Although medical science cannot pinpoint the exact cause of headaches in a patient, some of the most common causes can typically be identified in the majority of cases. In order to properly diagnosis a headache, physician will usually categorize headaches in one of the following types. The most common form of headache, is known as a Primary Headache and they are experienced by nearly everyone. The most common types of primary headaches are 1) tension, 2) migraine, and 3) cluster and are rarely life threatening. Sinus headaches usually occurs with other sinus symptoms, such as nasal discharge, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and facial swelling. Cluster headaches are a far more serious form of headache, that although not life threatening, can bring about serious pain. When a cluster headache occurs, it can be accompanied by severe pain that focuses behind the eyes, also water running from the eyes and nose are common with cluster headaches.

Tension headaches, are the most common type of headaches among adults and adolescents Significant emotional stress typically results in a contraction of the muscles, and therefore a tension related headache. The muscles that surround the skull sometimes contract, putting too much pressure on the head. The most common reason that muscle contract in this way, can be attributed to stress, which effect the oxygen and blood flow in the tighten area. A Migraine headache will occur in areas of the brain, however, the exact causes of these forms of headaches is unknown, they are related to blood vessel contractions, other changes in the brain and believed to be hereditary. There are multiple symptoms associated with Migraines, such as, loss of appetite, eye sensitivity to light, nausea, over sensitivity to noise and odors, upset stomach or abdominal pain.

Migraines come in different levels of pain, ranging from moderate to severe but always accompanied with a throbbing pain in the head. Migraines can last for several hours or even several days and people who suffer from them often get them at least once a month. Inflammatory headaches or Chronic progressive headaches get worse over a period of time, in both strength and frequency. These type of chronic headaches are not common and around less than 5% of all adults will experience them. Hormone headaches occur in women and are often associated with changing hormone levels that occur during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Women can also get these type of headache from taking birth control pills or medication for hormonal balance.

The most serious and potentially life threatening are the Secondary headaches. This is much rarer than primary headaches and treatment should be undertaken as soon as possible to bring the pain under control. The diagnosis of secondary headache begins with a complete patient history followed by a physical examination,laboratory and radiology tests as appropriate. Secondary headaches can be quite painful, and may also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as sensory phenomenon. If you suffer from a headache, you should seek medical care for new onset headaches, fever, stiff neck, change in behavior, vomiting, weakness or change in sensation.

Frequent headaches are a serious issue for millions around the world, detracting significantly from quality of life.  The medical community has defined headaches in three distinct categories, with primary headaches making up the majority of cases.  Cluster and secondary headaches are far rarer, but present patients with more severe issues.  Although never life threatening, primary headaches can nonetheless be very serious, damaging quality of life in many cases.  Frequent headaches, even milder primary headaches, can have a serious effect on enjoyment of daily life. 

How can frequent headaches be prevented?  That depends on the source of the headaches.  Primary headaches are sometimes a result of physical or emotional stress in the patient, and can become frequent if the cirumstances responsible are a regular part of life.  Tension headaches are brought about when the patient undergoes significant emotional or physical stress.  This kind of stress causes contraction in the muscles of the cranial area, resulting in pain from the pressure.  This can be hard to treat at times.  Over the counter medications usually work well to alleviate some of the issue.

Prevention is more about finding the situations that prompt headache and avoiding them.  This kind of stress results directly in the contraction that is known to cause headache, subsequently causing sometimes serious headaches.  Frequent headaches can be a sign that life adjustments need to be made.  If emotional stress is thought to be behind the frequent headaches, consider visiting a doctor about this stress, or taking steps in personal life to reduce the stress.

Frequent headaches that strike at random can be a sign of a more serious secondary problem.  In these situations, a structural or chemical problem in the brain is to blame for the pain.  This can signify a serious issue, such as a tumor growing in the brain.  Although this is rarely the cause, frequent headaches should be cause for a visit with the doctor. 

