4. Confusion
After headache symptoms start and begin to intensify, the brain starts to experience a disruption in normal cognitive functions. The rise in intracranial pressure starts to cause issues with thinking, and the patient may begin to experience symptoms of confusion.
Confusion occurs when the patient can’t think clearly. They may forget what they were doing, or spend long periods in a confused state, unable to act on their thoughts. As the pressure builds, the patient may find that they need to sit down and calm themselves, as the confusion may cause malaise where the patient gets anxious over not understanding what is happening to their physiology.
The patient will require someone to drive them to the emergency room. Driving in a diminished mental state can result in a severe vehicle accident.
Confusion will clear once the patient receives treatment for the condition. The malaise will also lift after the doctor diagnoses the patient and starts the treatment. After receiving intravenous fluids, the patient’s symptoms will rapidly dissipate.