Headache is a type of discomfort or pain that occurs in the head or face. The pain intensity of a headache depends on the severity and type of headache. A person can get a headache due to many reasons. A simple cold can also cause a headache. Whereas some headaches appear due to any underlying condition. There are over 150 types of headaches that are broadly classified as primary and secondary headaches.
Common causes of headaches
Stress
Depression or emotional stress can cause headaches. If a person is under too much stress due to work or other things; he often gets stress headaches. Due to stress, people often smoke, skip meals, or face issues in sleeping. These factors can also cause stress to a person.
Illness
Any type of infection, fevers, colds, etc can cause headaches. Sinusitis is a common type of headache that occurs due to an infection in the sinuses. But sometimes the headaches can occur due to severe illnesses like cancer.
Environment
Passive smoking can also cause headaches. Any type of strong smell from chemicals, and perfumes can cause headaches. Some food items can also cause headaches. Living in too much noise or polluted areas can trigger headaches. Many people get headaches due to weather changes.
Genetics
Many types of headaches like migraine can run in families. If a kid has a migraine then other people in the family may have the same condition. In case both parents have migraines then there is a 70% chance that their child will face the same condition.
Types of headaches
Primary headaches
These are those headaches where head pain is the main problem. The headaches are not triggered due to any other illnesses. These headaches can be episodic or chronic. If the headache is occurring often but less than 15 days a month then they are considered episodic. But when a person is facing headaches more than 15 days a month then he is facing chronic headaches. You should get proper treatment and pain management for chronic headaches.
Tension headaches
These are the most common headaches that have mild to intense pain intensity. In a tension headache, a person may feel a tight band around the forehead. Any type of tension can trigger this headache. These are usually episodic headaches and can appear 2-3 times a month. But sometimes the tension headaches may become chronic.
Cluster headache
Cluster headaches occur behind one eye or one side of the face. These headaches have severe burning and piercing pain. During a cluster headache, a person may get symptoms like flushing, redness, swelling, sweating, etc on the affected side of the head. Some people also get eye tearing or nasal congestion on the headache side. Cluster headaches appear in series and every episode usually lasts for 15 minutes to 2 hours. When a cluster appears, a person will experience 3-4 episodes a day that usually appear at the same time each day. Sometimes the cluster headaches appear daily for a month. You should talk to the best homeopathic doctor in USA and get proper treatment. Cluster headaches mainly appear during spring or fall and men are more likely to get cluster headaches.
Migraine
Migraine headaches have high intensity and the person feels a throbbing and pulsing sensation in the head. Migraine headaches can last for days and cause problems in performing daily routine activities. The pain in migraine usually appears on one side of the head. During migraines, people usually get sensitive to light and sound. Lots of people also get nausea and vomiting due to migraine. This headache appears in stages: prodrome, aura, attack, and postdrome. Some migraine headaches cause visual disturbance and the person may see zigzag lines, stars, flashing lights, blind spots, etc.
Some other common types of primary headaches are hemicrania continua, ice pick headache, a thunderclap headache, etc.
Secondary headaches
These headaches occur when a person is dealing with some other illness. When a person is getting headaches due to an underlying disease, these headaches may become severe. Treating the underlying disease will reduce headache problems.
Sinus headaches
If a person has sinusitis then getting sinus headaches is very common. These headaches appear due to an allergic reaction and the pain appears in the sinus area and on the front side of the head. Sinus headaches are often misdiagnosed as sinus headaches as they have similar symptoms.
Hormone headache
Lots of people face headaches problems due to changes in hormone levels. Women often get hormone headaches as their hormone level changes throughout their life. Menstruation, pregnancy, using birth control pills, etc that can affect estrogen levels can cause headaches. If the headaches are associated with the menstrual cycle then those are menstrual migraines. The hormone headaches get better after menopause.
Caffeine headache
Caffeine is harmful to your body and can affect the blood flow in the brain. Whenever a person is under stress or gets a headache, he prefers drinking a cup of coffee. Drinking coffee can help in reducing pain. However, taking a large amount of caffeine every day can change brain chemistry. If you drink coffee daily and then don’t drink one day, headache triggers.
Hypertension headaches
High blood pressure often triggers a headache and it can be an alarming signal. If you are getting a headache due to blood pressure; get help immediately. These headaches can appear on both sides of the head. The pain intensity of headaches increases when a person is doing some activity.
Some other common types of secondary headaches are rebound headaches, post-traumatic headaches, spinal headaches, exertion headaches, etc.
Treatment options for headache
Medication
OTC medicines are prescribed for common headaches like tension headaches, migraine, sinus headaches, and hormone headaches. Medicines like aspirin, ibuprofen, etc help in reducing the pain intensity. However, if the pain is not reducing then the doctor may prescribe medicines like indomethacin, meloxicam, etc. For cluster headaches, doctors often recommend oxygen therapy or local anesthesia.
Natural medications
Headaches can be treated using natural medications, these medications are fully safe and also prevent a recurrence. People often prefer natural medications for treating migraines and hormone headaches. Natural medicines may take more time to treat but do not cause harm to the body.
Treating underlying conditions
For treating secondary headaches, you have to treat the underlying condition. Say if a person is getting a headache due to hypertension; maintaining the blood pressure will help in reducing headaches.