Temple pain on the left side: causes and treatment

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Often the headache spreads to almost the entire skull, but sometimes the left temple of the head hurts and that’s it. In this case, a person may become confused, since he cannot even imagine what it means. Naturally, then the patient prefers to simply take the pill. However, not all so simple. The causes of pathology are different. In addition, the pain can radiate to the eye, and the person feels like there is a shooting in his ear. Moreover, he is in this state almost constantly.

In order to solve the problem, you must definitely consult a doctor. He will help identify the causes of pain in the left temple area, and also prescribe adequate treatment. It will not be possible to eliminate the pathology with analgesics alone.

Features of the pathology

Pain in the left temple is a problem for which you need to consult a neurologist. Such pain syndromes may recur infrequently or be chronic. Moreover, the pain spreads not only in the temporal part of the head, but also radiates to the eye and ear. The presented pathological condition recurs periodically in almost 60% of the population of our planet.

The problem is that not every person with such symptoms seeks medical help, which can lead to the development of diseases that are difficult to treat. In addition, serious complications can result from improper treatment of the disease.

Therefore, if a person has severe acute pain in the left temple area, then he should contact a neurologist and undergo a thorough examination.

Pain-provoking factors associated with diseases

The reasons why the temple on the left side hurts are varied. So, pain in the left temple can be caused by the following pathologies:

Migraine

Migraine pain has a cluster-like character. They are localized in the head area, and only one temple can hurt – the left one. Migraines rarely occur in children.

It often affects young women between 20 and 30 years of age. With this disease, discomfort may occur in the left eye. Migraine headaches hurt very badly.

It is not always possible to relieve discomfort with medications. A pulsation occurs in the patient's temple. What to do to improve your well-being?

Unfortunately, there is no universal cure for migraine, so if the causes of pain in the left temple are associated with this disease, the patient needs to consult a doctor. Discomfort may extend to one eye.

Which doctor should I contact?

If there are no other manifestations other than temporal pain, consult a neurologist or therapist.

First, contact your general practitioner, who will refer you to another doctor if necessary.

Pain combined with vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain are signs of poisoning. In this case, call an ambulance. Emergency medical care is also required if a stroke or high intracranial pressure is suspected.

When cephalalgia is accompanied by pressure changes, pain in the heart, sensitivity to weather changes, or memory problems, visit a cardiologist.

If pain occurs when chewing while clenching the jaw, and intensifies in the temple area, make an appointment with the dentist.

If you have difficulties in choosing a specialist, you can always contact a therapist, who will collect anamnesis and redirect to the right doctor.

Why does the left temple of my head hurt?

There are many reasons that can cause discomfort in the temporal part of the head. Determining them as accurately as possible will allow you to deal with the problem faster and more effectively.

The following causes of headache in the left temple can be identified:

Migraine. It is characterized by the presence of cluster pain. In this case, the pain spreads only to one half of the head. Not only the left temple can become the place of their localization. Unpleasant sensations can radiate to the left eye and ear. In addition to pain, a person also has other symptoms: fear of light, loud sounds, nausea, vomiting, dizziness.
Increased intracranial pressure. The pain seems to press or burst into the skull. At the same time, it is accompanied by nausea and the presence of “ripples” before the eyes. A person may feel muscle weakness on one side of the body. The pain may intensify throughout the night.
Pathologies of blood vessels. If the heart is not working well enough or is too active, the patient may experience excessively high or low blood pressure. At the same time, pain appears in the left temple. The pain is sharp, pulsations are felt in the head, or dull and aching. Sometimes a person faints.

Neurologist and immunologist Kirill Aleksandrovich Shlyapnikov will tell us more about the reasons:

We recommend reading: if you suffer from frequent headaches in the temporal region.

Infectious pathologies or allergies. They contribute to the appearance of pressing pain, which, however, is not always dull. Unpleasant sensations appear not only in the left temple area, but also in the forehead and cheeks. If the pathological condition is accompanied by an increase in temperature, then the temporal part of the head begins to ache. Infection of the ear or eye also leads to temporal headaches. For example, it can be triggered by otitis media (ear inflammation), rhinitis, or dental disease. In this case, discomfort is felt even in the eye.
Intoxication of the body. It can be a consequence of excessive consumption of medications, alcoholic beverages, and stale food. Even folk remedies that the body does not accept can cause pain in the left temple. The sensations are aching in nature, as if there is a shooting in the temporal region of the head. The pain radiates to the eye and ear.
Hormonal imbalances. Headache caused by this cause is a common problem among women. It is provoked by swelling of the walls of blood vessels under the influence of prostaglandin hormones.
Trauma or congenital pathology of the temporomandibular joint. The pain in the left temple area is frequent and very severe. It radiates not only to the ear or eye, but also to the shoulder, neck and even shoulder blade. In addition, a spasm of muscle tissue appears, as the joint is in the wrong position.

