Facts

About
Headache

 A headache is defined as "a pain or ache in the head...It

accompanies many diseases and conditions, including emotional
distress."
Headaches are one of the most common symptoms that can be
experienced. Most people will experience a headache at some
point of their lives.They can affect anyone regardless of age and
gender.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that around 47% of
the world's adult population will have experienced a headache
within the last year. As well as being symptoms of other
conditions, headache disorders can lead to the development of
other illnesses.
Depressionis three times more common in individuals with severe
headaches than healthy people.

 Primary headaches
Direct physical stimuli, such as temperature and external
pressure
Pain over the scalp
Physical exertion
Other miscellaneous headaches.
Secondary headaches
Blood clots
Brain freeze (ice cream headaches)
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Dehydration
Glaucoma
Overuse of pain medication (rebound headaches)
Panic attacks
Stroke

 Headaches that occur suddenly (acute-onset) are usually due to

an illness, infection, cold, or fever. Other conditions that can cause
an acute headache includesinusitis(inflammation of the
sinuses),pharyngitis(inflammation or infection of the throat), or
otitis (ear infectionor inflammation).
Common causes oftension headachesor chronic nonprogressive
headaches include emotional stress related to family and friends,
work, or school; alcohol use; skipping meals; changes in
sleeppatterns; excessive medicationuse; tension and depression.
Other causes of tension headaches include eyestrain and neck or
back strain due to poor posture.
Headaches can also be triggered by specific environmental factors
that are shared in a family's household, such as exposure
tosecondhand tobacco smoke, strong odors from household
chemicals or perfumes, exposure to certain allergens, or eating
certainfoods.Stress, pollution, noise, lighting, and weather
changes are other environmental factors that can trigger
headaches for some people.

Here are some key points about headaches.

Headaches can be stand alone illnesses or the symptom of
another condition.
Depending on the specific type of headache, they can last
for any time between a few hours and several weeks.
Primary headaches are caused by problems with or
overactivity from pain-sensitive structures in the head.
The most common form of primary headache is the tensiontype headache.
A wide variety of conditions can cause secondary
headaches, ranging from hangovers to brain tumors.
The most common form of secondary headache is the
rebound headache (medication-overuse headache).

 Here are the characterizing symptoms of some of the more

prominent forms of headache:
1. Tension-type headaches
Tension-type headaches are the most common form of
primary headache. They are described as feeling like a tight
band around the head, with a constant, dull ache being felt
on both sides. Sometimes the pain spreads to or from the
neck. They normally begin slowly and gradually in the
middle of the day.
Tension-type headaches can be either episodic or chronic.
Episodic attacks are normally a few hours in duration, but
can last for several days.

2. Migraines
Migraine is the second most common form of primary
headache and has been ranked as the seventh-highest
specific cause of disability worldwide.5They can last for any
amount of time between a few hours and 2-3 days.
A migraine headache may cause a pulsating, throbbing pain
that can occur on either one side or both sides of the head.
The aching can also be accompanied by blurred vision,
lightheadedness, nausea and sensory disturbances.

3. Rebound headaches
Rebound, or medication-overuse headaches are the most
common secondary headache, caused by the excessive use of
medication to treat headache symptoms. They usually begin
early in the day and persist throughout, improving with pain
medicine but worsening when its effects wear off.
Rebound headaches can cause a number of symptoms, and
the pain can be different each day. Along with the aching,
rebound headaches can cause neck pain, restlessness, nose
stuffiness and unrestful sleep.

4. Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches are a relatively uncommon form of
primary headache that affect less than one in every 1,000
adults. They strike quickly, once or more daily at the same
time each day and often without warning. They usually last
between 45-90 minutes and persist for the duration of a
cluster period, normally 4-8 weeks.
The pain caused by cluster headaches is severe, often
described as sharp or burning, and is normally located in or
around one eye. The affected area can become red and swell,
the eyelid can droop and the nasal passage on the affected
side can become stuffy and runny.

 Yes, headaches, especiallymigraines, have a tendency to

run in families. Most children and adolescents (90%) who
have migraines have other family members with migraines.
When both parents have a history of migraines, there is a
70% chance that the child will also develop migraines. If
only one parent has a history of migraines, the risk drops to
25%-50%.

 Self-care
There are a number of things
that can be done within the
daily routine that can ease
the pain of headaches:
Apply a heat pack or ice pack
to your head or neck
Avoid things that are
stressful
Eat regular meals
Exercise regularly
Get enough rest and regular
sleep
Have a hot shower.

Alternative therapies
Acupuncture
Chiropractic treatment
Cognitive behavior
therapy
Herbal health products
Hypnosis
Meditation.