Over the counter medications are typically all that is needed to treat a primary headache.  Aleve and ibuprofen work equally well to treat primary headaches.  In more serious cases, therapeutic steps such as biofeedback may be needed in order to overcome the pain associated with frequent headaches.  If none of these measures are effective, a specialist should be consulted.

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Sometimes the problems associated with frequent headaches can become so severe and life impairing that special treatment is required.  There are numerous headache clinics in the United States that can assist sufferers with chronic headache pain problems.  Although the vast majority of headaches are transitory and minor problems, some portions of the population suffer from headaches that can trigger severe pain episodes, bringing daily life to a halt.  In these cases, preventive measures should be undertaken as much as possible.  Effective treatment of the problem can seriously mitigate the issue and perhaps even completely relieve it.

The medical community has done significant research, leading to a three part categorization of headaches.  Primary headaches are what the vast majority of sufferers experience, and they are very rarely life threatening.  Although the pain can be severe, primary headaches are usually treated with a combination of over the counter NSAID medications such as ibuprofen or aleve.  Such medications are usually enough to mitigate the pain significantly.  Primary headaches most commonly take place when emotional and physical stress cause a contraction of muscles around the skull.

Problems requiring treatment at headache clinics are most likely related to cluster or secondary headaches.  These serious headaches can occur seemingly at any time, causing severe pain in the sufferer.  Cluster headaches tend to strike in groups, with gaps of sometimes years between episodes.  A cluster headache can be identified by a runny nose or eyes, and severe pain behind the eye region.  In these cases, treatment should be sought as soon as possible.  Secondary headaches can be indicative of more serious issues in the brain.  These kinds of problems must be checked out with a specialist at headache clinics as soon as possible.  Although relieving pain with these varieties of headache can be difficult, there are medications designed to provide relief under these circumstances.

It is also very important that the cause of secondary headaches be promptly identified.  A secondary headache typically indicates a deeper brain issue, and it is vital that these issues be dealt with as soon as possible at headache clinics, or by another specialist.  Specialists at headache clinics like the Mayo Clinic are very well equipped to diagnose and treat the problems associated with severe headache pain.  Headache clinics can be found around the world, and should be visited when chronic headaches cannot be treated normally.  As chronic headaches can also be a symptom of other issues, it is important to seek prompt medical care.

Learn more about headaches and treatments here  Sinus Headache

For a small segment of the population, cluster headaches can cause severe pain with little warning.  Cluster headaches can strike seemingly random intervals, for which the name “cluster” is given.  Patients can go years without a single cluster headache, and suddenly suffer them for a period of weeks on end.  The cause behind cluster headaches remains a mystery, although it is thought that stress, alcohol, and drugs can all play a role in promoting an attack.  Even without these factors, however, a series of cluster headaches can befall a patient at any time in their life.  A cluster headache is easy to differentiate from a normal headache because of its severity and distinct symptoms.

A sufferer of a cluster headache sometimes experiences a runny nose or eyes.  The pain tends to focus behind one eye, and can be explained as like having an icepick driven into the eye.  This extremely uncomfortable sensation sometimes becomes very painful, often times triggering a pain crisis in the patient.  The pain is often intense enough to trigger great emotional stress.  Immediate treatment is very important.  Sedatives and pain killers can do a great deal to mitigate the devastating pain frequently associated with a cluster headache.

Cluster headache treatment is a difficult process because of the seemingly random nature of their attacks.  Instead of always remaining on medication, cluster headache treatment is typically limited to lifestyle choices.  Avoiding drugs and alcohol should be a mandatory first step.  Although prevention is difficult, cluster headache treatment can reduce the pain of the first attack significantly.