Scheme of formation of temporal arteritis

Arteritis (inflammation of blood vessels) of the temporal part of the head. The presented pathology is not common, but is characterized by very strong pain.
Wrong diet. The presence of a large number of additives and preservatives can also cause discomfort and pain on the left side of the head. Moreover, pain is almost always felt in the eye and even ear.

Nervous tension, stress or other psychogenic causes. The pain syndrome is characterized by the fact that it is localized in the temporal region, causes a feeling of pressure in the skull, and radiates to the eye.
A brain tumor. Here the patient experiences a pulsation in the temple area on the left. In addition, his hearing, memory, and vision are deteriorating. He cannot sleep properly, which worsens his psychological and emotional state.
Reaction to weather changes.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Here pain can occur on both the left and right sides. Moreover, it is felt almost constantly, because the patient’s spinal nerve roots are pinched.
Stroke. Cerebral hemorrhage is an extremely dangerous condition for health and life, which is characterized by a severe and burning headache, accompanied by loss of speech and numbness on one side of the body.

These are the main causes of discomfort and pain. Now you need to figure out how to get rid of them.

Associated symptoms

The characteristics of the pain syndrome are directly dependent on the factors that caused it. Thus, pain in the temple on the left side can be:

shooting;
aching;
pulling;
squeezing;
piercing.

In addition to the fact that the temporal area suffers, patients often suffer from pain spreading to adjacent parts of the body. Thus, the pathology can cover the facial, shoulder, and cervical parts.

There are some signs, the appearance of which, together with pain on the left side of the temple, is a signal for an early visit to a healthcare facility:

fainting;
difficulty breathing;
racing heart;
frequent vomiting;
psychological disorders, inappropriate behavior;
sudden weight loss, lack of appetite;
auditory and visual hallucinations;
weakness.

Seeing a doctor in a timely manner will help avoid adverse health consequences.

In an isolated case, you can take a pill and not worry, but if the symptom occurs constantly, you need to pay attention to the general condition of the body. The following indicators are cause for concern:

constant pain in the left temple, radiating to other parts of the head;
increased pain during physical activity;
memory loss, impaired motor coordination;
fear of bright light;
frequent dizziness, accompanied by nausea;
periodic noise or ringing in the ears.

If such a situation occurs, it is necessary to consult a specialist to make an accurate diagnosis.

Pain in the temple on the left can be of a completely different nature. Unpleasant sensations can be periodic or chronic. The first ones are characterized by a paroxysmal course. Outbreaks occur at certain time intervals. Often, cephalgia occurs against the background of overwork and a stressful situation. Even joyful events contribute to the development of a sudden attack.

The chronic nature of pain consists of a constant monotonous course. If a diagnosis of tension-type headache (tension headache) has not been previously established, then it is worth considering why the headache on the left side constantly hurts. Perhaps we are talking about a dangerous disease, which can only be diagnosed by a specialist.

Patients, describing their feelings, explain their current condition with the following symptoms:

Severe pain in the head and radiates into the eye socket.
When trying to change the position of the body, the pulsation intensifies, the temple presses.
After trying to quickly get out of bed, I begin to feel very dizzy and my coordination is impaired.
It is difficult to remember events that happen, especially those that happened during an attack.
There is a ringing in the ears, a buzzing in the head.
In bright light the pain intensifies.
Often the attack is accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Some note that they already know that they will soon have a headache. Patients, a few minutes or hours before the attack, begin to smell, and bright flashes of color appear in their eyes. In medicine this is called an aura. Precursors of pain are typical for migraine patients.

Why does my head hurt so bad? We will consider the main causes of the disease below.

pulsating;
aching;
squeezing (feeling like a helmet);
tingling;
monotonous.

A sharp throbbing pain that occurs in the left temple area not only causes discomfort, but is also considered life-threatening. In addition to the main symptom, accompanying symptoms may also appear. These include:

photophobia;
impairments of memory and movement coordination that manifest themselves over time;
acute pain in the left side of the head, which radiates to the eye;
noise in ears;
nausea, dizziness;
increased pulsation, feeling as if there is pressure on the left temple when bending over, standing up, or squatting.

The main factors provoking cephalalgia

A painful and severe headache on the right side most often occurs with an illness such as migraine. Before an attack, a whole complex of sensory, visual and auditory disorders appears. That is, a person experiences lacrimation, and only on one side of the face, he begins to react painfully to sounds, smells, and becomes very irritable.

