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Types of Headaches: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More

Written by Resurchify | Updated on: January 09, 2023

Types of Headaches: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More

Headaches can be bothersome and uncomfortable, but they are usually not serious and can be treated with over-the-counter medication. Consult a medical professional if your headaches are severe, frequent, or accompanied by other symptoms. You can choose the best course of therapy and possibly even avoid them if you work together.

Headaches

A headache is a painful condition that can manifest itself as a throbbing, persistent, intense, or dull pressure anywhere in the head or face. Headaches can have a wide range of symptoms, including pain intensity, location, and frequency. It's safe to say that you'll get at least one headache sometime in your life. They account for the largest proportion of reported pain and are a leading cause of lost time from work or school, as well as doctor's office visits. Although most headaches pose no real risk, some can be indicative of more significant issues.

Types of Common Headaches

Many of us have experienced the throbbing, painful, and distracting agony of a headache. There are various forms of headaches. The following are examples of common headaches:

  • Headache caused by tension
  • A cluster of headaches
  • Headache migraine
  • Hemicrania persistent ice pick headache
  • Thunderclap headache, sinus headache, or both? (Please keep in mind that this is not an official headache disorder. Instead, it's a description of symptoms, which typically include sinus pressure or pain.)
  • Headache caused by hormones (also known as menstrual migraine)
  • Headache caused by caffeine
  • Headache from effort
  • Headache caused by hypertension
  • Headache that comes back
  • Traumatic headache
  • Headache in the spine

Almost everyone has a headache now and then. The type of headache influences the cause, duration, and intensity of this discomfort.

What Are The Types Of Headaches?

There are around 150 different forms of headaches. They are classified into two types: primary and secondary headaches.

Primary Headaches

Primary headaches result from dysfunction or overactivity of pain-sensing structures in the head. There is no underlying medical ailment that they are a symptom of or cause of. There may be a genetic predisposition for some persons to get primary headaches.

Primary headaches can come in a variety of forms. Headaches are triggered by stress and muscle tension (the most common type of headache). A headache is so severe that medication isn't effective.

The following are examples of lifestyle factors or conditions that may bring on the main headache:

  • Red wine and other alcoholic beverages.
  • Ingesting nitrate-containing processed meats and other foods is one way to reduce your risk of developing some cancers (food-triggered headaches).
  • Intake of nicotine (nicotine headache).
  • Sleep disruptions or changes.
  • The poorest of postures.
  • Exercising or doing other forms of physical activity (exertion headaches).
  • Ignored eating (hunger headache).
  • Making a lot of noise by laughing, sobbing, or sneezing; straining (like when passing gas); or clearing one's throat (primary cough headaches).

Primary headaches are usually harmless, although they can still be rather unpleasant and a nuisance.

Secondary Headaches

Secondary headaches are brought on by an underlying health issue. They represent a sign or symptom of an illness. Some forms of secondary headaches are not life-threatening and typically go away if the underlying cause is addressed.

This is a headache brought on by dehydration. 

  • Sensational head pain in the sinuses.
  • Constant usage of pain relievers causes headaches.

These are some examples of secondary headaches that may indicate a life-threatening condition:

Spinal Headache

Spinal headaches are severe headaches that result from spinal fluid leaking out of the membrane protecting your spinal cord. This typically occurs after a spinal tap. However, complications such as subdural hematoma and seizures can develop in people who have spinal headaches that go untreated for an extended period, even though most spinal headaches are easily managed at home.

Thunderclap headaches are highly intense headaches that strike abruptly and unexpectedly, like a clap of thunder. In one minute, the pain from this sort of headache will be at its worst, and it will continue to worsen for the next five minutes. Sometimes harmless, a thunderclap headache nonetheless requires prompt medical intervention. Potential warning signs include:

  • Injuries to the head.
  • Hemorrhage in the brain.
  • Syndrome of temporary increased blood pressure in the brain.
  • Rapid and dramatic elevation of blood pressure.

Migraine Headaches

Chronic migraine headaches are very debilitating. They typically start as a severe throbbing ache on one side of the head and then spread. Nausea and vomiting are common side effects as well. Migraines are painful headaches that can make a person extremely sensitive to their surroundings, including light, smell, and sound, and can last anywhere from a few hours to several days.

In certain cases, a migraine sufferer will experience a forewarning symptom known as an aura before the headache even begins. Visual symptoms can include things like blind patches, zigzag lines, and flickering lights, while other symptoms might include tingling in a limb or an unusual odor.

