147 varieties of headache
A headache is one of the most common medical complaints and something everybody will experience at some stage in their lifetime.
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Although there are 147 recognised types of headache, these divide into two main categories.
Primary headaches are those headaches not caused by an underlying condition. Secondary headaches are manifestations of an underlying condition that is often serious and life threatening.
More than 90 percent of headaches fall into the primary headache category. The most common types of these include migraine, cluster headache and tension or stress headaches. Here’s how to spot the difference.
PRIMARY HEADACHE
Migraine
Many people would describe it as a sick headache. The patient feels nauseous, light bothers them and they just can’t go about their everyday activities. Some specialists say it’s like having a power cut to the brain. These attacks can last from 4 hours to 3 days. Ten percent of migraine attacks have a warning “aura” before the headache starts, such as flashing lights, zig-zag lines and blank spots when you look at things.
How can migraine sufferers lead a normal life?
Cluster Headache
Cluster Headache is one of the most debilitating of the primary headaches. It produces a one-sided, intense pain typically centred around the eye. Sufferers normally get a “cluster” of these headaches over a period of weeks and then return to normal. However, some chronic patients get these headaches regularly over a period of many years.
Thankfully, only about 0.2% of the population is affected, but for those that do suffer, the pain is so severe it can stop them working. Cluster headache is often confused with migraine and the average time for a correct diagnosis is about 10 years.
Tension headaches
Tension type headaches are the most common of all the headaches and are easily treated with over-the-counter pain killers.
It is not unusual to have one or more of these every month. Causes tend to be lifestyle centred – so watch out for things like stress, sleep and exercise. If you get these headaches for more than 15 days a month for at least three months, then you have chronic tension headache.
Some of the lesser known and less common primary headaches include, primary stabbing headaches – also known as ice-pick headaches which cause intense stabbing pain lasting up to 30 seconds. Medication overuse headache is another and is caused by taking too many painkillers for headaches and migraine. And primary headache associated with sexual activity – this is relatively uncommon and occurs during intercourse and increases with sexual excitement and also at the point of orgasm.
SECONDARY HEADACHE
This category encompasses any headache that’s a side-effect of something else. The cause can be very serious (brain tumour) or fairly trivial (caffeine withdrawal) and the headache itself gives no clue as to its underlying cause. For this reason it’s always sensible to play safe. If you are experiencing headaches on a regular basis, or if you suddenly develop a severe or long-lasting headache you should always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.
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