Live Life Team
Usually headache occurs due to tension and stress. If this type of headache occurs quite often, it is called chronic tension-type headache. This occurs more frequently in women than men. The symptom is ache at both sides of the head. The neck muscles tighten and a feeling of pressure in the eyes persists. One-sided headaches, which have a short life, but cause severe pain, are called cluster headaches. Cluster headaches may occur frequently for weeks together. These headaches spoil the sleep. The eye on the affected side suffers inflammation and becomes watery. This may block the nose on the affected side.
Migraine differs from the above two types of headaches. Migraine is a one-sided severe headache and it causes nausea. A few people suffer with both migraine and tension-type headache.
What are the causes of headache
The following conditions may trigger tension-type headaches:
Tension and stress
Tightening of neck muscles
Exertion of scalp muscles
Allergic foods
Light of high intensity
Allergic odours
Menstrual periods
Weather conditions
Addiction to painkillers
Causes of cluster headaches include consuming alcohol, smelling strong odours and exposure to extreme temperatures.
What are the symptoms of headache
Symptoms of tension-type headache include the following:
Mild pain with a feeling of pressure on both sides of the head
Gradually increasing pain in the head
Pain which does not increase due to physical activity
Pressure behind the eyeballs and tightening of neck muscles
Absence of nausea or vomiting
Eyes and ears do not become over-sensitive during headache
Short-lived headache
Occurring during the day time
Symptoms of cluster headache include the following:
Very severe pain, but short-lived
Lasts for a maximum of one hour
Occurs suddenly with full severity
Usually occurring on one side of the head
Inflamed and watering eye
Nose on the affected side getting blocked
Am I to see a doctor if I have headache
It is not necessary that you should visit a doctor when you have a headache. Recording the history of your headaches may help in identifying the type of headache. You can make a note of your activities just before the occurrence of your headache. This information is useful in knowing the cause of your headache.
However, you should see a doctor if you have the following complaints:
If you have frequent headaches
If you have severe headache
Sudden occurrence of a severe headache
Unusual type of headache
nausea/vomiting with fever and confused mind
Headache after an accident
Slurred speech
Weakness/numbness
Tips for prevention of tension-type headaches
To find out the trigger of headaches, you should maintain a diary in which you record the sequences of events and conditions before, during and after occurrence of the headache.
The triggers may be such as anxiety, stress, eyestrain, anger etc.
Do breathing exercises for relaxation.
Do regular exercises for tuning the mind and body.
Avoid habits that cause depression and treat it with medicines if needed.
Tips for preventing cluster headaches
Avoiding alcohol prevents frequent headaches.
Nitroglycerin can trigger headache, if inhaled.
Avoid exposing yourself to extreme temperatures.