Migraine headaches' underlying causes remain a medical mystery. The majority of authorities agree that their roots can be traced back to the neurological system. Because migraines tend to run in families, it's reasonable to assume that heredity is a factor.

There are numerous triggers for migraine sufferers. The most typical causes are:

  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Particular flavors and aromas
  • Winds that don't wet the ground
  • Variations in altitude and/or time of year
  • Hormonal shifts, such as those that occur during menstruation
  • Pharmaceutical methods of contraception
  • The effects of going hungry
  • Alterations in the Way You Sleep
  • Discomfort in the neck
  • Confining spaces
  • The feeling of stress or tension
  • Anxiety and headaches have been linked. Migraines can also be triggered by intense physical activity, sexual activity, preexisting headaches, or eating foods that are too cold.

Tension-Type Headaches

You can expect to occasionally experience this. They cause discomfort that's not sharp or stabbing but rather persistent and might make your head feel as if it's being squeezed. Your discomfort will likely be felt on both sides of your head and neck, rather than just one.

Motives may consist of any of the following:

  • The Stress-Related Insomnia
  • Stress Headache Fatigue Dehydration Caffeine Depression
  • Incorrect stance
  • Discomfort in the jaw or teeth

It's possible that your neck muscles will feel knotted and that some areas of your head and neck will be extra sensitive to touch.

In most cases, factors like exercise, bright lights, strong odors, or loud noises won't exacerbate these types of headaches. In addition, they rarely cause sickness.

Headaches of the tension variety might be temporary and infrequent, or they can last for a long and recur frequently. They are considered "episodic" if you receive them less than 15 times each month. If you experience them more frequently than that, they are considered chronic.

Cluster Headaches

Because of how frequently they occur in clusters over several weeks, these have earned that term. On average, a cluster lasts between 6 and 12 weeks. Usually, they begin long after you've gone to sleep. When a cluster headache is imminent, minor discomfort may precede it.

One side of your head is hurting more than the other. It frequently occurs in the area of your eye. The intensity of it quickly reaches a climax and is extremely intense and cutting. The color and fluid production of your affected eye change. And that side of your nose tends to be stuffy and runny more frequently.

The pain from this headache typically subsides after 15 minutes to three hours, only to return the next day or so. It's not uncommon for some folks to suffer from eight or more attacks in a single day.

Cluster headaches often occur daily for several weeks or months before disappearing for an extended period. Starting between the ages of 25 and 50, they are more prevalent among men. They occur more frequently in heavy smokers than in non-smokers. Some people's headaches can be triggered by things like stress, alcohol, and specific meals, but doctors still don't know what causes them.

Ice Pick Headache

Primary stabbing headaches, also known as ice pick headaches, cause sharp, sudden pain in the head that often lasts little more than a few seconds at a time. These headaches often strike suddenly and repeatedly throughout the day. A severe ice pick headache can feel like a single sharp jab or a series of little pricks. Typically, the location of an ice-pick headache shift as it moves through the skull. Having ice pick headaches in the same location every time could be a sign of something more serious.

Thunderclap Headache

A thunderclap headache is a sudden onset of acute pain that reaches its climax in under a minute. It could be nothing, but it could also be a sign of something dangerous that needs to be checked out right away.

A thunderclap headache could sometimes mean:

  • hemorrhage (blood pooling) clots (blood clots) obstructions
  • stroke
  • sustaining damage to the brain
  • cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome that improves with treatment (RCVS)
  • vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) (inflammation of blood vessels)
  • Apoplexy of the pituitary gland (bleeding into or loss of blood from an organ)

If you've never had a headache like a thunderclap before, you should visit a doctor right away. Thunderclap headaches can be treated if your doctor confirms that there is no underlying medical cause.

New Daily Persistent Headache

These can appear out of nowhere and last for three months or more. When asked when their suffering started, many people can pinpoint the exact moment. No one knows for sure what triggers this particular kind of headache. For some, it manifests after experiencing a sickness (such as an infection or the flu), undergoing medical treatment, or going through a stressful situation.

Moderate pain is typical, while severe pain has been reported. And it's notoriously challenging to treat. There is a vast range of possible symptoms. Tension headaches are a common type. Others get the same migraine-like symptoms, such as nausea and sensitivity to light.

