Headache

What is Headache?
Headache refers to a pain arising from the head or upper neck of the body. The pain caused by headache can vary from being mild and dull, to being sharp, throbbing, constant, intermittent or intense. This pain normally originates from the tissues and structures that surround the brain or the skull, since the brain itself has no pain fibers.



Classification
Headaches can be classified into the following categories;
Primary headache - These include migraines, tension headaches and cluster headaches. Tension headache is the most common type of all headaches and it’s more prevalent in women than in men, with an overall prevalence rate of 1 out of 20 people. Migraines are the second most common, and are prevalent around puberty, though more women than men are affected even after puberty. Cluster headache is the third most common, and it normally affects most men in their early 20s.
Secondary headache - These headaches are caused by underlying structural problems in the head or neck, such as infected teeth, substance abuse, sinus infection, encephalitis, meningitis or cerebral hemorrhage.
Cranial neuralgia - These refer to headaches caused by nerve pains in the cranium.

Causes of Tension Headache
Being the most common types of headache, the cause of tension headaches remain unknown, though there is a strong indication that they could be caused by physical or emotional stress that cause contraction of muscles that cover the skull.

Symptoms of Tension Headache
The symptoms are generally pain-based, and they include the following;
-Pain in the form of a band-like tightness or pressure that begins in the back of the head or upper neck.
-The pain is not normally associated with other symptoms like nausea and vomiting.
-The pain may vary in intensity and is often sporadic.

Treatment of Tension Headache
The first form of treatment for tension headaches is taking of medication that alleviates pain. Most of the pain relievers for tension headache can be obtained over the counter.
If no improvement is registered, then the next line of treatment targets the underlying cause, such as stress therapy for those who are emotionally stressed.