What are headaches?
Headaches are among the most common and frequent foods. A headache is not a disease, but it can be indicative of other underlying problems. Although common and usually not serious, headaches are common in about 50-75% of all adolescents. However, recurring headaches can greatly annoy and worry a person. The most common types of headaches that people in their teens and early twenties get are tension headaches and migraines. In some cases, these problems may require a visit to a medical provider.
Treatment of an uncomplicated headache is usually symptomatic with over-the-counter pain relievers, although headaches such as migraines may require specific treatment. The occurrence of migraine headache could also be the result of particular allergic triggers like stress or some unambiguous foods that then need to be avoided.
There are three types of primary headaches: tension-type (muscle-contraction headache), migraine (vascular headaches), and cluster. Cluster headaches are sharp, extremely painful headaches that tend to occur several times a day for months and then go away for a similar amount of time.
Some other rare types of headaches include:
o Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (headache with visual symptoms due to increased intracranial pressure)
or ictal headache
o Brain freeze (also known as: ice cream headache)
or thunderclap headache
or Vascular headache
o Toxic headache
o Coital headache (also known as: sexual headache)
o Hemicrania continued
o Rebound headache (also called medication overuse headache, abbreviated MOH)
o Red wine headache
o Spinal headache (or: post dural puncture headaches) after a lumbar puncture or related procedure that will reduce intracranial pressure
o Hangover (caused by excessive alcohol consumption)
What are the causes of headaches?
The vast majority of headaches are not malignant and are self-limiting. Some common causes of headaches are said to be tension, migraine, eyestrain, dehydration, low blood sugar, overmastication, and sinusitis. Also, we have some very rare headaches that are the result of some life-threatening conditions like meningitis, encephalitis, brain aneurysms, exceptionally high blood pressure, and brain tumors. If a head injury is the cause of a headache, the reason is usually pretty obvious. In women, a large percentage of headaches are caused by their ever-fluctuating estrogen levels during the menstrual years. This can occur before or in the middle of the cycle.
If someone over the age of 50 is experiencing a headache for the first time, the cause may be a condition called temporal arthritis. Headache symptoms include vision problems and pain that is aggravated by chewing. Because there is a risk of going blind, you should be treated immediately by a doctor.
Brain aneurysm, brain tumor, stroke or TIA, and brain infection like meningitis or encephalitis are some rare causes of headaches and can be serious.
What are tension headaches?
Often related to stress, depression, or anxiety, tension headaches are caused by contraction of the muscles in the shoulders, neck, scalp, and jaw. Overwork, insomnia, missed meals, and alcohol and drug use can make one more vulnerable to headaches. Some foods can also trigger a headache, including chocolate, cheese, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) and flavor enhancers. A deviation from the usual dose of caffeine can also cause headaches.
Tension headaches can also result from performing an activity with your head held up in one position for a long time. This can usually happen from using a computer, microscope, or typewriter, sleeping in a cold room or in an abnormal position, overexerting yourself, and clenching or grinding your teeth.
Tension headaches tend to occur on both sides of the head, often starting at the back of the head and spreading forward. The pain can range from a dull or squeezing ache to a feeling of a tight band or vise around the head. Muscle tension usually begins in the shoulders, neck, or jaw before gradually spreading to the head. Therefore, these areas also feel tight and sore.
Where does the pain occur during a headache?
Pain, during a headache, occurs in the tissues that cover the brain, as well as in the muscles, network of nerves, and blood vessels around the scalp, face, and neck. The brain itself is insensitive to pain because it lacks nociceptors. Headaches often result from traction or irritation of the meninges and blood vessels. The dura, the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, is innervated by nociceptors. Any type of stimulation of these dural nociceptors is believed to cause headaches. The types of headaches are classified separately, of which the three most common headaches are:
o Headache due to muscle tension or contraction
or migraine headache
or cluster headache
Aside from these types, it is not uncommon for some people to experience a combination of the headache types listed above.
What are migraines?
A recurring, severe headache that is usually accompanied by visual disturbances or nausea is a common symptom of a migraine. This type of headache tends to start on one side of the head, although the pain can then spread to both sides. Migraine usually begins with an “aura” (warning symptoms before the actual onset of the headache) that is usually accompanied by a sensation of shooting, throbbing, or throbbing pain.