Hemicrania Continua

Constant pain on one side of your head is almost usually consistent. In most cases, indomethacin can relieve the discomfort. If you've had nonstop, persistent head pain for at least three months, your doctor may diagnose you with hemicrania continua. The intensity ranges from mild to severe, with occasional sharp, stabbing pain.

Generally speaking, there are two varieties:

  • Chronic - You suffer from constant head pain.
  • Remitting - After six months, your headaches haven't improved. They disappear for a few weeks or months and then reappear.

Alcohol and exercise both exacerbate discomfort.

  • Irritated or teary eyes
  • Nasal congestion or discharge
  • Sagging eyelid
  • Closed-in irises
  • Migraine can cause other symptoms in some persons as well, including:
  • Diarrhea and sickness
  • sensibility to visual and aural stimuli

Hypnic Headaches

Rarely occurring, a hypnic headache typically manifests itself in one's 50s, though it can manifest much earlier. "Alarm clock" headaches are so common that they have earned another name: nighttime headaches. Mild to moderate throbbing pain, typically on both sides of the head, characterizes a hypnic headache. This condition, together with possible side effects like nausea and sensitivity to light and sound, can endure for up to three hours.

Multiple attacks every week are possible for humans. There is no recognized cause or trigger for hypnic headaches. Although hypnic headaches are safe, every new type of headache in an older adult warrants medical attention. When diagnosing headaches, a doctor may first want to rule out migraines and cluster headaches.

Medication-Overuse Headache

The most frequent secondary headache is medication overuse headache (MOH), often called a rebound headache. The headaches associated with MOH are chronic and might occur daily. In the short term, pain relievers can alleviate these headaches, but eventually, they will return.

Medically obstructive hypertension (MOH) can be diagnosed if a person has a headache issue and uses pain medication for at least 15 days per month.

These medications can cause MOH:

Pain relievers such as morphine, acetaminophen, triptans (including sumatriptan), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (including aspirin and ibuprofen). The risk of developing MOH remains, even when using these drugs. In contrast, it appears that those who take opioids for the express purpose of alleviating a headache are more likely to develop a MOH.

Menstrual Headaches

Changes in hormone levels are a common cause of headaches. Mood swings and fluctuating estrogen levels have been linked to migraines in women.

Most women experience hormone-related headaches either two or three days before their menstruation, or two to three days following their period or during ovulation. Migraine without aura-like symptoms, but with a potential for a greater duration.

The following are additional causes of hormone-related headaches:

  • hormone replacement therapy ovulation induction oral contraceptives

Exertion Headache

After engaging in strenuous physical exercise, a headache brought on by exertion will immediately follow. Exertion headaches are prevalent and can be brought on by anything from weightlifting to running to sexual activity. A throbbing headache on both sides of the head may result from the increased blood flow to the skull that occurs during these activities.

No one wants a headache from the physical effort to linger for too long. A few minutes to a few hours is typically all it takes for this kind of headache to go away.

Rebound Headache

Medication overuse headaches, or "rebound headaches," can range from mildly uncomfortable to excruciatingly painful. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication use has been linked to an increased risk of developing this form of headache. When taken in excess, these drugs increase the frequency of headaches.

Every time over-the-counter pain relievers are used for more than 15 days in a month, the risk of experiencing a rebound headache increases. This list of over-the-counter drugs includes:

  • acetaminophen sibuprofen saspirin snaproxen
  • Caffeine-containing medicines are also more likely to induce them.

When to See a Doctor?

Episodic headaches often subside within 48 hours. Consult a medical professional if your headache persists for longer than two days or worsens. You may have a chronic headache issue if you experience headaches more than 15 days per month for at least 3 months. The pain should be evaluated by a medical professional even if it can be controlled with over-the-counter drugs.

In rare cases, more significant causes of headaches may necessitate medical attention beyond what can be provided by over-the-counter drugs and home treatments.

Getting a Diagnosis

A proper diagnosis of your headaches is the first step in beginning effective treatment.

Get in touch with your doctor about your headaches first. They will conduct a physical examination and inquire as to the frequency with which you experience your symptoms. Provide as much detail as you can when describing this. Share with your doctor your thoughts on what triggers your headaches, what makes them worse, and what alleviates your pain. A headache diary can help provide information to your doctor.

In general, advanced diagnostic procedures are unnecessary for the general population. However, your doctor may recommend imaging tests like a CT scan or MRI to rule out internal issues that could be the root of your headaches. X-rays of the skull are useless. Unless you've passed out from a severe headache, getting an EEG (electroencephalogram) is also pointless.

