Diabetic headaches are a condition that diabetic patients suffer when they feel intense pain on both sides of their head. The headaches may be caused by a variety of reasons. The first reason may be due to the side effects of oral medications that are prescribed to treat the disease. These medications are prescribed to lower blood pressure. A person may need a lower dose or they may have simply taken their pill and forgot to eat, which will drop the sugar level quickly. This issue is the next reason why diabetics may suffer from headaches.
Prolonged stints of unstable blood glucose levels can cause a myriad of problems and diabetic headaches are no exception. When blood sugar falls below 70 mg/dL, it is vital to remedy the situation as soon as possible. Failing to treat the cause of the headache, which is the poor glucose level, can cause seizures, coma, and even death.
The third reason that diabetic headaches occur is due to the disease itself. As diabetes causes nerve damage to any number of areas, including cranial, peripheral, and nerve roots, the neurons in the brain or eyes may have been damaged. This damage may cause throbbing, tenderness and pain in the head and eyes.
Diabetic Headaches – Symptoms
It is important to know the symptoms of diabetic headaches so that an individual can treat the root cause of the headache immediately. A person may notice that they feel shaky, dizzy, or even clumsy. These feelings may cause disorientation, combined with sweating, changes in mood, and tingling sensations in the mouth. These symptoms may occur with or without the headache, which can be experienced as tender points on the head, stabbing, throbbing, or dull pains. Some headaches may even produce nauseas and vomiting.
Diabetic Headaches – Treatment
When a person starts to notice a headache coming on, it is best to check their blood sugar first. Correcting this problem may also eliminate the headache.A person can achieve this result by taking a glucose tablet, drinking a sweet liquid, or eating a fast absorbing food. If the blood glucose level does not return to a normal level quickly or if their vision becomes blurred, it is recommended that the diabetic seek emergency medical attention.
If a person’s blood sugar does return to a normal range, but the diabetic headachespersist, they can try several different actions to resolve it. They can lie down, take a nap, put a cold compress on their head or eyes, or take pain medications. Taking over the counter medications should be used as a last result as it prolonged use can have a negative effect on the kidneys.
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