FAQ's on Headache

Q- What is Headache?

Ans- Headache is defined as pain in the head that is located above the eyes or the ears, behind the head (occipital), or in the back of the upper neck.

Q- What are the types of headaches?

Ans- Primary headaches  which are not associated with other diseases. Examples are migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches.

Secondary headaches  are caused by associated disease. The associated disease may be minor or serious and life threatening.

Q- How common are primary and secondary headaches?

Ans- Tension headaches are the most common type and are more common among women than men.

Migraine headaches are the second most common type of primary headache which affect children as well as adults. Before puberty, boys and girls are affected equally but after puberty, more women than men are affected.

Cluster headaches are a rare type and affect men more commonly.

Secondary headaches have diverse causes, ranging from serious and life threatening conditions such as brain tumors, strokes, meningitis, and subarachnoid hemorrhages to less serious but common conditions such as withdrawal from caffeine and discontinuation of analgesics.

Q- What are the symptoms of tension headaches?

Ans- Tension headaches often begin in the back of the head and upper neck as a band-like tightness or pressure with the most intense pain over the eyebrows which are seldom associated with nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light and sound. Tension headaches usually occur sporadically (infrequently and without a pattern).

Q- What are the symptoms of migraine headaches?

Ans-Migraine is a chronic condition of recurrent attacks. Most (but not all) migraine attacks are associated with headache which is intense, throbbing or pounding pain that involves one temple. (Sometimes the pain can be located in the forehead, around the eye, or the back of the head). The pain usually is unilateral (on one side of the head. Nausea, omiting, diarrhea, facial pallor, cold hands, cold feet, and sensitivity to light and sound commonly accompany migraine headaches. As a result of this sensitivity to light and sound, migraine sufferers usually prefer to lie in a quiet, dark room during an attack. A typical attack lasts between 4 and 72 hours.

Q- What are the symptoms of cluster headaches?

Ans- Cluster headaches are headaches that come in groups (clusters) lasting weeks or months, separated by pain-free periods of months or years. During the period in which the cluster headaches occur, pain typically occurs once or twice daily.Each episode of pain lasts from 30 minutes to one and one-half hours. Attacks tend to occur at about the same time every day and often awaken the patient at night from a sound sleep. The pain typically is excruciating and located unilaterally around or behind one eye. The affected eye may become red, inflamed, and watery. The nose on the affected side may become congested and runny. Such patients with tend to be restless.