Please consult a headache expert if your headaches persist or worsen after medical intervention.

How Are Headaches Treated?

Numerous therapy options may be suggested by your doctor. In addition, they may advise more tests or recommend that you see an expert in headaches.

Several factors, such as the frequency, severity, and underlying reason for your headaches, will determine the best course of treatment for you. It's possible that some people can avoid medical care altogether. Patients in this category, however, may benefit from pharmaceuticals, electronic medical devices, psychotherapy, stress management techniques, and biofeedback. Your doctor will customize a treatment plan for you.

What Happens After I Start Treatment?

After beginning treatment, it is important to monitor progress. To keep track of any shifts or patterns in your headache experience, keep a headache journal can be helpful. You and your doctor may need some time to figure out the best course of treatment for you. Tell them how things are going, both good and bad.

Despite your medication, you should avoid the foods and odors that you know to be headache triggers. It's also crucial to maintain good health that comes from things like exercise, rest, and a balanced diet. Be sure to keep all of your follow-up appointments so your doctor can assess your progress and make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.

The use of medicine to alleviate headache symptoms is not necessary for everyone. Treatment options are flexible. The severity, frequency, and origin of your headaches will determine which treatments are best for you.

  • Controlling anxiety.
  • Biofeedback.
  • Medications.
  • Resolving the underlying medical issue or treating the root cause.
  • Treating a headache caused by stress
  • Learning effective coping mechanisms is what stress management is all about. Anxiety can be controlled with the use of relaxation exercises. You calm down by listening to calming music, visualizing a stress-free future, and doing deep breathing exercises.

As a means of relieving headache pain, biofeedback has been

By using biofeedback, one can learn to identify the signs of stress before they become overwhelming. One of the things you'll study is how the body reacts to stress and what may be done to alleviate it. Body sensors are wired up during a biofeedback session.

They keep an eye on your body's automatic reactions to headaches, which can include:

  • The tempo of respiration.
  • Pulse.
  • The rhythm of the heart.
  • Temperature.
  • Contractions in the muscles.
  • Mental process.
  • Headache medication
  • Over-the-counter pain medications work effectively for occasional tension headaches. However, chronic daily headaches may result from using these drugs too frequently (medication overuse headaches).

When headaches are severe or occur frequently, a doctor may prescribe painkillers. Migraine pain can be alleviated with triptans and other medicines. When you feel a headache coming on, take one. Migraines can be avoided by using certain hypertension, seizure, and depression medications. If you suffer from frequent headaches, your doctor may prescribe one of these drugs.

Resolving the primary medical issue that's triggering the secondary headache. If you get a secondary headache, the underlying medical problem causing it should be treated. To remedy the underlying cause of a secondary cough headache, for instance, surgery is frequently required.

How Can I Prevent Headaches?

Understanding what sets off your headaches is the first step in avoiding them. What gives you a headache might not bother anyone else at all because triggers are so individual. If you know what sets off your reactions, you can take steps to prevent or lessen their impact.

For instance, you might discover that intense odors irritate you. If you suffer from frequent headaches, avoiding perfumes and scented goods may help. The same holds for other frequent culprits including irritable meals, lack of sleep, and improper posture.

However, many individuals either lack the awareness to recognize triggers or the ability to avoid them. Then, it's best to consult a headache specialist and try a more individualized multidisciplinary approach.

Are Headaches Hereditary?

Migraine headaches in particular seem to run in families. Children who suffer from migraines sometimes inherit the condition from a parent. There is a fourfold increase in the risk of migraines in the offspring of people who themselves suffer from this condition.

Common Household Environmental Elements That May Contribute To Headaches Include:

  • Taking in a lot of caffeine, booze, fermented foods, chocolate, or cheese are just a few examples.
  • Inhalation of allergens.
  • passive smoking
  • Chemical or perfumed scents that be overpowering.

Conclusion

Lots of people get headaches occasionally. Over-the-counter pain relievers, including NSAIDs, often work to alleviate these symptoms. On the other hand, there are times when headaches are a sign of something more serious. Headaches including cluster headaches, migraines, and those brought on by taking too many painkillers all warrant medical attention and, in some cases, prescription treatment.

Persistent headaches are a medical emergency and should not be ignored by anyone worried about their cause.


         

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