The majority of people will experience headaches at some point in their lives. The primary indicator of a headache is pain in the head or face. There are many different types of headaches, with tension headaches being the most common. While most headaches are harmless, some can be signs of serious underlying conditions.
How do they make you feel?
Pains in the head or face commonly described as throbbing, constant, sharp, or dull pressure are known as headaches. There is a wide range of headaches' types, severity, location, and frequency.
The majority of people will experience headaches at some point in their lives. They are the most common type of pain and the main reason people miss work or school or visit the doctor.
Although most headaches are harmless, some types could point to a more serious issue.
What types of headaches exist?
There are more than 150 different kinds of headaches. The two main types of headaches are primary and secondary.
First headaches
Primary headaches are brought on by the overactivity or dysfunction of pain-sensitive brain regions. They are neither a sign of nor a consequence of an underlying medical condition. Some people may have genetic predispositions to primary headaches.
Primary types of headaches include:
(The most typical headache type) headaches that feel tense.
migraine-related headaches.
multiple headaches at once.
New Daily Persistent Headaches is referred to as NDPH.
certain facets of one's way of life or specific situations, such as:
alcohol, particularly red wine.
certain foods, such as processed meats that contain nitrates (food-induced headaches).
consumption of nicotine, which results in a headache.
sleep deprivation or alterations in sleeping habits.
a poor stance.
For instance, headaches may develop after physical activity.
skipped meals (hunger headache).
Coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, straining (like when having a bowel movement), laughing, or crying aloud can all cause primary cough headaches.
Primary headaches can be excruciatingly painful and interfere with your daily activities, even though they are typically not dangerous.
Further headaches
An underlying medical condition causes secondary headaches. They are thought of as a symptom or sign of a disease.
Some secondary headaches that aren't necessarily harmful go away after the underlying condition is treated, including:
headache as a result of thirst.
sinus headaches as a result.
headaches brought on by medication overuse.
The following secondary headache types could be signs of a serious or even fatal condition:
When spinal fluid leaks out of the membrane that covers your spinal cord, usually after a spinal tap, severe headaches known as spinal headaches result. Most spinal headaches can be managed at home, but prolonged, untreated spinal headaches can have side effects like subdural hematoma and seizures, both of which can be fatal.
Thunderclap headaches: A thunderclap headache is a very painful headache that suddenly appears out of the blue. Before the intensity of this type of headache reaches its peak, it lasts for at least five minutes. Thunderclap headaches can occasionally be harmless, but it's still crucial to seek medical attention right away. They may suggest:
brain injury.
there is brain bleeding.
reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome.
a sudden, abrupt rise in blood pressure.
What sets a headache apart from a migraine?
A migraine is a primary headache condition.
A migraine is a common neurological condition that is characterized by a severe headache on one side of the head as its most noticeable symptom. All kinds of things, including sounds, lights, and smells, can aggravate migraines. At least four hours or days are usually how long they last.
Whom do headaches affect?
Headaches can affect anyone at any age, including children, adolescents, and adults. 96% of people will experience a headache at some point in their lives.
Around 10% of people worldwide suffer from migraines, as opposed to 40% who experience headaches of this type.
IMPORTANCE AND REASONS
What primarily causes headaches?
Headache pain is brought on by the interaction of signals from your brain, blood vessels, and surrounding nerves. During a headache, several mechanisms impact specific nerves that affect muscles and blood vessels. These nerves send pain signals to your brain, which causes your head to ache.
Are headaches hereditary?
Particular migraines have a propensity to run in families. A child with migraines typically has at least one other biological parent who also has the condition. In fact, children who have migraine-prone parents have a fourfold increased risk of developing migraines.
Headaches can also be brought on by certain environmental factors that exist in a family's home, such as:
eating specific ingredients or foods, such as alcohol, caffeine, fermented foods, chocolate, cheese, and alcohol.
exposure to allergens.
tobacco used between people.
strong odors from household chemicals or perfume.
What headache symptoms require immediate medical attention?
If any of these headache symptoms apply to you or your child, get medical help right away:
recent onset of a severe headache.
fever, wheezing, stiff neck, or rash along with a headache.
headaches caused by an accident or head injury.
developing a new type of headache after the age of 55.
Additionally, if you experience any neurological symptoms in addition to your headache, such as:
Weakness.
Dizziness.
sudden loss of balance or a fall.
feeling tingly or numb.
Paralysis.
having trouble speaking.
confusion in one's thoughts.
Seizures.
inappropriate changes in behavior or personality.
Examples of vision changes include double vision, blind spots, and blurry vision.
ANALYSIS AND TESTS
How are headaches diagnosed and evaluated?
If you frequently get headaches or if they are very bad, speak with your doctor.
Correct diagnosis of headaches is essential so that your doctor can suggest a focused therapy to help you feel better. Your doctor will examine you physically, ask you about your medical history, and go over the symptoms and signs of your headaches with you. This conversation is a part of the headache evaluation.
During the headache evaluation, your doctor will ask you questions about your headache history, such as:
how uncomfortable a headache is.
how often headaches happen.
the duration of each headache.
the intensity of your headaches.
What triggers your headaches—foods, drinks, or circumstances.
how much coffee you take in each day.
how anxious you are.
what sort of sleeping habits you have.
The following information will aid in a more accurate diagnosis of your headache:
when the headache started.
whether there are several different types of headaches or just one.
if moving around causes your headache to worsen.
who else in your family suffers from headaches.
if any side effects appear between headaches.
