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| The head is one of the most common location of pain in the body. |
The three major categories of headache are primary headaches, secondary headaches, and cranial neuralgias, facial pain, along with other headaches.
Primary Headaches
In primary headaches, the pain is not a result of an injury or underlying structural problem. This is the most common type of headache. Examples of primary headaches are:
- Tension headache or chronic non-progressive headaches is the most common form of primary headaches. Up to 90% of adults will experience tension headache in some point of their life. The pain comes from muscle contraction that cause mild to moderate pain that comes and go.
- Migraine headache is the second most common form of primary headache. Up to 18% of women and 6% of men will experience tension headache in some point of their life. The exact cause of migraine is unknown. The pain is moderate to severe, with pounding or throbbing quality, and maybe accompanied by nausea or vomiting and sensitivity to bright light, noise, or smell. It occurs episodically and each attack can last from several hours to three days.
- Cluster headache is a rare form of primary headache that affects only 0.1% of the population with men in their late twenties more commonly affected. The pain is severe, with constant burning, piercing, or throbbing quality, usually occurring in one side of the head and most intense behind the eye. During a cluster period, which may last from two weeks to two months, headaches occur 1-3 times per day.
Secondary Headaches
An underlying disease or injury in the head or neck is the cause of secondary headache. Not all of these structural problems are harmful, but problems like meningitis, brain tumor, or bleeding must always be considered. Some of the worst headaches resulted from secondary causes, such as subarachnoid bleeding that causes 'thunderclap' headache.
Cranial Neuralgias, Facial Pain, and Other Headaches
Cranial neuralgias and facial pain occur because of the inflammation on the nerves in the head and neck region. Unspecified headaches or when there is not enough information to classify the headache into other categories falls into 'other headaches' waste basket classification.
Headache could be a sign of a serious life threatening condition. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following:
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| Seek medical attention if you feel the intensity of pain is unusual. |
- A perceived sensation of the worst headache of your life
- Fever or stiff neck
- Seizures
- Headache associated with recent trauma
- Persistent nausea and vomiting
- Weakness in any part of the body
- Changes in levels of consciousness, speech, or vision
- Headaches not responding to pain medication
