What Causes A Headache:
Because there are many types of headaches, many methods might be used to diagnose which type you are experiencing. Doctors must determine whether you have a primary or secondary headache to recommend effective treatment. If this type of headache is new to you or lasts longer, it may be best to seek medical attention for a diagnosis. Exertion headaches happen quickly after periods of intense physical activity. Weightlifting, running, and sexual intercourse are all common triggers for an exertion headache. It’s thought that these activities cause increased blood flow to your skull, leading to a throbbing headache on both sides of your head.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost half of all adults experience a headache at least once a year. To discover more evidence-based information and resources for headache and migraine, visit our dedicated additional reading hub. For example, you notice your headaches get a bit worse when you have two cups of coffee instead of one. In this case, you would always try to avoid the second cup and look for alternate ways to get your energy boost.
If you’d like to learn more about migraine, watch or other related videos or visit mayoclinic.org. People with chronic migraine should speak with a doctor about preventive treatment. A healthcare professional may diagnose chronic migraine if a person has an episode on more than 15 days per month or if symptoms occur on at least 8 days a month for 3 months. ‘We want people to be aggressive about treating their neck pain so this problem doesn’t get worse,’ Green says. Headache treatment is a partnership between you and your doctor, and honest communication is essential. It may take some time for your doctor or specialist to determine the best course of treatment.
Tension headaches typically don’t cause nausea or vomiting. Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant and experience migraines. Your provider might suggest avoiding medications for migraines when you’re pregnant or official statement if you think you may be pregnant. Some medications can negatively affect the fetus’s development. Most migraines are unpredictable, but sometimes, you can have an idea of when a migraine will happen, like before menstruation or after feeling stress.
Sometimes relaxation exercises or changes in diet or sleeping habits are all that’s needed. But if needed, a doctor also can prescribe medicine to help control the headaches. The findings look at more info suggest that migraine treatments for adults may not necessarily work in young people. Headaches may develop, worsen, become more frequent, or come and go, often at irregular periods.
Unlike primary headaches, secondary headaches arise from an underlying condition or situation (e.g., illness, pregnancy, or medication). Most secondary headaches are not serious or dangerous, except in rare instances. This article explains some of the key headache symptoms that should alert you to seek medical attention.
Frequent or severe headaches can affect a person’s quality of life. Knowing how to recognize the type of headache and its cause can help a person take appropriate action. When thinking about how to prevent your headaches or migraine attacks, it may be best to identify and avoid your triggers. Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common primary headache disorder.
Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. However, most individuals with headache do not have brain tumors. Certain antipsychotic drugs, calcium-channel blockers, and anticonvulsants can reduce pain severity and frequency of attacks.
Hypnic headache may be a disorder of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep as the attacks occur most often during dreaming. Both men and women are affected by this disorder, which is usually treated with caffeine, indomethacin, or lithium. Migraine headaches are often described as pounding, throbbing pain. They can last from 4 hours to 3 days and usually happen one to four times a month.
A healthcare provider can help you with this, so migraines don’t take over your life. Everyone with migraine needs effective treatment at the time of the headaches. Some people with frequent and severe migraine need preventive medications. In general, prevention should be considered if migraines occur one or more times weekly, or if migraines are less frequent but disabling. Preventive medicines also are recommended for individuals who take symptomatic headache treatment more than three times a week. Physicians also will recommend that a migraine sufferer take one or more preventive medications two to three months to assess drug effectiveness, unless intolerable side effects occur.
Many headaches can be managed with preventive measures, but methods differ by headache type. Some headache types might be prevented with medication, while the same medication might cause others. Treatments could range from dietary adjustments to procedures performed by a medical professional.
They are not localized to a single area like the forehead or the back of the head. One theory suggest that a problem with the electric charge through nerve cells causes a sequence of changes that cause migraines. Headaches that result from viral infections like the cold or flu can be prevented by washing your hands frequently and getting vaccinated, when applicable. Likewise, a post-traumatic headache may be prevented by wearing a helmet during potentially high-impact sports or recreational activities. Less often, the headache may occur at the back and top of the head and around the eyes.
Below, learn about the different types of headache, including their causes and other symptoms. Several alternative forms of headache treatment, now known as integrative treatments, are available. However, it is important for a person to consult a doctor before making any significant changes or beginning new treatments. These are sudden, severe headaches that people often describe as the worst headache of their lives. They reach maximum intensity in about 30 seconds to a minute and slowly fade within a few hours. A migraine episode may last from 4’72 hours when untreated or unsuccessfully treated.