Headache is very common and considered simple pain. A person can get a headache anytime due to stress, sensitivity, etc. Most of the time, headaches go away in a few hours. Some people also use medicines or home remedies to reduce the pain. Getting headaches once in a while is normal. But if you are facing it a lot then you should consider the headaches treatment Pennsylvania. Regular headaches may indicate other serious conditions. You should get a proper diagnosis and treat your headaches. There are more than 150 types of headaches. However, the headaches are divided into two categories: primary and secondary. A primary headache means you are getting pain due to some condition in your head. It means you are not getting a headache due to another illness. Secondary headaches occur due to other conditions such as head injury, etc.
Migraine
In migraine, a person gets intense throbbing pain on one side of the head. Most people with migraine experience sensitivity to sound, light, and smell. Vomiting and nausea are also very common in migraine. It occurs in four stages, prodrome, aura, attack, and post-drome. In aura, people face sensory or visual disturbance for around 5-30 minutes. They may get symptoms like:
- Tingling
- Seeing black dot or zig-zag lining
- Numbness
- Muscle weakness
- Difficulty in speaking
If you get aura symptoms often then you should seek a doctor. These symptoms can also occur due to other severe illnesses. Migraine headaches can occur 2-3 times a month. The attack can last for a few hours to days. There is no exact cause of migraine. However, some factors can increase the chances of getting a migraine-like gender, genes, age, etc.
Common migraine triggers are:
- Stress
- Sleep disorder
- Anxiety
- Skipping meals
- Dehydration
- Hormonal changes
- Bright lights
Treatment for migraine
Your doctor will give you the treatment depending on your symptoms and pain intensity. People often use NSAIDs like naproxen, aspirin, and ibuprofen to ease the pain. But taking lots of NSAIDs can harm other organs of the body. Antiemetics are given if the person is also vomiting or getting nausea. You can also use natural medications such as Homeopathy to treat migraine.
Tension headaches
This is the most common type of headache. The intensity of tension headaches is less and occurs on both sides of the head. Common symptoms of tension headaches are tenderness of the head, pressure behind eyes, and sensitivity to sound. A person can face tension headaches for 30 minutes to several hours. The exact cause is unclear but there are some potential triggers:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Loud noise
- Bad posture
- Eyestrain
Treatment for tension headaches
People use over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen to reduce the tension headache. In case you are getting tension more than 15 days a month then you should seek a doctor. Instead of taking allopathic medicines, you can prevent tension headaches by making changes in your lifestyle. Proper diet, good sleep, and exercise can reduce the occurrence of tension headaches. Manage your anxiety, stress, and depression to reduce headaches. Also, have an eye test if you are getting headaches after working on laptops or watching TV.
Sinus headaches
Sinus headaches occur when a person has sinusitis. This condition occurs due to some infection or allergy. In this type of headache, a person gets dull but throbbing pain in the eyes, cheeks, and forehead. Some people also feel pain in their teeth and jaw. Some common symptoms of sinus headaches are:
- Facial pain
- Reduced smell senses
- Blocked nose
- Ear pain
- Fever
- Dental pain
- Fatigue
- Getting sinus
If the person is not getting nasal symptoms then this headache is quite similar to a migraine attack.
Treatment for sinus headaches
These headaches will go away within 1-2 weeks. To reduce the pain, a person can take:
- Rest
- Drink fluids
- OTC medicines
- Steroid nasal sprays
- Nasal decongestants
- Antibiotics
If the pain is not reduced within a week then you should meet a doctor. Sinusitis in winter gets worse as the sinus gets swell. Sometimes, minor surgery can help to drain the sinuses.
Cluster headache
These are severe and recurrent types of headaches. Men are more likely to get cluster headaches than women. In this type of headache, a person feels intense piercing and burning pain behind one eye. Common symptoms of cluster headaches are swollen eyelids, watering eyes, sensitivity to light, runny nose, restlessness, etc.
Treatment for cluster headache
- Sumatriptan
- Verapamil
- Melatonin
- Lithium
- Oxygen therapy
In case the medicines don’t respond then the doctor may suggest deep-brain stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation.
Exertional headache
These headaches occur due to excessive physical exercise. Common triggers for exertional headaches are weight lifting, running, jumping, sexual intercourse, etc. Exertional headaches are short headaches and last for about 1-3 hours. But sometimes these headaches may last for about 2 days.
Treatment for exertional headache
- Beta-blockers like propranolol
- Indomethacin
- OTC pain relief
If you are getting exertional headaches often then visit a doctor as it may cause cardiovascular problems.
Hypnic headaches
This is a rare type of headache and mainly occurs after the age of 50. The pain intensity is mild to moderate and usually occurs at night. People get headaches on both sides and last for around 2-3 hours. Other symptoms of hypnic headaches are sensitivity to light, nausea, etc.
Treatment for hypnic headache
- Indomethacin
- Lithium
- Caffeine
Medication-overuse headache
MOH or rebound headache is a common type of secondary headache. The symptoms of MOH are very similar to migraine and tension headaches. Common drugs that can cause medication-overuse headaches are opioids, triptans, NSAIDs, acetaminophen, etc. MOH usually occurs when a person takes lots of medications to ease other headaches.
Treatment for MOH
You have to stop medications for headaches to prevent MOH. Before stopping any medication, please ask your doctor. After stopping the medication, a person may feel symptoms like:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sleep disturbance
- Low BP
- Worsened headache
Your doctor may prescribe medicines like antiemetics to reduce symptoms like nausea and vomiting.
Head-injury headaches
Many people develop headaches after any head injury. OTC medicines can help in reducing pain. But if a person is getting other symptoms like seizures, vomiting, confusion, vision problems, etc then seek the doctor immediately. A person can develop post-traumatic headaches after days or months of head injury.
Some other types of headaches are menstrual headaches, hangover headaches, caffeine-related headaches, etc. Treating the condition will treat the headaches. Most of the headaches can be cured permanently. However, taking a proper diet, good sleep, and a healthy routine can reduce the recurrence.