Headache

Put a name to the cause of your pain

A headache is any pain you feel on any part of your head. A headache can appear suddenly or gradually. The character of your headache can be dull, throbbing or sharp. It can happen on one or both sides of your head, it can have a vise-like quality or radiate from one point to another. It can also last for just minutes or for several days.

The majority of headaches aren’t caused by serious illness, but a small percentage are sometimes caused by life threatening conditions that should be taken seriously. According to most neurology textbooks, headaches are primarily classified by cause. Learn the type of headache you get to determine the possible support available to relieve you of your pain.

Headache Types

Headaches can be broadly classified into primary and secondary. Primary headaches are basically caused by the structures inside your head which are sensitive to pain. This includes a variety of factors like blood vessels and nerves surrounding your skull, muscles in the neck and head region or simply the biochemical activity in your brain. Some people are more susceptible to developing headaches than others.

The Common Types of Primary Headaches

1. Tension headache. Tension headaches are mostly mild to moderate in severity and feel like a tight band around your head. It’s the most common type of headache, but its exact causes are still undetermined.
2. Migraine. This type of headache can be quite debilitating when it happens. It can be present for hours or even days and can be severe enough to make you find a dark, quiet place to lie down. It is characterised by pulsing or throbbing pain in an area of your head. It’s usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting and heightened sensitivity to sound and light. Sometimes, a migraine is preceded by warning signs like tingling sensations in your extremities, blind spots or flashes of light before your eyes.
3. Cluster headache. Cluster headaches occur in cycles or clusters and can be very painful. They typically occur while you sleep manifesting unilaterally (on one side only) around the eye area. They’re rare compared to the other types of primary headaches.

There are certain factors that trigger primary headaches. Here are some of them. Notice that all of the mentioned factors are lifestyle factors. This means you can do something about them.

Remember, a primary headache isn’t the symptom of another underlying disease. It’s caused by pain-sensitive structures in your head.

Secondary Headaches

A disease or condition that triggers a headache or one that includes a headache as one of its symptoms is called a secondary headache. You can just imagine the thousands of medical conditions which can produce a secondary headache. Here are some of the common conditions or factors that produce secondary headaches:

Concussion
Dehydration
Hangovers (very common). A type of headache that’s easily preventable, but difficult to get rid of immediately.
Drugs you take for other medical conditions. These drugs could cause a headache as a side effect. Even pain medications can produce a secondary headache.
Brain freeze (you get this from sipping that Slurpee too fast). Also called ice cream headaches. Luckily these don’t last very long.
MSG (monosodium glutamate). Yes this cooking ingredient can produce a secondary headache if you consume too much of it or if you are particularly sensitive to it.
Thunderclap headaches. This type of headache does have a reputation for grabbing your attention. It’s severe and reaches its peak around 60 seconds. It can signify bleeding around or inside your head.
External compression headaches. This happens when you use ill-fitting or pressure-causing headgear such as a bicycle helmet.

How to Decrease Your Chances of Experiencing a Headache

1. Drink enough water. Don’t wait for your body to tell you that it’s thirsty. Stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day especially during hot weather and when you exercise.
2. Fix your diet. What you eat can produce or trigger a headache. Avoid MSG laden foods, processed meats, processed carbohydrates (including sugar) and alcohol.
3. Get enough sleep. Get into the habit of getting to sleep on time every night. Get at least 7 hours of sleep a night.
4. Learn how to decrease stress in your life. Click here for our tips for managing stress.
5. You can also try acupuncture and massage therapies to alleviate primary headaches. Some experts also say that chiropractic treatment may help in decreasing the symptoms of a migraine.
6. If you take niacin (vitamin B3), you may experience flushing, a headache, burning, tingling, itching and erythema (redness) of the face, chest and arms. To avoid headaches, start at the lowest dose possible and gradually increase the dose until you reach the therapeutic dose.
7. You can also try the following supplements:
- Cayenne – This herb is used to support headaches because of its active ingredient capsaicin.
- Feverfew – A traditional supporting herb for migraine headaches. It is able to inhibit the production of prostaglandins, a pain mediator.
- Ginger root – Another well-known herb that also helps by blocking the production of the prostaglandins that regulate inflammation, release certain hormones and stimulate muscle contractions.
- Peppermint oil – A recent study documented the benefits of peppermint oil in relieving tension type headaches. Simply massage the oil into your temples.

Do you know which type of headache you suffer from? Even though many of the causes of headaches are still unknown, most of them are affected by lifestyle factors. The great thing about this is that you can do something about them. So why not start now!

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References

Ropper, A. H., Samuels, M. A., & Klein, J. (2014). Adams and Victor's principles of neurology (Tenth Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education Medical.
Greenberg, D. A., Aminoff, M. J., & Simon, R. P. (2012). Clinical Neurology (8th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Medical.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21640251
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21533705
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3099266/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210009/
https://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/ginger-for-instant-headache-relief/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8805113

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