Have you ever experienced that throbbing pain in your head during the most stressful hours of your daily grind? Headaches are common and are brought about by external factors such as stress, hunger, and other medical conditions. Although headaches may come and go, sometimes you just need to quickly address your symptoms in order to get on with your day. Learn more about the various types of headaches, their common causes, and how you can treat its symptoms.
Types of Headaches
Not all headaches were created equal and identifying what kind of headache it is that is causing you so much pain can help you address your symptoms better. These are some common types of headaches:
- Migraine – this is a primary type of headache that mostly affects those aged 34-45 years old. It is more common in women than in men due to hormonal changes. Migraine headaches are usually of moderate to severe intensity and can be felt as a pulsating sensation on one side of your head. Suffering from migraine can be a recurring condition throughout one’s lifetime.
- Tension-type headache – this is the most common type of headache wherein pain
from tensionoriginates from the backside of your skull and can slowly spread to both sides of your head. The usual culprits of tension headache are stress, eye strain, and hunger. - Sinus headache – this is usually felt by people with inflamed sinuses or air spaces in your skull and facial bones during those days when you are feeling under the weather due to a sinus infection. Sinus headache manifests itself through facial pressure, usually behind your eyes, cheeks, and nose.
- Cluster headache – these are highly painful headaches that occur in “clusters,” wherein you experience headaches several times a day. Suffering from cluster headache is caused by dilation of your blood vessels in your brain as a result of the release of serotonin and histamines. Physical exertion, exposure to bright lights, and even changes in altitude levels can trigger this type of headache.
Treatment
Living a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and following a daily exercise routine can help minimize stress and its effects on the body. It’s important that you find the right health plan that suits your daily needs. Here are a few tips to help alleviate headache symptoms:
- Those with frequent headaches and episodes of migraine should consider minimizing alcohol and caffeine intake, since these substances can exacerbate your symptoms.
- Do your part in reducing your stress levels by learning relaxation techniques like stretching and mind-body techniques such as meditation.
- Adjust the lighting on your electronic devices to minimize eye strain and occurrence of headaches.
- Take scheduled breaks from your desk to help relax your mind and your eyes.
- Wearing tight headgear and hair ties may cause headaches, so it’s important that you let your head “cool off” every now and then.
- Ask your doctor about taking medications that can help alleviate headaches and migraine symptoms.
General disclaimer
Your doctor will always be in the best position to give the appropriate medical advice for your condition. For suspected undesirable drug reaction, seek medical attention immediately and report to the FDA at www.fda.gov.ph and UNILAB, Inc. at 8-UNILAB-1 or productsafety@unilab.com.ph. Always buy your medicine from your trusted drugstores and retailers.
Sources:
https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/headache-disorders
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/symptoms-causes/syc-20360201
https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/what-type-of-headache-do-you-have/
https://migraine.com/clinical/cluster-headache-high-altitude/
https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/november/migraines-vs-headaches
https://www.healthline.com/health/migraine/migraine-vs-headache#treating-migraine
https://www.summahealth.org/flourish/entries/2020/08/migraines-vs-headaches-whats-the-difference