This disease is mainly characteristic of women, and in the best years of their life, from eighteen to about forty years. This is the main cause of temporary disability among the fair sex.

At the moment, the mechanism of development of pain during migraine has not yet been sufficiently studied; only the factors that cause its occurrence have been elucidated. Heredity is considered the main one. Numerous observations have shown that girls whose mothers suffer from migraines subsequently also experience the torment of this disease.

With moderate strength and clear localization in one side, this may be the result of a disease, such as a brain tumor. In this case, you need to consult a neurologist.

Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania.

It is characterized by unilateral severe pain, which is localized in the temple or frontal lobe. The attacks are daily and have a burning and boring nature. In rare cases, it can manifest as throbbing pain and cover the entire head. The attacks are repeated and sometimes occur up to 16 times during the day. Moreover, the shorter the attacks become, the more often they appear. With such pain, the eye is affected, it turns red, the pupil narrows and does not react to light, the eyeball sinks. It is believed that such a disease is akin to migraine, but there are no reliable factors. The disease is mainly characteristic of mature women.

Cluster headache.

Also characteristic of the right or left side of the head. It appears without the slightest warning and radiates to the eye area. Patients characterize her as unbearable and wild to such an extent that she wants to tear her eye out of its socket. This type of cephalalgia radiates only to the temporal and frontal part of one side of the head. A person’s face turns red during an attack, the eye becomes red, and the nose becomes stuffy.

The left side of the head also hurts with incipient glaucoma. With this disease, intraocular pressure increases, which can cause pain in the affected eye, and it spreads to the frontal lobe or the entire hemisphere of the affected eye. The pain with this disease is acute and dull, manifested by aching.

With it, inflammation in the sinuses is accompanied by very intense bursting pain in the frontal-orbital region. As a rule, this disease causes a dull, spreading pain that sometimes intensifies and sometimes becomes less intense.

Pain on any side, but always one-sided.

Characteristic of inflammation of the organs of vision.

First aid when the left temple of the head hurts

Every person probably knows why self-medication should not be done. However, if it is not possible to see a doctor immediately, then you need to help yourself:

You can use antispasmodic drugs that will help eliminate pain on the left side of the head. However, this is done if the patient knows his diagnosis accurately.
Massage of the neck and head makes it possible to relieve pressure and pain that radiates to the eye.

Pain in the left temple can be removed with a cold compress, lemon peels, cabbage leaves.
If the patient experiences discomfort as a result of an excessive decrease in pressure, then simply drink a cup of coffee.

Find out what pills you can take for headaches.

Such methods of eliminating pain syndromes are good if it appears once and does not recur often. If it is felt constantly, the patient has a shooting in the ear or temple, then you need to find out as quickly as possible why such a pathological condition appeared and begin its therapy.

First aid

Every person probably knows why self-medication should not be done. However, if it is not possible to see a doctor immediately, then you need to help yourself:

You can use antispasmodic drugs that will help eliminate pain on the left side of the head. However, this is done if the patient knows his diagnosis accurately.
Massage of the neck and head makes it possible to relieve pressure and pain that radiates to the eye.

Pain in the left temple can be removed with a cold compress, lemon peels, cabbage leaves.
If the patient experiences discomfort as a result of an excessive decrease in pressure, then simply drink a cup of coffee.

Such methods of eliminating pain syndromes are good if it appears once and does not recur often. If it is felt constantly, the patient has a shooting in the ear or temple, then you need to find out as quickly as possible why such a pathological condition appeared and begin its therapy.

Let's consider what can be done if the temporal area on the left side suddenly hurts:

Take a pain reliever. For example, Analgin.
Open the windows and let fresh air into the room.
Lie down, calm down, relax.
Place a cloth soaked in cool water on the affected area.
Lightly massage your temples.
Rest for a few hours, preferably sleep.

If these measures do not help, you will need to go to the hospital.

Understand correctly - the benefit of emergency medical care depends on how correctly you diagnose the cause of a headache in the left temple. For example, if a hypertensive stroke patient is given anti-migraine drugs, then there will be no benefit from such help at all. Be sure to take this into account.

Be sure to pay attention to your medical history. If in the past you had to deal with migraine attacks, then first of all you will need to think about the manifestation of this pathology. So, if there is an attack of a sharp headache in the area of the left temple, then you will first need to measure arterial pressure.

If it is elevated—more than 140/90—magic sulfate 25% should be administered intramuscularly in a dosage of 5 ml. If not, at least one captopress or nifedipine tablet, 5 drops per 50 g of water. If the blood pressure is normal, immediately give any of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen or paracetamol).

