Welcome everyone[Contact us at Center for Health Sciences and Counseling]

Introduction
or digestive issues? It is not bad enough to go to a
hospital, and you have been managing on your own,
but you feel jealous of healthy friends, worry that it
might never get better, or feel disappointed in yourself
that you would perform better if you were healthy.
Even minor health problems could make each day
challenging. We have summarized the information on
physical and mental issues for those of you who areconcerned with minor health issues.
This is for those who are struggling now and forever yone else. Please take a moment to read thispamphlet.

For students○Mon. – Fri. 9:00-17:00○http://www.chc.kyusyu-u.ac.jp/

Have you experienced fatigue, occasional headaches,Selfcare

Center for Health Sciences and Counseling(2nd floor, Big Sand) 092-802-5881
Center for Health Sciences and Counseling,
Center Zone, Ito Campus
Ito Center Zone (1st floor, Center Zone 1) 092-802-5859
Center for Health Sciences and Counseling,
Ito Campus West Zone
Ito West Zone (3 rd floor, West Zone 3) 092-802-3297

Mental and physical health 2Headache

Center for Health Sciences and Counseling,
Hospital Campus(1st floor, Building of Administrative
Offices of Research and Education) 092-642-6889
Center for Health Sciences and Counseling,
Chikushi Campus(old health science center) 092-583-7685
Center for Health Sciences and Counseling,
Ohashi Campus(2nd floor, Design Commons) 092-553-4581

Selfcare series for students[Student life][Mental and physical health]

1. Student counseling Q & A

1. Sleep disorder

2. How to make small talk

2. Headache

3. How to take tests andmake presentations

3. Anemia

4. How to not procrastinate
5. How to get over failures
6. How to deal with parents
during adolescent year

4. Intestinal issues
5. Adjustment disorder
6. Anxiety disorder andpanic disorder

7. How to control anger

7. Cause ofdepression

8. Transfer students

8. Symptoms of depression

9. How to manage yourschedule

9. Autonomic nerves andautogenic training

This pamphlet summarizes the information necessary for you

10. Friendship at the university

10.Relaxationencounter. Please refer to this pamphlet as needed.

11. Quit the university?

11. Health issues associatedwith smoking

12. For students that planto study abroad

12. Infectious diseases

Source: Center for Health Sciences and Counseling, Kyushu University.
Illustration by Chiyo Inoue※Copyright Center for Health Sciences and Counseling, Kyushu University.

to manage the mental and physic al problems you may

Kyushu University
Center for Health Sciences and CounselingHeadache
Headaches can be classified as dangerous, which potentiallyaffect life or death, and benign.

1. Dangerous headaches

hemorrhage, but instead of headache, the symptoms are relatedname from the fact that people develop tension headaches if they

to the functions of the part of the brain where the bleeding

are nervous for a long time or if the muscle on the head (outside of①Subarachnoid hemorrhage

occurred, such as impaired vision, difficulty moving hands andthe skull) stays intense for too long. As it is connected to the muscle

The most famous dangerous headache is subarachnoid

feet, difficulty speaking, and impaired consciousness.

on the head, it is often accompanied by pain in the neck andshoulder. It is different from migraine, in that it improves withhemorrhaging. It becomes more common with age, but canhappen to young people as well. If you experience a sudden

Characteristics of the headache caused by a brain tumor are thatexercise. Typically, besides chronic stress, lack of sleep, and eye

onset of a headache as if “someone hit you on your head,”unlike the headache caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage, itstrain (due to excessive use of smart phones and computers), all

immediately visit a department of neurosurgery. Appropriate

starts very slowly and gradually increases in intensity. It is also

combine to cause migraine. Over the counter, painkiller works, but

treatment at the appropriate time makes drastic difference inmost intense when waking up in the morning. Similar to cerebral

overuse could make it less effective. Take time to relax, sleep well,

the outcome, such as recovery, after-effects, or even death.

hemorrhage, cerebral functions may be impaired. Meningitis is an

avoid eye strain, and exercise to prevent such headaches.

inflammation of the meninges (membrane that covers the brain,“Arachnoid” is a thin membrane that covers the surface of thewhich includes arachnoid membrane) caused by viruses or②Migraine

brain. The cause is unknown, but a bulge called aneurysm

bacteria. As it is an infection, it is accompanied by fever.

Migraine is the next most common benign headache. It is said

develops in a blood vessel in the brain, making that area of theFollowing a high fever, if the headache gradually increases in

to occur due to the constriction or dilation in a part of thevessel prone to rupture. In some cases, there is congenital

intensity, it may be meningitis. Bacterial meningitis can become

cerebral blood vessel. It is characterized by a sudden onset ofmalformation of blood vessels, which leads to rupture. Whenquite severe, and treatment with an antibacterial agent needs topulsating and throbbing headache. In addition to suchthese bulges and malformations rupture, hemorrhaging occurs

be started as quickly as possible. If you experience thesecharacteristic pain, it tends to occur when someone is relievedin the subarachnoid space, and thus, it is called subarachnoid

symptoms, please visit a doctor. In this case (not subarachnoidof stress and relaxes, instead of being in the middle of ahemorrhage. Typically, it causes severe headache and nausea,hemorrhage), general practice instead of neurosurgery is

stressful situation. Exercise usually makes migraine worse,

but if bleeding is minor, the headache may not be intense.

sufficient.

which is different from tension headache. In some cases, there

Regardless of the intensity of the headache, the pain does not
go away in a few hours and could last for several days. Even if
you tend to get headaches, if it is sudden and different fromusual, please consider subarachnoid hemorrhage. Even if it ismild, “sudden onset of a headache” that “would not go away forseveral days” should be examined at a depar tment ofneurosurgery.
②Other dangerous headaches

are some “warning signs” before the onset of the headache,

2. Benign headaches①Tension headache
If symptoms of “dangerous headaches” are not present, assume it isa benign headache. Many benign headaches recur, so patients areusually aware. If people who are prone to headache experience
another “usual” headache, there is no need for a concern.

Other dangerous causes of headaches include cerebral
hemorrhage, brain tumor, and meningitis. Cerebral hemorrhage

The most common benign headache is tension headache andoccurs due to a ruptured blood vessel, as in subarachnoid

migraine. Tension headache is much more common, and gets its

which is characteristic of migraine. A common warning sign is“scintillating scotoma,” where a bright flickering light appears in
the visual field. Over the counter, painkiller should help with
migraine, but in severe cases, prescription-grade painkiller isnecessary. If it occurs often, a prophylactic agent may benecessary. In such a case, please visit a doctor. Neurology or
neurosurgery departments are ideal, but you can visit general
medicine if these departments are not available.

Jun NAGANO, March 2016