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Headaches are defined as a pain arising from the head or upper neck of the human body. This pain originates from the tissues and structures that surround the brain because the brain itself has no nerves that give rise to the sensation of pain (pain fibers). The periosteum that surrounds bones; muscles encase the skull, sinuses, eyes, and ears; and meninges that cover the surface of the brain and spinal cord, arteries, veins, and nerves, all can be inflamed or irritated to cause headache. This pain may be a dull ache, sharp, throbbing, constant, mild, or intense.
Headaches are mainly divided into three types
- Sinus
- Tension
- Migraine
Sinus Headaches
Sinus headaches are headaches that may feel like an infection in the sinuses (sinusitis). You may feel pressure around your eyes, cheeks and forehead. Perhaps your head throbs. However, many people who assume they have headaches from sinusitis, including many who have received such a diagnosis, actually have migraines or tension headaches.
Tension Headaches
A tension headache is a diffuse, mild to moderate pain in your head that is often described as feeling like a tight band tied around your head. A tension headache is the most common type of headache, and yet its causes are not well understood.
Treatments for tension headaches are available now. Managing a tension headache is often a balance between fostering healthy habits, finding effective nondrug treatments and using medications appropriately.
Migraine Headache
A migraine headache can cause an intense throbbing or a pulsing sensation in one area of head and is commonly caused by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can cause significant pain for hours to even days and be so severe that all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down.
Headaches categories
Headaches are categorized by their causes, primary and secondary. Normally headache is caused by problems with over activity of pain sensitive structures in the head. Activity (chemical) in brain, the nerves or blood vessels of human’s head outside your skull, or muscles of head and neck or some combination of these factors may play an important role in primary headaches.
Primary headaches are triggered by lifestyle factors, like:
- Drinking, particularly red wine
- Foods such as processed meats that contain nitrates
- Sleep disorder or lack of required sleep
- Poor posture
- Skipped meals
- Stress
Secondary headaches are symptom of disease that activates the pain sensitive nerves of the head. Any number of conditions — varying greatly in severity — may cause secondary headaches.
Secondary headaches may occur due to:
- carotid or vertebral dissections
- Blood clot (venous thrombosis) within the brain separate from stroke
- a bulge in an artery in your brain)
- an abnormal formation of brain blood vessels
- Brain tumor
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Chiari malformation (structural problem at the base of your skull)
- Concussion
- Dehydration
- Dental problems
- Ear infection (middle ear)
- Encephalitis (brain inflammation)
- Giant cell arteritis (inflammation of the lining of the arteries)
- Glaucoma
- Influenza (flu)
- Intracranial hematoma (blood vessel ruptures in the brain)
- Medications to treat other disorders
- Meningitis (inflammation of the membranes and fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord)
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Overuse of pain medication
- Panic attacks
- Post-concussion syndrome
- Pressure from tight-fitting headgear, such as a helmet or goggles
- Pseudotumor cerebri (increased pressure inside the skull)
- Stroke
- Toxoplasmosis
- Trigeminal neuralgia (disruption of the nerve connecting the face and brain)
If you think you have a secondary headache, you should see your doctor immediately it could be a warning sign of a disease. Stay happy, eat clean green and organic, sleep well and keep yourself away from stress to enjoy a fit and healthy life.