By the way, this medicine can be given even if you are unable to measure your blood pressure. If you suspect a migraine attack, it would be appropriate to use rapimig or antimigraine - one tablet at a time.

Remember - if your temple hurts a lot, you shouldn’t wait for it to go away on its own - this may not happen. Even if you are dealing with mild and long-lasting manifestations. Let’s assume that there are short-term shooting pains in the area of the left temple. It is necessary to take medications already at this stage. The need for hospitalization must be assessed based on an assessment of the patient’s general condition.

Before a final diagnosis is determined and before therapy begins, pain in the left temple area can be managed with the help of relatively safe and highly effective medications. These are drugs that contain substances familiar to everyone (for example, acetylsalicylic acid, paracetamol, etc.).

It is recommended to use the following medications if acute pain in the left temple occurs constantly and causes discomfort:

Migrenol. One of the main remedies for migraines, which copes well with headaches localized in the temple, back of the head, and frontal lobes. An important side effect of taking the drug is severe drowsiness. Therefore, after consuming it, you need to stop driving a car and responsible work.
Pentalgin. If the pain is quite intense and causes severe discomfort, then taking Pentalgin is recommended. The drug has many contraindications, which should be familiarized with before use.
Solpadeine. Prescribed to men and women only over the age of 18 for severe headaches. Copes well with severe throbbing pain in the temples. The maximum dosage is 3-4 tablets per day (no more than one at a time).
Ibuklin. Many experts recommend Ibuklin as one of the most effective and safe medications that helps cope with headaches of various types.
Novigan. If the left temple of the head hurts due to vasospasm and other vascular diseases, then Novigan, which is an antispasmodic, must be prescribed.
Spasmalgon. A well-known drug that has strong analgesic and antispasmodic effects. It is convenient because it is sold in pharmacies without a prescription.

To relieve headaches in the area of the left temple, it is recommended to slightly increase the amount of fluid consumed during the day: you need to drink more pure water, compotes, fruit drinks, juices (and you should give up coffee and black tea). It is strictly forbidden to increase the amount of fluid consumed if a person suffers from hypertension and has severe swelling (or is at risk of developing it).

Other causes of pain

When a person does not take care of his health, he eats a large number of foods with harmful food additives. One of the most harmful food additives is monosodium glutamate.

This is a specific substance that provokes pain in the body in different parts of the body, including the head.

Monosodium glutamate is found in processed meat products, as well as semi-finished products.

Also, the occurrence of headache discomfort may be associated with eating foods that contain nitrites.

Discomfort resulting from eating unhealthy foods is often localized in the eye and ear areas.

Psychogenic factors

Depression, nervousness, psycho-emotional stress, stress - all this provokes the appearance of uncomfortable sensations in the human body.

It’s not for nothing that people say that all diseases are caused by nerves. With an illness caused by stress, a person feels powerful pressure on the skull. There is also pulsation in the temporal zone.

The human body adapts to the external climate even in the womb. Many people are hypersensitive even to changes in weather.

Such changes lead not only to headache discomfort, radiating to the eye or temporal region. A person may experience nausea and even vomiting.

Doctors name other common reasons why a person has a headache in the temple area and the head on the left side:

dental diseases accompanied by inflammation;
consequences of head and jaw injuries;
period of hormonal changes in the body (adolescence, pregnancy, menopausal changes in women);
overwork;
neurological diseases;
eye pathologies;
tumor processes in the brain.

Possible diseases

When you have a headache in the temple area, it is worth looking for the pathology that caused this. Most often, such sensations occur during neurosis. This is an extreme degree of nervous excitement and anxiety. At the same time, the head hurts in the temples and presses, as if squeezing the skull. This condition is jokingly called “neurotic cap.” The peak of unpleasant sensations occurs in the evening, when fatigue from the day is added to anxiety.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can provoke headaches in the temple area. The pathology occurs not only in older people; this diagnosis is often made in young and active patients. Unpleasant sensations arise due to compression of the spinal cord roots between the vertebrae. They are often combined with intercostal neuralgia (shooting sensations in the chest area), numbness of the arms, and dizziness.

Constriction of blood vessels in the head and neck also causes headaches. It can occur due to spasm, neurocirculatory dystonia or atherosclerotic changes.

