This month, we’re going to review 4 common types of headaches, what causes them, and most importantly, what you can do about them to get relief. If you missed the previous week’s article, you can check it out in the other blog posts.
1. Migraine – Migraine headaches are some of the hardest types of headaches to live with. They usually begin with an intense, throbbing pain on one side of the head, which may spread. They also often cause nausea and vomiting. A migraine can last a few hours to many days and can make people sensitive to lights, smells, and sounds.
Symptoms: pain in the face or neck, throbbing in one area, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, distorted vision
Duration: 4 to 72 hours
2. Tension – Almost everyone gets these from time to time. They bring a dull, constant, non-throbbing pain that can make you feel as if your head is wrapped in a tight band. You’ll usually feel pain on both sides of your head or neck, not just on one side. Your neck muscles may seem knotted, and parts of your head and neck may be sensitive to touch.
Symptoms: dull pain on either side of the head or both sides, and pressure across the forehead in a band shape
Duration: 30 minutes to several hours
3. Sinus – Sinus headaches come with pain in the forehead, nose, cheeks, eyes,
and sometimes the top of the head. They also make you feel pressure behind your face. Nasal congestion and blockage from seasonal allergies or an infection that leads to sinus congestion is the main cause.
Symptoms: pain in the face, sinuses, eyes, ears, or forehead, congestion,itching, runny nose, fever, swelling in the face
Duration: several days to weeks (if treated)
4. Cluster – These got their name because they tend to come in bunches over weeks. An average cluster can go on for 6 to 12 weeks. Typically, they start
hours after you fall asleep. Sometimes, a mild ache will warn you that a cluster headache is coming.
Symptoms: severe pain on one side of the head, usually around the eye, accompanied with a drooping eyelid, small pupil, tearing or runny nose
Duration: periods can last for weeks to months with remission for months
There are other causes of headaches besides these 4 common types of headaches. Check out next week’s blog post for more about headache causes and how to get relief.
Here‘s another article about how subluxations can cause headaches.