astir 7 to 9 hours of bully prime slumber per day. However, yesterday a survey showed Brits are losing retired connected 25 days' worthy of slumber a year.