Headaches*

Headaches can be debilitating, although most headaches are NOT caused by life-threatening disorders. Most headaches are caused by any of these syndromes:

• Tension-type headache
  • Symptoms include:
    • Pressure or tightness around both sides of the head or neck
    • Mild to moderate pain that is steady and does not throb
    • Pain is not worsened by activity
    • Pain can increase or decrease in severity over the course of the headache
    • There may be tenderness in the muscles of the head, neck or shoulders.
  • People with these headaches often feel stress of tension before their headache. These occur without symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, senstivity to lights or sounds or an aura.
• Cluster Headache
  • Symptoms include:
    • Begin quickly without any warning and reach a peak within minutes
    • Deep, excrutiating, continuous, and explosive in quality
    • An attack can occur up to 8 times a day but usually short in duration (approx. 15 minutes)
    • The pain typically begins in or around the eye or temple and is always on one side.
    • Most people are restless and may pace or rock when an attack is in progress
    • Eye redness and tear production on the side of the pain, a stuffy and runny nose, sweating and pale skin.
    • Some people are light sensitve on the side of pain
  • These headaches can be severe and debilitating and can occur repeatedly for weeks to months at a time. They are relatively uncommon, affecting less than 1% of people. Most commonly affect women with a peak age of 25-50 years.
• Migraines
  • Migraine headaches are a type of headache that cause moderate to severe pain that is worsened by light, noise and motion. Some people also experience nausea and vomiting. These typically last a few hours, but may last for as long as three days.
• Other Headaches
  • Chronic Daily Headaches
    • These are frequent headaches that are present for >15 days per month for three months. They can have underlying migraine or tension-type headaches but continue for months to even years.
  • Sinus Headache
    • Recurrent headaches related to sinus infections.
  • Post-Trauma Headache
    • Headaches that occur 1-2 days after a head injury. Most people report a dull, aching, constant discomfort that worsens intermittently.

* All information provided by www.uptodate.com "Headaches"