Suffering from a Headache? This Is What You Have to Know

LifeStyleDecember 5, 2017

There is probably no person in the world who has not suffered from some kind of a headache at least once in a lifetime. Some people even have headaches every day, without exception. Still, there are many types of headaches, and not all the headaches are to be ignored and simply suppressed. In some cases, we should see a doctor immediately since some of them are telling us that there is a serious problem with our health. The crucial thing for all of us is to be able to recognize different types of headaches. In this article, we have described some of the most common types in order to help you deal with them and act accordingly, depending on the possible causes, i.e. different types. Some headaches are simply signs that your lifestyle goes against your body’s requirements.

“If pain in the mind, then the most dangerous thing is it.” — Anuj Kr. Thakur

Let’s check – what is your headache like?

Migraine

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A migraine is considered to be a severe type of a headache. It generally progresses through four main stages. It is often associated with a violation of the metabolic processes and dilation of blood vessels in the brain. There is also a genetic predisposition for developing migraines.

Unfortunately, there are no real cures for migraines. Although there are many treatments to help ease the symptoms, the real solution does not exist. If you suffer from this type of a headache, you need to see your doctor to give you the right medication. Regular exercise can help you improve your health significantly and thus help you relieve this pain.

You have this type of headaches if:

You’ve had such headaches at least five times in a short period
If they lasted between 4 and 72 hours
You’ve felt one-sided pain, throbbing pain, moderate-to-severe pain, and pain that interferes with your routine activities
There were some of these symptoms accompanying your headache: nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound

Rebound headaches

These are caused by an overuse of painkillers for headaches. Yes, that is really possible. Pay attention to the painkillers you use, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, as well as prescription drugs. Do not overuse them since too much medication could cause the brain to shift into an excited state, triggering more headaches. Some scientists say that the rebound headaches appear as symptoms of withdrawal as the level of medicine drops in the bloodstream. In both cases, the cause is the same – addiction to painkillers.

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Cluster headaches

These headaches are rare – less than 1% of the population has them, mostly males. In this case, there is a stabbing pain behind or around your eyes. It is usually located only on one side of your head. It mostly appears during sleep and there. There are additional symptoms accompanied by this type of headaches, such as redness of the eyes, sensitivity to light, and lacrimation. The pain is severe, and it usually lasts from 15 minutes to an hour.

The real causes of this type of headaches remain to be known, but they are mostly linked to disruptions in the body’s biological clock.

Treatment is a bit tricky since the pain appears and disappears spontaneously and within minutes. If you happen to experience cluster headaches, you should immediately visit your doctor for possible treatment.

Hangover headaches

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These headaches are pretty clear-cut. If you consume alcohol, you get them, and if you don’t, you don’t. As simple as that! Even though it is a well-known fact that alcohol causes blood vessel dilation and affects serotonin levels in the body, it also enables water loss and dehydration. These two are basically the major headache triggers.

The best remedy here is prevention. You should stop drinking alcohol in the first place! If you don’t want to, then take a painkiller, drink plenty of water, and get some good sleep. Every hangover should be taken seriously. On the other hand, if you have a headache after consuming even a small amount of alcohol, it can be a mild form of a migraine rather than a hangover headache.

Tension headaches

A tension headache is the most common type of headaches. You have it if you are feeling a constant pain or pressure around the head, particularly in the temples or back of the head and neck. These pains are not as severe as migraines, and they don’t usually cause nausea or vomiting.

Common painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, are good treatments. It is believed that this type of a headache comes as a result of the contraction of neck and scalp muscles (including in response to stress), and also from changes in brain chemicals.

Tension headaches appear due to the contraction of scalp muscles and neck generally (in response to stress), and also due to some changes in brain chemicals.

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Sinus headaches

A sinus headache usually comes with a fever and is caused by a sinus infection. It can be diagnosed by symptoms or the presence of pus viewed through a fiber-optic scope.

Treatments for this type of headaches are antibiotics (prescribed by your doctor), antihistamines, or decongestants.