Following the conclusion of the evaluation's medical history section, your doctor may perform physical and neurological exams.
They will look for symptoms of a condition or illness that might be the cause of the headache, such as:
Fever.
Infection.
a high blood pressure level.
muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling.
excessive fatigue.
loss of consciousness.
balance issues and frequent falls.
blind spots and double vision are among the vision problems.
either mental confusion or a personality change.
Seizures.
Dizziness.
nauseated and throwing up.
To rule out conditions that could also cause headaches, neurological exams are performed. A condition of the central nervous system may be to blame for the onset of severe headaches.
After reviewing the results of your headache history, physical examination, and neurological examination, your doctor should be able to determine the type of headache you are experiencing, whether a serious condition is present and whether additional testing is required.
If they're unsure of the cause, they might advise you to consult a headache specialist.
What types of examinations will be performed to detect headaches?
However, they cannot be used to diagnose migraine, cluster, or tension-type headaches. Scanners and other imaging tests help exclude other illnesses.
However, if your doctor thinks that another medical condition is to blame for your headaches, they may suggest several imaging tests.
A CT scan or MRI can be used to determine whether a problem with your central nervous system is the source of your headaches. These two tests can produce cross-sectional images of your brain that can identify any abnormal regions or problems.
REGULATION AND MEDICATION
How is a headache treated?
The method of treatment depends on the type of headache.
One of the most crucial steps in treating primary headaches is identifying your triggers. By identifying them, usually by keeping a headache log, you can reduce the number of headaches you get.
Your healthcare provider can change your treatment plan once you are aware of your triggers. For instance, headaches may be a symptom of stress or tension. Counseling and stress-reduction techniques can help you better manage this trigger. By reducing stress, you can avoid headaches that are a result of it.
Not every headache requires medication. There are many different treatments out there.
Your headaches' type, frequency, and cause will determine the best course of treatment.
lowering of tension.
Biofeedback.
Medications.
addressing the disease's underlying cause or symptoms.
reducing tension to avoid headaches
Through stress management, coping techniques can be learned. Techniques for managing stress include relaxation. Deep breathing, muscle relaxation, visualization, and music are all techniques for reducing stress.
Biofeedback for headache
Through biofeedback, you can learn to recognize when your body is becoming more tense. You learn how to control your body's response to stress and how it responds under pressure. For biofeedback, sensors are wired into your body. They monitor alterations in your body's automatic responses to headaches, which comprise:
breathing rate.
Pulse.
a beating heart.
Temperature.
the muscles are tense.
mental process.
medication for headaches
In general, over-the-counter painkillers are effective for treating sporadic tension headaches. But be aware that overusing these medications can lead to chronic headaches (medication overuse headaches).
If you frequently or severely experience headaches, your doctor may advise prescription headache medications. Triptans and other medications can stop a migraine attack. Take them when a headache starts to appear.
Medication for high blood pressure, seizures, and depression can occasionally prevent migraines. Your doctor might advise taking one of these drugs to lessen headache frequency.
addressing the underlying condition that is causing the primary headache
Treatment is necessary for the underlying medical condition that is resulting in secondary headaches.
For instance, surgery is frequently necessary to address the underlying cause of a secondary cough headache.
How do I get rid of a headache?
Over-the-counter pain relievers can be used to treat minor headaches on occasion at home. Some additional headache self-care strategies are:
application of hot or cold compresses to the head.
stretching the muscles.
Rub your head, neck, or back.
sleeping in a quiet, dark environment.
taking a stroll.
PREVENTION
How can I prevent headaches?
The secret to avoiding headaches is to understand their causes. The triggers that each person experiences differently; what bothers you might not bother someone else. Once you've identified your triggers, you can avoid or lessen them.
For instance, you might find that strong scents make you anxious. Avoiding perfumes and other scented products can significantly reduce the number of headaches you experience. The same can be said for other common triggers like unhealthy foods, insufficient sleep, and slumped posture.
However, a lot of people find it difficult to avoid triggers or fail to recognize them when they occur. In those circumstances, a more specialized multidisciplinary approach involving a headache specialist is frequently necessary.
POINT OF VIEW/PROGNOSIS
Can headaches and migraines be treated?
By controlling health conditions like high blood pressure that cause headaches, headaches can be relieved. Significant new discoveries have recently been made that have significantly increased our understanding of headache causes.
Despite having made great strides in their search, there is currently no known cure for primary headaches. Treatment aims to lessen symptoms and prevent recurrences.
LIVING WITH
When should I seek medical attention for headaches?
Contact your doctor right away if you or your child encounters any of the following symptoms or events:
headaches that occur at least once per week.
headaches that just keep getting worse and won't go away.
having headaches that necessitate taking an analgesic every day or nearly every day.
more than two to three doses of over-the-counter medication are needed each week to treat headache symptoms.
effort, coughing, bending, or strenuous activity-induced headaches.
despite having a history of headaches, your headache symptoms have recently changed.
Statement from Cleveland Clinic
If your headaches are making it difficult for you to function normally or are hurting your mood, it's important to talk with your healthcare provider. If at all possible, try to express your feelings regarding your headaches in writing. Keeping a journal of your headaches and how they make you feel can be helpful when you speak with your doctor.
The most crucial step in making a diagnosis is telling your healthcare provider about your headaches. By telling your doctor as much as you can about your headaches, you improve your chances of getting a proper diagnosis and a course of treatment that will help you feel better.
