Headaches are common, but they have a wide variety of causes and treatments. People who are susceptible to headaches often find themselves confused about how to identify the different types, and as a result they can end up suffering from chronic pain for much longer than is necessary. Read on to discover the five main types of headaches, and to learn what you can do to help yourself in each case.
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1) Tension headaches:
Seventy percent of headaches are tension headaches, which arise from contractions that occur within the muscles of the head and neck. Usually, tension headaches feel like a tight band or a feeling of pressure that extends all the way around the head. The main causes are stress, bad posture, excessive tiredness, and eyestrain (from an inappropriate glasses prescription or sometimes just from working at a computer for hours). However, such headaches can also result from smoking or alcohol habits, and (far less avoidably) from hormonal changes that occur during a woman?s menstrual cycle. Tension headaches have no particular gender or age bias, though the majority of sufferers are adolescents or adults. When caused by posture that is poor or overly tense, physiotherapy and conscious amendments to the way you sit and move can sometimes alleviate these headaches. In most other cases, the best way to treat them is with over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen or Tylenol.
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2) Cluster headaches:
Cluster headaches are most commonly experienced by men and are known for the acute periodic pain that they cause. These headaches are not currently very well understood, but are thought to involve blood vessel dilation putting pressure on a nerve. The pain experienced is usually one-sided, of a ?drilling? quality, and located around the eye or at the back of the eye. Cluster headaches strike the sufferer in bursts that last between fifteen minutes to many hours at a time, and they are thought to be the most agonizingly painful type of primary headache. Some people also develop a red eye, a drooping eyelid, and intense feelings of restlessness. If you experience cluster headaches, you will probably find that your normal painkillers do not relieve your symptoms and you will have to be specially prescribed preventative or abortive medications.
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3) Migraines:
Twenty percent of headaches are migraines, which can be especially painful headaches that result from constrictions that cause decreased blood flow in the vessels of the head and neck. They are more commonly suffered by women, and usually produce a one-sided and intense head pain. This is often accompanied by strong nausea and a dislike of loud noise or bright light. A specific type of migraine (namely migraine ?with aura?) causes visual disturbances such as strange flashes of light or even partial blindness. Sometimes the cause of a migraine headache is utterly mysterious, but some of the identified causes include a genetic predisposition, smoking tobacco, an insufficient amount of sleep, the onset of a menstrual period, drinking alcohol, and taking hormonal contraceptives. Some people also find that their migraines are triggered by certain foods, most commonly dairy food (especially cheese) or chocolate. Unfortunately, painkillers seldom do much to relieve the pain of a migraine, and most people find it best to try to sleep until it passes. However, if your doctor diagnoses you with migraine then you may be prescribed preventative medication.
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4) Medication overuse headaches:
Also known as ?rebound headaches?, medication overuse headaches can occur when you take painkillers on a very regular basis for a substantial period of time. They usually develop after another sort of chronic headache requires regular painkiller use. The original type of headache morphs into a medication overuse headache that is sometimes indistinguishable from the original pain that you suffered. When such headaches do occur, they tend to strike every day, meaning that is very tempting to continue taking painkilling medications. If you think that your headache might be of this sort, your doctor will probably advise abstaining from painkillers. Unfortunately, even without further painkillers it can take up to a few weeks for a medication overuse headache to abate.
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5) Sinus headaches:
When your sinuses are inflamed by an infection, this can stop mucus from draining as it would normally. This pressure can then cause a dull ache around the bridge of your nose, your forehead, or your cheekbones. The pain of sinus headaches can usually be temporarily alleviated with your normal painkillers (such as paracetamol or ibuprofen), but it is important that you be properly diagnosed so that you can be prescribed a decongestant (in the form of a nasal spray or tablets). In addition, some find that an over-the-counter nasal spray of saline reduces sinus swelling by helping to flush out mucus.
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While most headaches are more uncomfortable than dangerous, there are some sinister medical conditions that also involve head pain. When a headache is coupled with confusion, paralysis of a limb, neck stiffness or slurred speech, it warrants investigation by a neurologist as well as your regular doctor. When you do visit your doctor, make sure to mention any new sensations or problems even if they appear disconnected from your headaches. Further, any headache that develops suddenly and is described as ?the worst headache of one?s life? should be treated as a medical emergency (as this can sometimes be the only symptom of a highly dangerous hemorrhage). Finally, please note that if you are experiencing a new kind of headache then this always warrants a trip to see a doctor as well.
Source: http://www.stevenashfitnessclubs.com/blog/2012/10/5-common-headaches-their-causes/
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