Headache is a symptom and not a disease. There are more than 150 types of headache. The cause can be either primary or secondary and can range from minor causes such as tension to dreaded conditions like brain tumour. The severity can also range from being an infrequent annoyance to a persistent, severe and disabling medical condition. The common types of headache include:
Migraine: Migraine causes episodic throbbing pain, usually moderate to severe in intensity. Each episode can last from 4 hours to 3 days and the frequency is variable. A person with migraine can have other symptoms such as light or noise over sensitivity, nausea or vomiting, blurring of vision and upset stomach. Some patients may experience the feeling of seeing bright lights. Triggers for migraine include consumption of certain food items such as chocolates, fish, coffee, use of alcohol, lack of sleep, erratic eating habits, exposure to bright light, menstruation and certain medications. Sometimes, migraine may run in the family. The exact cause of migraine is unknown, although it may be related to temporary blood vessel narrowing.
Tension-type headache: It is the most common type of headache among adults and adolescents. It is due to excess contraction of the muscles of the scalp and may cause mild to moderate pain that may last for a prolonged period of time.Common causes of tension headaches include emotional stress, tension and depression.
Cluster headaches: This is an uncommon primary headache that is very severe. Cluster headache is intense and occurs one to three times per day during a cluster period, which may last 2 weeks to 3 months. The headaches then disappear completely for months or years, only to recur later.
Secondary headache: There are several diseases that can cause the symptom of headache. These include problems of the brain such as tumour and infections, expansion of the blood vessels, called aneurysms, and bleeding. Clotting of the brain veins, called cerebral venous thrombosis produces headache. Disorders of the eye such as refractory error, glaucoma, conjunctivitis, uveitis and infections can present with headache. Sinusitis and ear infection can also cause headache. Several medications and systemic diseases can predispose to headache.
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