Most of us are familiar with headaches in the form of throbbing, uncomfortable, and distracting pain. In this article, we are going to understand the types of headaches. A headache can be differentiated into tension headaches. I speak of headaches, migraines, and many others because duration and intensity can vary in different types.
In this article, we are going to discuss the common headaches that anyone can have, and these are:
- tension headache
- cluster headache
- migraine headache
- hemicrania continua
- ice-pick headache
- thunderclap headache
- allergy or sinus headache
- hormone headache (also known as menstrual migraine)
You must seek immediate medical attention if you are having a headache with a stiff neck, rash, the worst headache you’ve ever had, vomiting, confusion, slurred speech, fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, paralysis in any part of your body, or visual loss.
But if your headache is not following these symptoms and it is controllable, you must read this article to identify your headache type and to know what you can do to relieve your pain.
What are the most common types of primary headaches?
If you are dealing with primary headaches, then the condition must be that your headache is not triggering any illness or allergy. These types of headaches are primary headaches, and they can be episodic or chronic.
Episode headaches may last for 15 days, but not more than that, and they happen only once and can last for several hours. But in the case of a chronic headache, you might face it for more than 15 days.
Now we are going to discuss the types of headaches.
Types of Headaches:-
1. Tension headache
Anyone can get a tension headache. Stress often triggers them. If you are feeling a dull or eating sensation in your head, you might have a tension headache. It is not the most common headache of all time.
2. Cluster headache
This headache comes with severe piercing pain and burning. Symptoms are redness, flushing, swelling, and sweating on the side where you are feeling a headache, and you might face it on the same side.
This type of headache usually occurs in a series, where each headache can last two to three hours. People with cluster headaches may experience headaches on any side from 1 hour to 8 around the same time every day. Even doctors are not sure what causes cluster headaches.
3. Migraine
It is a disorder that makes a person feel intense pain in their head. Migraine lasts for 72 hours if untreated, and it limits your ability to carry out your daily chores.
You may experience throbbing pain, usually on one side of the heart, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting. One-third of people with migraines can experience visual disturbances before the start of their headache. It is known as migraine ora that can cause flashing or shimmering lights, blind spots, stars, and zigzag lines, including tingling on your face and in your arm. One night, I also felt troubled and speaking
Common migraine triggers may also include environmental factors like sleep disruption, dehydration, skipped meals, and some foods that cause hormone fluctuations. And exposure to chemicals.
4. Hemicrania continua
If you have a headache on one side of your head that lasts for 3 months continuously and has increased intensity over the period, you might have heavy carina, which is a moderate type of headache.
This headache is accompanied by many other symptoms, including tearing or eye redness, nasal congestion or runny nose, eyelid drooping, forehead sweating, miosis or excessive shrinking of the pupil, restlessness, or agitation.
5. Ice-pick headache
This headache is also known as a stabbing headache, as you might feel stabs in your head that last for only a few seconds. This headache comes without warning and a few times on a daily basis that makes you feel like someone is stabbing inside your head, and it may be a single step or a multiple stab in a row.
If you are having a headache, you might feel pain moving from one part of your head to another, and if it is occurring in the same spot, it might be an underlying condition.
6. Thunderclap headache
It is a kind of headache that comes on rapidly and gets intense in a minute. Thunderclap headaches might be a serious condition that may require immediate medical attention.
This headache can also indicate blood vessel tears, ruptures, or blockages, stroke, brain injury, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS), vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels), and pituitary apoplexy (bleeding into or loss of blood).
It is a severe kind of headache that needs immediate medical attention, and you might get a medical plan for its treatment.
7. Allergy or sinus headache
If your body is allergic to something, that may result in some headaches that are focused in your sinus area and the front area of your head. In many cases, migraines are misdiagnosed as allergies or sinus headaches.
8. Hormone headache
Hormone fluctuation can also lead to headaches. These kinds of headaches may occur during the period of menstruation, after using birth control pills, or during the period of pregnancy. All these conditions affect the level of oestrogen that causes headaches.
You might feel a hormone headache three days before the arrival of your menstruation period.
You can treat these headaches with diet changes given by professionals.If you are having pain in your head, you cannot treat it on your own. You must consult with the doctor and get a treatment plan.