12 Most Common Types Of Headaches, Their Causes, And Different Ways To Treat Them
Headaches are pretty common and, almost all of us suffered from them at some point.
But do you know they are all not the same? According to the International Headache Society,
there are around 150 types of headaches, all with different causes and treatments.
Maybe the reason your headache is not going away is because of incorrect handling.
With little awareness, you could recognize the cause and cure your headache in the right
way.
In today’s video, we will share with you the 12 most common types of headaches, their
causes, and different ways to treat them.
#1. Sinus headaches This kind of headache is very prevalent and
occurs due to a blocked nasal cavity and inflammation of the sinuses. It comes with pounding pain
around the cheeks, ears, and eyes. You may feel uncomfortable while making any movements;
if the pain gets extreme, it can reach jaws and teeth too. To make the symptoms disappear,
you can use over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers and saline nasal spray to unblock your nasal
cavity. If the headache stays for long or gets unbearable, consult an ENT specialist.
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#2. Headaches due to head injury A head injury is often followed by a normal
to severe headache. With headache, you could also experience nausea, confusion or unconsciousness,
pain in the eyes and ears. The most important thing to do is, consult a doctor as soon as
possible after a head injury. If it is nothing serious, then the doctor would prescribe OTC
medicine and rest.
#3. Migraine It is one of the most common types of headache.
In migraine, you feel pounding or throbbing pain on any side of your forehead. Sometimes,
vomiting is the only way to subside this kind of headache. They usually occur due to high
brightness, extreme temperature, lack of sleep, high-pitched sounds, dehydration, hunger,
stress, or strong smell. Most individuals with migraines see flickering or floating
spots of light. Taking rest, managing stress, drinking fluids, or placing a cold cloth on
the head could lower the pain.
#4. Stress headaches This type of headache is commonly known as
a tension headache. It involves the contraction of the scalp and neck muscles and, an individual
feels tightness in the head and neck areas. As the name suggests, the cause of this type
of headache is stress, depression, anxiety, or sometimes head injury, which causes tension
in the head and neck muscles. Tension headaches can also occur due to excessive smoking, dehydration,
and poor posture. Hydrating yourself, improving your sleep cycle, and pain killers may help
ease the pain. Your doctor might prescribe medicines such as ketorolac, naproxen, and
opiates. The symptoms of tension headaches are very similar to those headaches that occur
due to brain tumors. Therefore, consulting a healthcare provider is extremely important
to detect the severity of the situation.
#5. Hypnic headache This type of headache is also known as an
‘alarm clock’ headache because it occurs at night and wakes up the person. The hypnic
headache is more common in people who are 50 years of age or above. The pain in hypnic
headaches occurs in both sides of the head and ranges from mild to severe. According
to American Migraine Foundation, taking caffeine before bed either; in the form of; coffee
or a pill and anti-inflammatory drugs like; Indomethacin could help treat the hypnic headache.
#6. Cluster headache These types of headaches happen in clusters;
they appear for a short time with high severity, go away on their own, and then come back again.
They are recurrent and remain for weeks or a whole month. The fascinating thing about
cluster headaches is that you will get them in the same season every year. The pain in
cluster headache usually starts from behind one of the eyes and then spreads to the neck
and ears. Excessive tearing and restlessness are symptoms of cluster headache. Deep breathing
exercises and medications like lithium, melatonin, sumatriptan, or verapamil could help.
#7. Headaches related to caffeine The excessive intake of caffeine makes the
blood vessels surrounding the brain narrow this causes pressure on the surrounding nerves
and increases the blood flow. When you cut down the caffeine, your blood vessels widen
up, and this results in throbbing pain in your head. Moreover, the pain modulating receptors
in brains can also get blocked by using caffeine, thus decreasing the spread of the headache.
The only way to prevent this headache is by limiting the intake of caffeine. However,
if you already have got a headache, OTC drugs might help relieve the pain.
#8. Hormone headache Hormone headaches are also known as menstrual
migraines. Women may feel this type of headache every month, during or even before their menstrual
periods start. The menstrual headache is often associated with sensitivity to light, throbbing
pain in the head, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. However, hormonal headaches in women
are not only due to menstrual periods. They can occur due to other hormonal changes like
lactation, pregnancy, and menstrual pause as well. Relaxation exercises, yoga, NSAID,
or triptan could help in controlling the pain. If the cause is a menstrual pause, then hormonal
therapy is recommended.
#9. Exertional headache Headaches that are associated with any physical
activity are called exertional headaches. For example, during exercises like weight
lifting, you exert your body; as a result, the muscles of various body parts like the
head and neck require more blood circulation; This results in the dilation of the blood
vessels, followed by a headache. Exertion headaches are not long-lasting. Over the counter,
medicines may help get rid of the pain. Propanolol beta-blockers or; drugs like indomethacin
are usually prescribed; by the health specialist.
#10. Hangover headache Excessive alcohol consumption can result in
throbbing pain in the head; This type of headache; is known as a hangover headache. These headaches
get worse with movements, and they occur on both sides of the head. Their symptoms are
very similar to those of migraine. Alcohol decreases the production of vasopressin hormone;
as a result, the body becomes dehydrated, which causes a hangover headache. Due to alcohol
consumption, kidney functions are affected, and toxic products are not excreted sufficiently
from the body. According to some health experts, the excretion of these products from the body
is the only way to get rid of a hangover headache. OTC drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin help in
lowering the severity of the headache.
#11. Rebound headache This type of headache occurs due to the overuse
of medicines. These headaches are persistent and are very similar to tension-type headaches.
Moreover, they are more painful in the morning as compared to the rest of the day. It can
be due to the overuse of medicines, like aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, sedatives, migraine
medicines, and drugs used in sinusitis. Quitting the overuse or taking them in small doses
can help. Detoxification might help to ease the rebound headache.
#12. Hypertension headache As the name suggests, hypertension headaches;
are caused by hypertension; that occurs due to high blood pressure. You should not; ignore
them or take them lightly because it occurs when the blood pressure is extremely high
and requires immediate medical attention. Any movement or activity makes this headache
worse. It is often associated with bleeding of the nose, pain in the chest, and shortness
of breath. These headaches go away when the blood pressure gets under control.
The types of headaches vary significantly based on their intensity, causes, frequency,
and location. After the correct diagnosis, it becomes easier for the healthcare provider
to prescribe a suitable treatment. Whatever type of headache you are suffering from, you
should never ignore it, especially if it persists for a long duration and severity is not decreasing
at any cost. Such headaches could be a warning signal of other issues like brain tumors or
meningitis.
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