Treatment depends on frequency and severity. Cluster headaches are characterized by sudden-onset severe pain, generally behind one eye. They are the most severe type of headache, but are less common than tension headaches and migraines.
Cluster headaches tend to occur in groups, sometimes daily or multiple times a day. They last hours and pain recurs in the same way each time.
Cluster headaches can be brought on by alcohol or tobacco use, bright light, heat, and foods that contain nitrates, such as lunch meat or bacon. While there is no known cure, your doctor can recommend ways to mitigate the pain. Options may include lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking; oxygen treatment; Verapamil, a medication that relaxes blood vessels; or Prednisone, a steroid medication to reduce inflammation and swelling. Skip to content.
Tension headaches. Cluster headaches. When to see a doctor. Tags: Neurology. That said, your headache symptoms can help you and your doctor determine which type of headache you're experiencing. Here, 14 different types of headaches, what can cause each one, and, most importantly, how to get rid of them ASAP. Tension headaches are the most common type of headache, and feel like a constant ache or pressure around the head, or a headache in the back of the head or neck.
They're not as severe as migraines, and aren't usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting, which means they rarely stop someone from continuing their regular activities so they're just a huge nuisance.
Over-the-counter treatments, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen Tylenol , are usually sufficient to treat tension headaches, which experts believe may be caused by contraction of neck and scalp muscles including in response to stress , and possibly changes in brain chemicals.
Cluster headaches, which affect men more often than women, are headaches that occur in groups or cycles. Cluster headaches recur regularly, even multiple times daily, over a certain period of time and then may be followed by a headache-free period of months or even years.
The headaches appear suddenly and are characterized by severe, debilitating pain on either the right or the left side of the head, and are often accompanied by a watery eye, nasal congestion, or a runny nose on the same side of the face. During an attack, sufferers are often restless and unable to get comfortable and not likely to lay down the way someone with a migraine usually does. The cause of cluster headaches is unknown, but they may have some genetic component.
Triggers can include alcohol, cigarettes, high altitudes, and certain foods. There is no cure, but medications can reduce the frequency and duration of attacks. When a sinus becomes inflamed, usually through an infection, it can cause pain. Sinus infections are typically accompanied by a fever, and can if necessary be diagnosed by MRI or CT scan which can both detect changes in fluid levels , or by the presence of pus viewed through a fiber-optic scope.
Migraines, for example, can often be mistaken for sinus headaches, since symptoms like sinus pressure, nasal congestion, and watery eyes can happen in both types. A true sinus headache is related to an infection and comes with nasal discharge that is green or tinged with red, says Dr.
Sinus infections often resolve with time or antibiotics, if necessary, and shouldn't cause nausea or light sensitivity, which are migraine symptoms. Headaches due to sinus infections can also be treated with antihistamines or decongestants. Overuse of painkillers for headaches—like aspirin, acetaminophen Tylenol , ibuprofen Motrin, Advil , or prescription drugsc—can, ironically, lead to rebound headaches. That's when they end up coming to headache specialists to kind of reset the whole system.
One theory is that too much medication can cause the brain to shift into an excited state, triggering more headaches. Another is that the headaches are a symptom of withdrawal as the level of medicine drops in the bloodstream.
So how much medication is too much, and too often? Regularly taking any pain reliever more than twice a week or taking triptans migraine drugs for more than 10 days a month, can put you at risk for rebound headaches in just a few months.
Until the infection is cleared, you may find relief from the pain using OTC or prescription pain medications. Other Headache Types Beyond these four common types of headache, there are many other potential causes for headaches, ranging from very minor to severe. Headaches can occur from eating or drinking something cold, be the result of exercise or sexual activity, occur due to high blood pressure, or be the result of taking too much pain medication. He or she will help determine the underlying issue and outline an appropriate treatment plan.
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