Quick Facts Center

Common Headaches Almost any disturbance of the body functions may cause a headache. A headache may be either chronic or acute. It may be frontal, temporal or confined to one side of the head or the region immediately over one eye. The pain may vary from a dull aching pain to a sharp, almost unbearable pain. Chronic headaches may be caused by a variety of conditions including physical, emotional, psychosomatic factors. Acute transient headaches could be due to problems with sinuses, teeth, eye ear or throat. Acute infections or trauma to the head can also cause this type of headache. The treatment for a headache depends entirely on the cause, although most often, an over-the-counter pain medication is sufficient. However, if you believe your headache may be a symptom of a serious disease, you should consult your physician.

Migraine Headaches

Although migraine headaches are terribly painful, it may be comforting to know that they are not considered dangerous. Migraines can cause nausea, dizziness and visual disturbances. If the headache is particularly bad, it is advisable not to drive or operate machinery. While doctors cannot cure migraine headaches, they can prescribe pain killers to treat the symptoms. Victims of migraines can be their own best doctors, keeping a diary of what you eat, along with your sleeping, work and recreational habits can show when you are most likely to get a migraine. Learning to deal with stress and time management techniques can lessen the chance of suffering with a migraine.

Brain Tumor

While tumors that develop in the brain are fairly uncommon, cancer that begins in other organs, and spread to the brain are relatively common. Brain tumors, whether they are benign or malignant are always serious because the cause pressure on the brain. Symptoms include increased headaches which are most painful when lying down or accompanied by nausea. Double or blurred vision may occur, along with unsteadiness, weakness on one side, or loss of memory and confusion. A doctor should be consulted immediately if these symptoms are present. Treatments, including radiation therapy or surgery have proven successful, and research for new treatment is ongoing.

Body Aches

Most common body aches can be relieved with drugs or moist heat and a gentle massage of the aching region. Normal use of the aching part of the body is usually helpful and should allow better circulation around the sore muscle or joint. However, using a sore area can irritate it and cause increased discomfort. Pain relief may also be found in aspirins or in aspirin substitutes. For more information about relieving body aches, please contact a doctor in your area.

Relieving Pain

The first step in relieving pain is to interpret what the pain stems from. Most common pains can be temporarily relieved by an aspirin or aspirin substitute. However, if the pain is related to a recent injury such as a sprained ankle, relief can often be found by applying ice to the injury. This will show swelling and numb the area. If the pain is simply a sore muscle or joint, such as a stiff neck, heat treatments may relieve the soreness. For more information about relieving pain, please consult a doctor in your area.

Headaches - General

All of us suffer from an occasional headache. In fact, twenty million Americans see their doctors each year because of headaches. Although headaches can be very uncomfortable and temporarily disabling, most are not associated with serious illness and can be relieved by resting in a quiet room or by taking a non-prescription painkiller such as aspirin or acetaminophen (aceta-mina-fen). Others, however, may require stronger prescription medications and a few are warning signs to seek immediate medical attention. These warning signs can include: Severe, sudden headaches that seem to come on like a "bolt out of the blue". Headaches accompanied by confusion, visual blurring, loss of consciousness, altertness, sensation, or other neurological changes. Recurrent headaches affecting one particular area such as an eye or temple. Recurrent headaches of increasing intensity or frequency. Headaches accompanied by neck stiffness and fever. Headaches that wake you up and any unexplained change in the nature or frequency of headaches.

Tension Headaches

The most common headaches are those associated with tension or muscle contractions and are directly related to stress. The pain tends to be steady and dull, rather than thobbing. It is usually felt in the temples, forehead, neck or back of the head. Sometimes the pain seems to encircle the head like a tight band. Tension headaches may occur at any time but are most commonly associated with periods of stress and worry. Treatment involves relieving the tension through massage, heat, a hot shower, relaxation techniques and in short, putting aside the worries of the moment. Non-prescription painkillers such as asprin or acetaminophen (aceta-mina-fen) may also help. For severe muscle tension headaches, other slightly more potent drugs may be prescribed. These drugs may cause drowsiness and slow reflexes and should be taken with caution by people who work with machinery or drive. Most doctors also recommend that they be used for only short periods -- not more than a few days at a time.

Sinus Headaches

Sinus headaches are associated with a swelling of the membrane lining in the nasal passages. The pain tends to be dull and may shift if ou move your head in a certain way. Sinuse headahes may be relieved by simple painkillers, or in some cases, a decongestant to relieve the swelling.

Migraine Headaches

Migraine Headaches

Cluster

Cluster headaches are a type of migraine that begins on one side of the head, and usually centers around one eye. It affects men more often than women. The pain lasts for several hours and then suddenly disappears, only to return a few hours later. This can go on for several days and then stop. Sometimes the headaches do not return for several years but you should seek the advice of your physician as these headaches could be the sign of an underlying disease such as glaucoma.

Migraines vary from person to person, but typically, they are throbbing headaches affecting one side of the head. They are often accompanied by a number of other symptoms, which also vary. Some people have very little head pain but suffer from distorted vision and hearing, or feelings of intense anxiety. Others may suffer from incapacitating pain lasting for several days. Most fall between these two extremes. Many people are warned of an impending migraine attack by bizarre distortions of size, position, time, and place -- the so-called "Alice in Wonderland" syndrome. Others see flashing lights or bright colors in unusual shapes. Nausea, vomiting, chills, fever, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal, arm or leg pain, and sensitivity to light are still other symptoms that may accompany a migraine. Regardless of the differing symptoms, all migraines are related to changes in the blood vessels of the head and neck. This is why migraines are often referred to as vascular headaches. Early warning symptoms of a migraine are thought bo b caused by a narrowing of these blood vessels, while the head pain is a result of the subsequent expanding or dilating of the vessels. What causes these changes is unknown, although many researchers now believe that chemical produced in the body that act on the blood vessels may be responsible.

Triggering Factors

Dozens of factors appear to trigger migraines in susceptible individuals, but again, these vary from person to person. Common precipitating factors include hormonal changes, particularly those associated with menstruation or use of birth control pills, sudden changes in weather or temperature, emotional factors, certain foods or additives especially preservatives in cured meats, MSG or caffeine, chocolate, cheese and corn products, drugs, glaring lights, strong odors and cigarette smoke. Avoiding these triggering factors can solve the problem for many people. Others however, require treatment.

Treating Migraine

Unfortunately, there is no cure for migraines, although most can be controlled through a combination of avoiding factors that trigger them, drugs and other therapies. Aspirin may help some migraine patients, especially children, but most adult sufferers require additional or alternative medications. The most successful treatments are those that either prevent an attack, or stop it in its earliest stages. Ergotamine (er-gat-e-men) or drugs related to ergot (er-get) derivatives may be prescribed to be taken at the first warning signs of a migraine. These drugs constrict or narrow the arteries, thus relieving the pain from the expanded cranial vessels. These drugs should not be taken by people who have hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, angina, coronary disease, or other circulatory problems, sever infection, or disorders of the kidney or liver. And since they narrow the blood vessels, they should be used with caution by anyone who will be exposed to the cold, which further reduces blood flow to the arms and legs. Another treatment involves giving a beta-blocking drug, which prevents the expanding of the cerebral arteries and thus prevents migraine attacks. Since these drugs slow the rate of heartbeats, they are often not advised for heart patients. They also should not be used by people with asthma or diabetes. Only your doctor knows your particular medical needs and can determine treatment.