Headaches result from signals interacting between the brain, blood vessels and surrounding nerves. During a headache, specific nerves of the blood vessels and head muscles are activated and send pain signals to the brain. It’s not clear why these signals are activated, but there are various triggers. These include environmental factors, such as exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, strong odors from household chemicals or perfumes, certain airborne allergens or eating specific foods. Stress, pollution, noise, lighting and weather changes are other environmental factors that can trigger headaches in some people.
According to medical researchers, there are 150 diagnostic headache categories. The most common types of headaches are: tension, migraine, mixed headache syndrome (also known as transformed migraine), cluster, sinus, acute, hormone and chronic progressive. Conditions that can cause various types of headaches include illness, infection, cold, fever, inflammation and/or infection of the sinuses, throat or ears.
Tension headaches are the most common type among adults and adolescents. These muscle contraction headaches cause mild to moderate pain and come and go over a prolonged period of time.
The exact causes of migraine headaches are unknown; however, genetics is thought to play a role. Migraine pain is moderate to severe and often described as a pounding, throbbing pain. This type of headache can last from a few hours to several days and is associated with symptoms such as sensitivity to light, noise, odors, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite and abdominal upset.
Mixed headache syndrome is a combination of migraine and tension headaches, and even children may experience this type of pain.
Cluster headaches are believed to cause the most severe pain. The intense pain is described as having a burning or piercing quality and can be throbbing or constant. The pain is generally located behind one eye or in the eye area. Cluster headaches come in groups of one to three times a day and unfortunately may last from weeks to months. They can then disappear for months or years but may recur.
Sinus headaches are associated with a deep and constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose. Moving the head or straining will intensify the pain. Other symptoms include nasal discharge, fever, facial swelling and stuffy ears.
Acute headaches occur more often in children and adolescents. The pain suddenly occurs and subsides after a short time. The most common cause of acute headaches is a respiratory or sinus infection.
Hormone headaches are associated with menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. Birth control pills may also trigger headaches in some women.
Also known as traction or inflammatory headaches, chronic progressive headaches tend to worsen and occur more frequently over time. This is the least common type of headache and may be the result of an illness or disorder of the brain or skull.
Treatment for headaches varies, depending upon type, frequency and cause. Typical treatments include stress management, biofeedback and medications. Most headache sufferers do not require special diagnostic testing, but if a structural disorder of the central nervous system is suspected, a CT scan or MRI may be necessary to reveal problem areas.
If you suffer from recurring headaches of any kind, it’s best to consult your physician.