Headache
Most of us experience headache at some time of the week or month.
These headaches can be episodic or chronic:
- Episodic headaches: May occur just once in a while. They can last anywhere from half an hour to several hours.
Chronic headaches are more consistent. They occur most days out of the month and can last for days at a time. In these cases an evaluation and management plan is necessary.
- Tension headaches
Here you feel a dull, aching sensation all over your head. It isn’t throbbing. Tenderness or sensitivity around your neck, forehead, scalp, or shoulder muscles also might occur. They’re often triggered by stress. When a tension headache becomes chronic, a different course of action may be suggested to address the underlying headache trigger.
- Cluster headaches
They are characterized by severe burning and piercing pain. They occur around or behind one eye or on one side of the face at a time. Sometimes swelling, redness and sweating can occur on the side that’s affected by the headache. Nasal congestion and eye tearing also often occur on the same side as the headache.Most people experience one to four headaches a day, usually around the same time each day, during a cluster. After one headache resolves, another will soon follow. A series of cluster headaches can be daily for months at a time. In the months between clusters, individuals are symptom-free. They are also three times more common in men.
- Migraines
It is an intense pulsing from deep within your head. This pain can last for days. The headache significantly limits your ability to carry out your daily routine. Migraines are throbbing and usually one-sided. People with migraine headaches are often sensitive to light and sound. Nausea and vomiting also usually occur.
Some migraines are preceded by visual disturbances. About one out of five people will experience these symptoms before the headache starts. Known as an aura, it may cause you to see:
- flashing lights
- shimmering lights
- zigzag lines
- stars
- blind spots
Auras can also include tingling on one side of your face or in one arm and trouble speaking. However, the symptoms of a stroke can also mimic a migraine, so if any of these symptoms are new to you, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Migraines might run in your family, or they can be associated with other nervous system conditions. Women are three times more likely to develop migraines than men. Certain environmental factors, such as sleep disruption, dehydration, skipped meals, some foods, hormone fluctuations, and exposure to chemicals are common migraine triggers.
- Allergy or sinus headaches
Headaches sometimes happen as a result of an allergic reaction. The pain from these headaches is often focused in your sinus area and in the front of your head. People who have chronic seasonal allergies or sinusitis are susceptible to these kinds of headaches.A sinus headache can also be a symptom of a sinus infection. In these cases, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to clear the infection and relieve your headache and other symptoms.
Certain headaches associated with the following symptoms need further evaluation and immediate attention:
neck pain and stiffness
rash
the worst headache ever suffered
vomiting
confusion, drowsiness
high-grade fever