You may think a headache is a headache, but you’d be wrong. There are more than 150 different headache types, making diagnosis a challenge in some cases. These are classified into two major groups: primary and secondary.
Primary headaches are conditions unto themselves; they’re not caused by anything else. Secondary headaches are the result of something else, whether that be an underlying medical condition, a medication side effect, or seasonal allergies. Once you fix the underlying problem, the headache goes away.
At Advanced Neurology Specialists, LLC, board-certified neurologist Dr. Cory Lamar and our team routinely diagnose and treat all different types of headaches in our Naples, Florida, office. In this month’s blog, the team addresses the four primary types of headaches and how you can find relief from them.
The four primary types of headache are defined by the presentation of symptoms and how they’re treated.
TTHs are the most common type of primary headache, with more than 70% of people developing them at some point. Stress is a major player in the development of TTHs.
Symptoms vary between people, but most feel mild-to-moderate pressure and pain, like a band around their head or the feeling of their head being gripped in a vise. This may be accompanied by tight neck and shoulder muscles.
The symptoms develop slowly, and they’re not affected by movement. They can often be relieved with an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever.
Contrary to popular myth, migraine isn’t a headache; it’s a neurological disorder that may have headaches as one of its stages. Migraine attacks can be episodic (periodic) or chronic (more than 15 headache days a month), and they usually present in four discrete stages.
The pain is accompanied by neurological symptoms like nausea and vomiting, and sensitivities to things like light, sound, touch, and smell.
Migraine is usually treated with a combination of medication and lifestyle modifications. Medication is divided into preventive types (prevent an attack from occurring) and abortive types (stop an attack in progress).
A cluster headache is relatively uncommon, affecting only about 1 out of every 1,000 people worldwide. It produces one-sided head pain that lasts anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours, then it starts all over again, up to about eight times a day.
The pain occurs on only one side of the head and in one of the following regions:
The pain occurs every day for weeks to months, most commonly at the same time every day. The entire cycle — eight times a day for weeks or months — is called an attack. After such an attack, the pain may go suddenly into remission.
Common medications used to decrease the number and severity of cluster headache symptoms are those that are also used to treat allergies, depression, blood pressure, seizures, and migraine. In addition, some alternative therapies, such as spinal manipulation and acupuncture, may help somewhat.
NDPH symptoms start very suddenly (you remember exactly when) and remain moderate-to-severe 24/7/365. NDPH generally only affects your head, and the pain may affect only one side, both sides, or move back and forth.
If it comes with migraine-like features, you may experience neurological symptoms like vertigo, nausea, and/or vomiting, and sensitivities to light and sound.
Unfortunately, most cases prove difficult to treat, and more research is needed to understand the condition.
If you’re experiencing more than the occasional headache, it’s time to seek medical attention, and Advanced Neurology Specialists, LLC, can help. Call our office at 239-667-5878 to set up a consultation with Dr. Lamar, or book online with us today.
