Although medical science cannot pinpoint the exact cause of headaches in a patient, some of the most common causes can typically be identified in the majority of cases. Headaches are broken down in the medical community into a few categories that assist in diagnosis. A primary headache is something almost all people are familiar with. The most common types of primary headaches are 1) tension, 2) migraine, and 3) cluster and are rarely life threatening. Sinus headaches are associated with a deep and constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose. Cluster headaches are among the least common, although considered to be one of the most severe, the pain of a cluster headache is intense and may be described as having a burning effect that is throbbing and often constant. When a cluster headache occurs, it can be accompanied by severe pain that focuses behind the eyes, also water running from the eyes and nose are common with cluster headaches.
Tension headaches are caused by muscle contraction which causes mild to moderate pain and come and go over a prolonged period of time. Many experts believe that the high majority of primary headaches are associated with some type of tension. Prolonged physical stress, such as hard manual labor that is engaged in for several hours, can also result in headaches caused by tension. Although the reasons for skull muscle contraction are difficult to ascertain, it is commonly seen as a result of emotional or physical stress. A Migraine headache will occur in areas of the brain, however, the exact causes of these forms of headaches is unknown, they are related to blood vessel contractions, other changes in the brain and believed to be hereditary. There are multiple symptoms associated with Migraines, such as, loss of appetite, eye sensitivity to light, nausea, over sensitivity to noise and odors, upset stomach or abdominal pain.
Migraine pain is moderate to severe, often described as pounding, throbbing pain. Migraines can last for several hours or even several days and people who suffer from them often get them at least once a month. Chronic progressive headaches: or sometime known as: inflammatory headaches, can get worse and happen more often over time. These type of chronic headaches are not common and around less than 5% of all adults will experience them. Women experiencing changes in their hormone levels due to menopause, pregnancy or menstruation cycles, can get, ’Hormone headaches’. Also, chemically induced hormone changes, such as with birth control pills, also trigger headaches in some women.
The most serious and potentially life threatening are the Secondary headaches. Secondary headaches are those that are due to an underlying structural problem in the head or neck and there are numerous causes of this type of headache ranging from bleeding in the brain to a tumor. The diagnosis of secondary headache begins with a complete patient history followed by a physical examination,laboratory and radiology tests as appropriate. Secondary headaches can be quite painful, and may also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as sensory phenomenon. If you suffer from a headache, you should seek medical care for new onset headaches, fever, stiff neck, change in behavior, vomiting, weakness or change in sensation.
