HEADACHE SYMPTOMS AND TYPESTension headache The most common headache type is the tension headache. These headaches are painful and annoying, but not usually incapacitating. They can be worsened in times of stress, so you may need to reduce the amount of stress in your life if you’re getting a lot of tension headaches. Most of the time, tension headaches can be relieved with over-the-counter pain medications like Tylenol (acetaminophen). Rarely, a person may have chronic tension headaches. Migraine Unlike a tension headache, a migraine is usually incapacitating. In addition to severe headache pain, a person with a migraine headache may also experience sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and vomiting. A person with migraine headaches may take over-the-counter pain medications, but this does not always stop a migraine. A person who gets migraines may get one every once in a while or suffer from frequent, chronic migraines. Cluster headache Another type of severe headache is called a cluster headache. Cluster headaches are more rare than migraines. They are more painful and usually will not respond to over-the-counter medication, but they do not have associated symptoms like nausea. They also typically occur on one side of the head. While migraines are more common in women, cluster headaches are more common in men. CAUSES OF HEADACHES A person may have a headache if they are dehydrated or in a state of hypoglycemia. The headache will go away after fluids are replenished if the person was dehydrated, or when the blood sugar is returned to normal if the person was hypoglycemic. If you are having trouble controlling your blood sugar levels, you should see a doctor. In rare cases, a headache may be a sign of a serious medical condition. This is not the case for the vast majority of headaches, which may cause significant pain but does not usually involve serious pathological changes. If there is something else wrong, there are usually additional symptoms and signs that make it obvious that a person is not having a run-of-the mill headache. For example, a person with meningitis may have a painful headache, but other signs of meningitis include having a stiff neck and a fever. Meningitis is a life-threatening condition that is contagious and requires immediate medical attention. WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR If your headaches are interfering significantly with your life and causing you chronic pain, do not feel shy about seeking medical attention. Your doctor may be able to help you manage your pain more effectively. Seek medical attention if:
You have tension headaches, migraine headaches, or cluster headaches and you have to take over-the-counter pain medication frequently or in high doses.You are often disabled by your pain and are having trouble performing daily activities.Your headaches are getting progressively worse over time. A doctor may be able to prescribe different medications to control your headaches or even prevent them from occurring. It is important to develop a pain management plan with a doctor because over-the-counter pain medication may have side effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding or liver damage, if it is taken in high doses or too frequently.Your headache is associated with other neurological conditions like seizures.Your headache is associated with muscle weakness or numbness in a limb, personality changes, speech changes or vision changes. This could be a sign of a stroke or a brain tumor and should be checked out by a medical professional.Your headache is extremely severe, acute and causes other neurological problems. The culprit may be a bleed into the brain caused by a burst blood vessel called a ruptured aneurism.If you have a headache after hitting your head or being in a car accident.
HEADACHE TREATMENTS What the doctor will actually do for a headache sufferer depends on the type of headache and the individual case. In cases of chronic headaches, a doctor may prescribe pain medication that can be taken in smaller doses so that it is less likely to cause liver damage, or medication to decrease the frequency of chronic headaches. In the case of chronic migraines, Botox injections have been shown to be a possible alternative treatment for migraine pain in people who are not responding well to pain medication. People with cluster headaches usually have to take medication every day to prevent their headaches, because they are difficult to stop once they have started and they are utterly incapacitating. However, some medications do exist that can stop a cluster headache after it has already started. MORE: Mitigating Migraine Miseries
