Differential Diagnosis for Irina's Head and Hair Pain
Given Irina's symptoms of hair hurting and head pain, the following differential diagnoses can be considered:
- Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Tension Headache: This is a common condition characterized by a feeling of pressure or tightness around the head, often accompanied by scalp tenderness, which could be perceived as hair hurting. The symptoms Irina described are typical for tension headaches, which are frequently seen in clinical practice.
- Other Likely Diagnoses
- Migraine: Migraines can cause severe head pain and are sometimes accompanied by scalp tenderness or sensitivity, which might feel like the hair is hurting. The pain associated with migraines can be debilitating.
- Scalp Conditions (e.g., psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis): These conditions can cause itching, redness, and pain on the scalp, potentially leading to the sensation of hair hurting.
- Sinusitis: Inflammation of the sinuses can cause pain in the face and head, including the forehead and scalp areas, which might be perceived as hair pain.
- Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage or Other Intracranial Bleeds: Although less common, these conditions are medical emergencies that can present with sudden, severe headache and could potentially cause scalp pain or tenderness.
- Temporal Arteritis: This condition, more common in older adults, involves inflammation of the blood vessels in the head and can cause severe headache, scalp tenderness, and even hair loss.
- Meningitis: Infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord can cause severe headache, fever, and stiff neck, and it's crucial to diagnose and treat promptly.
- Rare Diagnoses
- Trichodynia: A condition characterized by pain in the scalp, often associated with hair loss conditions like telogen effluvium or androgenetic alopecia.
- Neuropathic Pain Conditions: Certain conditions like trigeminal neuralgia can cause intense pain in parts of the face and head, including the scalp, though these are less common.
Each of these diagnoses has a different set of implications for treatment and management, highlighting the importance of a thorough medical evaluation to determine the underlying cause of Irina's symptoms.