Headache can have many faces
Most people know the feeling when it begins in the forehead, on the temples or the back of the head, knocking or thumping and threatens to shatter the head. The causes of headaches can be very versatile and hence the possible therapies.
Almost every third American suffers regularly from headaches. Women are much more likely than men affected by the attacks of pain sometimes occurring several times a month. But headaches are not the same headache. Differ depending on the cause physicians now more than 250 different types of headaches , which look like a dull pressure humming the skull, single pulsating occur or manifest as sudden, stabbing pain. Sometimes the headache will also be accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, sensitivity to light, restlessness and visual or neurological deficits.
Most are not organic causes to find.
For classification of headache can also place and any accompanying symptoms are used, which already can sometimes give a first indication of the causes of headaches in addition to the type of pain as dull, stabbing or pulsating. So headaches are, for example, a typical accompanying symptom of influenza infections. However, metabolic disorders, eye diseases or other underlying conditions such as high blood pressure, poor circulation or meningitis may be behind the headache. As an accompanying symptom of another underlying disease this form of headache is referred to as secondary. In most cases, however, any concrete organic trigger and no specific cause can be found. Therefore, doctors call this form of headache as primary headaches, where the pain is the disease itself. This group but include tension headaches most frequent migraines or cluster headaches.
Trigger and type determine the therapy.
The aim of any headache treatment is twofold: firstly to relieve the pain and to eliminate other possible causes. While in secondary headaches usually the treatment of the underlying condition ensures long term improvement of headache, only possible triggers can be determined in primary headaches and avoided if possible. These include the weather, stress, lack of sleep, severe physical exertion, certain foods, as well as nicotine and alcohol abuse. Preventive measures such as relaxation exercises, adequate sleep and the avoidance of individual triggers, in acute cases, however, a quick headache relief is needed. Depending on the type and intensity of headache sufferers are able to draw on various counter pain medications with drugs such as aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, which are also available in some cases combined. In many head painkillers Caffeine is also included which enhances the effect of the individual substances. Against stronger pain a number of prescription means additionally available. However, pain medication should not be taken for prolonged periods without medical advice, because frequent pain medication use can themselves trigger headaches.