What are headaches?

At least 50 percent of people has suffered from headaches at some point in their lives. Headaches are a common ailment that can arise from a number of physical problems. There are also different types of headaches; some of them transitory and others chronic, which require specific treatment.

+ The classic headache is mostly related to a number of common ailments such as digestive problems (excessive foods, indulgence in alcohol, gastrointestinal disorders, indigestion caused by greasy foods, constipation), altered vision, sinus infections, muscle contractions and tension. This type of headache is more or less easy to treat. Very different are migraines, which tend to be recurring and chronic. Migraine pain is moderate to severe, often described as pounding, throbbing pain in the skull. The exact causes of migraines are unknown, although they may be diagnosed by previous symptoms such as disturbances of vision and/or nausea. Among those symptoms is the sense of seeing “little lights”, light sensitivity (staying away from lighted places because bright lights are bothersome) and other ailments that accompany the pain such as irritability, vomiting and loss of appetite.

Migraine headaches tend to run in families, but the exact mechanism of inheritance is not understood. The causes of migraines are related to blood vessel contractions, other changes in the brain and other inherited abnormalities such as hormonal problems. Recurring migraines should be treated by a doctor and require special medical attention. Headaches can also be caused by high blood pressure, generally occuring in the back of the neck, at the base of the skull, these require immediate medical attention.

TYPES OF HEADACHES

Migraines.

Intense pain on one side of the head always repeated in the same area. It is accompanied by disturbances of vision and hearing, nausea and vomiting.

Headaches caused by digestive problems.

Headaches accompanied by stomach, kidney, intestinal and gallbladder ailments. Sometimes linked with overindulgence of alcohol, food sensitivities and food additives.

Stress headaches.

Pain runs from the neck to the top of the skull.

Tension headaches. These muscle contraction headaches cause mild to moderate pain from the neck to the forehead.

Sinus headaches.

Inflammation of the lining of one of the eight sinus cavities can cause a deep, dull, chronic ache around the eyes, nose and head.

Anxiety headaches.

Pain crosses the forehead.