Headache

Definition

A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Most headaches due to tension, migraine, or a combination of both. Serious underlying causes of headaches, like a tumor or a stroke, is extremely rare, despite the fact that many people worry about these options.

Most people with headaches can feel much, much better by making lifestyle changes, including learning ways to relax, and occasionally by taking medications.

See also tension headache, cluster headache, classical migraine and common migraine.

Common Causes

Tension headache caused contraction (tightness) of the muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp, and jaw. They are often associated with stress, depression or anxiety. Extra work, not getting enough sleep, missing meals, and using alcohol or street drugs can make you more susceptible to headaches. Foods that may trigger a headache containing chocolate, cheese, and monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer. People who drink caffeine can have headaches when they do not get their usual daily amount.

Other common reasons you may develop a tension headache include:

• Performing an activity that causes you to keep your head in one position for a long time, like using a computer, microscope, or typewriter

• Sleeping in a cold room or an abnormal position

• Overexerting yourself

• attach your jaw or grinding your teeth

Tension headaches tend to be on both sides of the head. They often start at the back of your head and spread forward. The pain may feel dull or squeezing, even as a tight band or vice around your head. The muscle tension often starts in the shoulders, neck or jaw before it spreads to your head. Therefore, these areas feel tight and sore as well.

Migraine is severe, recurrent headaches generally accompanied by other symptoms like visual disturbances or nausea. They tend to start on one side of your head, although the pain may spread to both sides. You can have an "aura" (warning symptoms that start before your headache) and usually feel a pulsing, throbbing or pulsating pain.

Other types of headaches include:

• Cluster headaches are sharp, extremely painful headaches that tend to occur several times a day for several months and then go away for a similar period. They are far less common than migraine or tension headaches.

• Sinus headaches cause pain in the front of your head and face. They are due to inflammation of the sinus passages that lie behind the cheeks, nose and eyes. The pain tends to be worse when you bend forward and when you first wake up in the morning. Postnasal drip, sore throat, and nasal discharge usually occur with these headaches.

Headaches may occur if you have a cold, flu, fever, or premenstrual syndrome.

If you are over 50 years and are experiencing headaches for the first time, a condition called temporal arteritis may prove to be the cause. Symptoms of this condition include impaired vision and pain aggravated by chewing. There is a risk of becoming blind with this condition. Therefore, it should be treated by your doctor.