Read also: Sweating head

Features of treatment of pain in the left temple

If a person feels pain in the left temple, then the following treatment may be required:

If you have a hangover or a cold, you should use medications that relieve swelling from the blood vessels. Anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen), sorbents (activated carbon or Enterosgel) will be useful. Regular honey and Aspirin will also help.
Infectious diseases that cause pain and shooting in the ear should be treated only after a visit to an ENT specialist. The patient may be prescribed anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drugs, antibiotics.
If discomfort appears due to coldness in the muscle tissue of the neck or back, then to eliminate it you will need not only tablets, but also warming ointments: “Finalgon”, “Fastum-gel”.

Constant pain in the temples is an alarm signal, in which case you need to consult a doctor

Migraine is best treated with specific drugs designed to combat this particular disease: triptans.
Treatment of a brain tumor, skull injury or stroke must be complex and requires consultation with several specialists.
Symptoms that arise due to the influence of psychogenic factors can be removed through psychotherapy and relaxation techniques.

Treatment for this condition is prescribed by a doctor, and only after diagnosis and diagnosis. Only isolated headaches can be eliminated on your own.

Diagnosis and treatment

If you experience pain in your temples, you should contact a specialist who will give you a referral for diagnosis. For prolonged headaches, the patient is referred for a comprehensive examination of the cardiovascular, nervous system, head, spine, and blood vessels. Thanks to this approach, doctors discover the underlying disease that provokes the unpleasant symptom.

What to do with temporal pain? Treatment depends on the cause of the pain. Correct diagnosis and following the recommendations of a specialist will help cope with the disease. If the doctor approves, you can add aromatherapy, massages, taking herbal infusions, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and relaxing baths with decoctions of medicinal plants to the therapeutic course.

If the cause of a sharp headache on the left side in the temple area is a migraine, you can take painkillers, which will not always help. It is advisable to take specific drugs that help specifically with this pathology (triptans). The neurologist prescribes sedatives, vascular drugs, nootropics, antispasmodics.
In the treatment of infectious diseases, highly specialized specialists (ENT) will help. The patient may be prescribed antipyretic and anti-inflammatory medications.
For colds and hangovers, it is recommended to use drugs that relieve swelling of blood vessels. You can use anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen), sorbents (Enterosgel, activated carbon), Aspirin, honey.
If the cause of pain is cold muscles of the neck and back, the doctor will prescribe a comprehensive treatment, which includes warming ointments “Fastum-gel” and “Finalgon”.
Treatment of brain oncology, stroke, and skull injuries is carried out comprehensively. Here you cannot do without consulting several specialists.
If cerebral circulation is impaired, the patient is admitted to a hospital. Qualified assistance and bed rest will help you recover from a dangerous illness.
For osteochondrosis, complex therapy is recommended, which includes physical therapy, physiotherapy, the use of pain-relieving ointments, and wearing an orthopedic cervical collar.
For jaw injuries, treatment depends on the recommendations of the maxillofacial surgeon. Most often, therapy consists of surgery.
In case of intoxication of the body, which is associated with poisoning, gastric lavage, taking activated carbon, drinking plenty of fluids, and antipyretics are prescribed (if the temperature rises above 38.5 ° C).
If the cause of a headache in the left temple is hypertension, the patient is prescribed planning a work and rest schedule, regular use of medications that normalize blood pressure, diuretics, prevention of stressful situations, and walks in the fresh air.
With increased intracranial pressure, neurologists prescribe antispasmodics, diuretics, and physical therapy. It is recommended to avoid overwork, stressful situations, and limit salt intake.

You can try to eliminate temporal pain using traditional methods. These can be decoctions, herbal infusions, medicinal teas, contrast showers, compresses, a brewed cup of black coffee, freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice, baths with the addition of aromatic oils, acupressure self-massage.

For complete treatment, it is necessary to eliminate the root cause of the discomfort. If the violation is caused by external factors, it is necessary to completely exclude contact with them. If the cause is a pathological health disorder, experts recommend several treatment principles:

with the help of medications;
physiotherapy;
surgical method;
use of folk recipes.

Therapy is selected for each patient individually, depending on the characteristics of the disease and the person’s personal characteristics.

Poisoning

When figuring out why the left temple hurts, you should analyze the last few days: how the diet changed, what drugs were taken, what harmful conditions the person was in. Perhaps soreness indicates poisoning. Intoxication often causes pain in the temple on the left and cheekbone on the same side of the head. If you have acute and strong sensations that do not go away for hours, you should consult a doctor.

An additional symptom of acute intoxication is a feeling of fullness in the head. When you touch the sore area, it feels as if a bruise has formed there. The patient feels slightly nauseous and sometimes vomits. The head is dizzy, the person feels weak. In some cases, this indicates influenza and other diseases, sometimes – to poisoning of a different nature.