I have a Headache

We have all said the phrase, “I have a headache!”  Even when we really didn’t have one.  It’s a go to complaint when we are just no sure what is wrong us.  Most of the time it is because we are just plain cranky and we know people will leave us alone if we complain of a searing pain in our temples.  But for those suffering with headaches this is no small complaint.  

There are actually 150 different types of headaches.  The most common are Migraines, sinus, cluster, hormonal and tension.  Each of these bring on a whole set of symptoms that differ from headache to headache and person to person.

Migraine:  These are intense headaches that can last up to 4 hours or possibly 3 days.  They happen several times during the month and can cause sensitivity to light and smells.  A person is nausea and even may vomit.  They pain can cause a paling of the skin, blurred vision and even a fever.  

Sinus:  These headaches are usually centered around the eyes, forehead and cheekbone’s.  They are associated with sinus blockage, sickness or allergies.

Cluster:  These headaches often happen along with a migraine.  These headaches can cause a burning behind the eyes.  These are the least common type of headache but the most painful.  They are called clusters because they tend to happen in a group.  A person suffering could get them one to three times a day over a period of days.  These can last up to 2 weeks or even 3 months.  The time span is also very drastic, one headache can appear for 15 minutes or 3 hours. 

Hormonal:  These headaches are associated with fluctuating hormones in the body.  This can be from pregnancy, the pill, menstruation or puberty in boys.
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Tension:  Tension or stress headaches bring on temporal or frontal pain and come and go.  They are usually short and came be managed with decreasing the stressor. 
 
The types of headaches are vastly different, however the root cause it not.  You brain get a bunch of mixed signals between the blood vessel and nearby nerves.  It is not clear why this signal actually switches on but the outcome is clear, headaches hurt.  If you are experiences headache on a frequent basis or your headache pain is increasing in intensity, you should call your doctor.  Getting caught in the NSAID trap can lead to stomach discomfort, liver stress and rebound headaches.  There are many ways to treat headaches…but that’s for the next blog.   

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