Severe Headaches and Stroke

A sudden severe headache which is different from any headache you might have ever had should be taken very seriously as it may herald the beginning of a stroke. Such severe headaches often flag that a hemorrhagic stroke (due to bleeding in or around the brain) is about to occur. These are often caused by ruptured aneurysms in the brain.

However, a second type of stroke that is caused by a severe headache is called "cerebral vasoconstriction", a term which describes a powerful spasm of a blood vessel in the brain which is so severe that it can completely stop blood flow to a portion of the brain. As time passes, the blood vessel relaxes and goes back to normal, but in a small percent of the cases the damage from the event is irreversible and causes a stroke.

The proper medical name for this type of headache/stroke is reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. What causes it? The available studies, which are few, have associated these unfortunate vascular events with the use of cannabis (marijuana), certain antidepressant medications, and over the counter decongestants.

Recommended reading:
All about aneurysms
Dangerous Strokes
Six Ways to Stay Stroke Free