Whether it’s sleeping in a weird position, stressful situations, or having a few too many the night before, we all get headaches from time to time. Most of us can remedy them with simple fixes like a glass of water, Tylenol, or rest. However, some of us struggle with long-term headaches that stick around no matter what they try. This can begin to affect sleep, relationships, concentration, and overall quality of life.
The good news is that there are effective treatment strategies for all types of headaches, but we must know which one we’re struggling with before we can fix the issue. Here’s a list of 5 types of headaches and what it looks like to have each one.
Migraine
- Lasts 4-72 hours
- Headache on 1 side of head and mostly in forehead
- Makes you feel nauseous and potentially sensitive to light
Cluster Headache
- Happens mostly at night
- Feel it in the eyeball and temple on one side
- Dizziness may be present
- Accompanied by nasal congestion, facial sweating, and/or eyelid swelling
Tension Headache
- Pain on both sides of the head
- Feels like a vice is pinching your head
- Caused by muscle and tissue tension
Exertion Headache
- Throbbing headache on both sides of the head
- Usually caused by holding breath or straining (exercise induced)
Cervicogenic Headache
- Pain originating from the neck
- Pain starts in the back of the head and spreads forward
- Usually on one side of head
Each of these types of headaches are treated differently, and there are instances where a person can suffer from a combination of these headaches. It is important to specifically diagnose the type of headache(s) you are suffering from in order to receive appropriate treatment. If you need help solving your headache problem, then we may have a solution!
Give us a call at 270-873-4685 to get started.
Sources:
- Schreiber CP. The pathophysiology of migraine. Dis Mon. 2006;52 (10): 385-401. IHS. The international classification of headache disorders (2nd ed.). Cephalagia 2004; 24 Suppl 1:1-150
- IHS. The international classification of headache disorders (2nd edition). Cephalalgia 2004: 24 Suppl 1:1-150
- Bigal ME and Lipton RB. Tension-type headache: classification and diagnosis. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2005:9:423-9
- IHS. The international classification of headache disorders (2nd ed.). Cephalgia. 2004:24 Suppl 1:1-150.
- Slipman CW, Plastaras C, Patel R, Isaac Z, Chow D, Garvan C, Pauza K, Furman M. Provocative cervical discography symptom mapping. Spine J. 2005(4): 381-8
- IAOM-US. Examination and Manual Therapy of the Upper Cervical Spine.
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