Common Types of Headache and their Symptoms

There are many different types of headaches. Although not all headaches are the same, they all share at least one thing in common -- they cause pain. But many headaches also cause other unwanted symptoms, including nausea and vomiting. Below listed are the most common headache symptoms associated with the different types of headaches.

 

Tension Headaches

People with tension headaches commonly report these symptoms:

·        Episodic Tension Headaches (occur less than 15 days per month)

·        Pain is mild to moderate, constant band-like pain or pressure

·        Constant ache or pressure around the head, especially at the temples or back of the head and neck.

·        Do not cause nausea or vomiting.

·        Pain usually begins gradually, and often occurs in the middle of the day

·        Pain may last from 30 minutes to several day

 

·        Chronic Tension Headaches (occur more than 15 days per month)

·        Pain may vary in intensity throughout the day, but the pain is almost always present

·        Pain comes and goes over a prolonged period of time

 

Associated Symptoms of Tension Headaches include:

·        Headache upon awakening

·        Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep

·        Chronic fatigue

·        Irritability

·        Disturbed concentration

·        Mild sensitivity to light or noise

·        General muscle aching

 

Migraines

Migraines can run in families and are diagnosed using certain criteria.

 

• At least five previous episodes of headaches

• Lasting between 4–72 hours

• At least two out of these four: one-sided pain, throbbing pain, moderate-to-severe pain, and pain that interferes with, is worsened by, or prohibits routine activity

• At least one associated feature: nausea and/or vomiting, or, if those are not present, then sensitivity to light and sound

 

·        A migraine may be foreshadowed by aura, such as visual distortions or hand numbness. (About 15% to 20% of people with migraines experience these.)

The symptoms of migraine headaches can occur in various combinations and include:

·        Moderate to severe pain (often described as pounding, throbbing pain) that can affect the whole head, or can shift from one side of the head to the other

·        Sensitivity to light, noise or odors

·        Blurred vision

·        Nausea or vomiting, stomach upset, abdominal pain

·        Loss of appetite

·        Sensations of being very warm or cold

·        Paleness

·        Fatigue

·        Dizziness

·        Fever (rare)

·        Bright flashing dots or lights, blind spots, wavy or jagged lines (aura)

 

·        Intense one-sided pain described as having a burning or piercing quality that is throbbing or constant

·        Pain is located behind one eye or in the eye region, without changing sides.

·        Pain lasts a short time, generally 30 to 90 minutes (but can last for three hours); the headache will disappear, only to recur later that day (most sufferers get one to three headaches and some up to eight per day during a cluster period).

·        Headaches occur very regularly, generally at the same time each day, and they often awaken the person at the same time during the night.

 

Sinus Headaches

·        When a sinus becomes inflamed, often due to an infection, it can cause pain.

·        It usually comes with a fever and can be diagnosed by symptoms or the presence of pus viewed through a fiber-optic scope.

·        Deep and constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose

·        The pain usually intensifies with sudden head movement or straining and usually occurs with other sinus symptoms, such as nasal discharge, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and facial swelling.

Cluster headaches

·        Cluster headaches, which affect more men than women, are recurring headaches that occur in groups or cycles.

·        Cluster headache (CH) is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, severe headaches on one side of the head, typically around the eye.

·        There are often accompanying autonomic symptoms during the headache such as eye watering, nasal congestion and swelling around the eye, typically confined to the side of the head with the pain

·        They appear suddenly and are characterized by severe, debilitating pain on one side of the head, and are often accompanied by a watery eye and nasal congestion or a runny nose on the same side of the face.

·        During an attack, people often feel restless and unable to get comfortable; they are unlikely to lie down, as someone with a migraine might.

 

·        The cause of cluster headaches is unknown, but there may be a genetic component.

Rebound headaches

·        Overuse of painkillers for headaches can, ironically, lead to rebound headaches.

 

·        Culprits include over-the-counter medications like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), as well as prescription drugs.

 

·        One theory is that too much medication can cause the brain to shift into an excited state, triggering more headaches. Another is that rebound headaches are a symptom of withdrawal as the level of medicine drops in the bloodstream.

 

Symptoms of Headache Due to Gas

 

·        Headache due to gas is considered one of the most frequent types of headaches.

·        Classified as chronic or episodic, it usually starts in mild form and soon intensifies, distressing temples, forehead and back parts of the head and the neck.

·        The pain is generally bilateral and most often it is reported as throbbing, constricting and tight.

 

·        Headache due to gas may range from a few minutes to several days. Some experts believe that tension headaches and gas headaches are interrelated. It sounds true as stress and tension are known to cause acidic conditions which usually lead to gas headaches.

·        The condition is manifested with symptoms such as stomach pain, inflammation in the stomach, heartburn, anxiety, dullness and chest pain.

 

·        In severe cases of headache due to gas, patients get afflicted with broad range of ailments such as stomach pain, inflammation in the stomach, heartburn, anxiety, dullness and chest pain.

 

·        Some chronic patients may also experience dizziness and vomiting.

 

·        People suffering from this condition may also experience symptoms such as tightness in upper abdomen or chest, re flux or back flow of stomach fluids in mouth and frequent sour taste in mouth.

 

·        Some patients may additionally show up symptoms like sore throat, coughing and the longing to clear throat repeatedly.