Frequent cluster headaches should be a signal to see the doctor.  Although cluster headaches may happen totally at random, they may sometimes be a sign of a deeper neurological issue.  If this is the case, it is important that treatment be sought as soon as possible.  Some forms of stress management may also be considered effective cluster headache treatment.  Although the role of stress in cluster headache treatment cannot be known for certain, it is thought to play a role, and could potentially have an effect on the cluster variety of headaches.  Significant emotional stress should be managed carefully to prevent a possible cluster headache occurence.

Get more on headaches here Causes Of Migraine Headaches

Chronic tension headaches are a serious ailment that can detract from enjoyment of daily life.  Daily activities can be painfully interrupted by the sudden occurence of a tension headache.  Chronic tension headaches are known to cause depression in some.  It is important that chronic tension headaches receive prompt attention and medical care.  Fortunately, the medical community has a great deal of experience with the phenomenon of headache, and has several avenues of treatment available for sufferers.  In fact, the medical community has researched headache thoroughly, and has divided the phenomenon into three distinct categories.

The majority of headaches suffered can fit into the primary category.  A primary headache is frequently brought on by emotional or physical stress, and has the most frequent rate of occurence by far.  Primary headaches are almost never life threatening, but are known to cause significant discomfort.  This pain can hamper everyday enjoyment of life, making even basic functioning difficult.  Although the exact causes remain something of a mystery, it is widely held that the symptoms are brought on by a tightening of the muscles that surround the base of the skull.  This tightening can be initially identified as a band like feeling just above the eyes that gradually grows into a painful sensation. 

Cluster and secondary headaches occur on a far less frequent basis, but are much more serious.  To treat this kind of headache, the attention of a specialist is most likely required.  Cluster headaches are easily identifiable by the amount of pain they cause.  Patients frequently describe cluster headaches as an icepick sensation behind one or both eyes.  Treatment includes powerful sedatives and pain medications.  Secondary headaches usually indicate some other issue that is at work.

Chronic tension headaches should be approached from a stress management point of view.  Physical and emotional stress are both known to trigger chronic tension headache.  Circumstances that trigger significant emotional stress can prompt the occurence of chronic tension headaches. Prolonged physical stress can also be tied directly to chronic tension headaches.  Steps to manage both kinds of stress are necessary to bring the problem under control.  If these steps do not succeed, then further treatment with more powerful pain medications may be necessary.  Chronic tension headaches that do not abate should be a signal to see a doctor.

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Migraine headaches can very easily cause a person to lose daily function and enjoyment of life.  Preventing and treating migraine headaches, however, is certainly possible with the right combination of medicine and therapy.  The exact causes of migraine headaches remain unknown to the medical community, but it is usually accepted that serotonin plays a large role in migraine.  Low serotonin levels can frequently lead to a migraine headache episode.  

A migraine headache can oftentimes be accompanied by an “aura.”  An aura occurs with what are called classic migraine headaches.  In a classic migraine attack, the patient may note changes in vision and mood.  Tenderness in the scalp is usually a sign of a developing migraine episode.  Mood swings are also common, such as depression or irritability.  These subtle symptoms can begin developing as much as a full day before the onset of a migraine attack.  The following migraine headaches usually come about with a high degree of intensity, but do not last long.  

Common migraine headaches take longer to develop, and last longer than classic migraines.  This can be seriously debilitating, and can be a real impediment to daily life.  Fortunately, many medications exist to alleviate migraine pain.  Sleep and plenty of fluids are crucial factors in migraine episode prevention.  During an attack, go to a quiet and dimly lit area.  Use a cold compress to reduce the tension, and massage the scalp with a fair amount of pressure.  Emotional and physical stress are known to play a role in migraine development.

Some foods are also believed to be behind causes of migraine headaches.
Physicians recommend, for example, that red wine should be avoided by sufferers of migraine headaches.  Canned and processed meat can also attribute to migraine episodes.  Causes of migraine headaches can also include excess amounts of caffeine, aged cheese, or cultured dairy products.  Chronic migraine episodes are reason to see a doctor or specialist about the potential causes.

Get more on headaches here Frequent Headaches