Headaches and What They Reveal About Your Health
Headaches can reveal a number of symptoms and need to be checked out:
Headache is the most common form of pain. It’s one of the main reason people miss days at work or school or visit the doctor (
1).
In fact, the National Headache Foundation estimates that 28 million Americans suffer from migraines alone (
2).
Because
headaches have so many different causes, from the cold to premenstrual
syndrome, it can be difficult for sufferers to understand what kind of
headache they are experiencing and how to manage their condition.
Types of Headaches
The
most common headaches are caused by either vascular problems (high
blood pressure, toxic overload, etc.), muscle contractions (tension,
stress, etc) and inflammation (infection) (
3).
1. TMJ Headache
A
TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) headache is caused by problems with the
jaw, jaw joint and lower facial muscles. This can be due to teeth
grinding or clenching, tension in the jaw, dislocation of the jaw joint
and arthritis. This pain doesn’t just occur in the jaw, it can also
spread upwards towards the cheeks, temples and ears or downwards to the
neck and shoulder (
4).
2. Sinus Headache
As
its name implies, a sinus headache occurs when sinuses become inflamed
or blocked. This can cause pain behind the cheeks, nose and eyes that
gets worse when your bend forward or when you wake up. Common causes
include allergic reaction, a tumor, or an infection. Depending on its
underlying cause, symptoms can closely resemble those of a migraine (
5).
3. Cluster Headache
A
cluster headache is a sharp, very painful headache that occurs on and
off several times a day for months followed by headache-free periods
lasting up to 6 months. The pain arrives with little warning and
typically affects only one side of the head, often accompanied by a
bloodshot eye and runny nose. Commonly affected areas include above the
eye and near the temples. These headaches typically last less than an
hour and came about at the same time everyday (
6).
4. Tension Headache
This
type is typically caused by stress and anxiety. As muscles tighten in
you shoulders, neck and jaw, the headache tends to cause pressure,
pulling and contractions that affect your temples, face and scalp. It
can also last between a few minutes to a few days. Triggers include lack
of sleep, missed meals, stressful situations, high emotions and
alcohol.
5. Neck Headache
Also called a cervicogenic
headache, neck headaches don’t actually affect your head. However, even
thought the pain occurs in your neck and shoulder blades, you may
perceive it as originating in the back of your head or at the base of
your skull. The best way to get relief is to fix the underlying cause,
whether it’s a pinched nerve, muscle knots, muscles damage, abnormal
bone growths, tumours, tissue swelling and joint problems. Relief can be
found through massage, acupuncture, physiotherapy and chiropractic
treatment (
7,
8).
