Types of Headaches: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

Headaches are a common medical condition that affect hundreds of millions of people around the world each year. There are many different types of headaches, each with its own unique characteristics that make it distinct from other types.

– Tension Headache — The most common type of headache is called a tension headache, which is caused by the tightening of the muscles in the neck and shoulders.

– Migraine Headache — Another type of headache is a migraine, which is characterized by a throbbing pain in one side of the head and is often accompanied by nausea and light sensitivity.

– Hypnic Headache — This rare type of headache affects people between the ages of 40 and 80 and occurs exclusively at night, hence its name.

– Cluster Headache — Cluster headaches are intense, short-lived bursts of pain, typically lasting only 5 minutes to two hours. They can occur several times a day for a period of days or weeks, then go away for weeks or months only to return later.

While most headaches are nothing to worry about and go away on their own with self-care, there are certain signs that may indicate there is a more serious underlying problem. These include:

– Recurring headaches
– Headaches that wake you up
– Throbbing pain
– Persistent headaches

Furthermore, a headache may be serious if it occurs alongside:

– sudden, very intense pain (thunderclap headache)
– severe or sharp headache pain
– a stiff neck and fever
– a fever higher than 102°F
– nausea and vomiting
– fainting
– dizziness or loss of balance
– pain that wakes you from sleep
– pain that gets worse when changing position
– persistent face tingling and auras
– confusion or difficulty understanding speech
– droopiness on one side of your face
– weakness on one side of your body
– slurred or garbled speech
– difficulty walking
– hearing problems
– pain that begins after any type of exertion, such as coughing, sneezing or laughing
– constant pain in the same area
– seizures
– unexplained weight loss
– swelling on your face or head
– a bump or injury on your head
– an animal bite anywhere on your body

While all headaches are characterized by pain or discomfort in the head/neck region, there are differences between them that can help you identify what kind you are experiencing. For example, tension headaches, which are the most common, typically cause a persistent pressure or ache on the temples, back of the head or neck. Migraines are unique in that they cause auras, which are warnings that a migraine is about to occur, and may also cause nausea or vomiting. Cluster headaches occur in groups of intensely painful headaches, and are often recurrent. A sinus headache is caused by excess pressure due to congestion in the sinuses, and may be triggered by allergies.

There are many causes for waking up with a headache, such as dehydration, over- or under-sleeping, teeth grinding and sleep apnea. If you are waking up with a headache every day, you should consult with our team as soon as possible in order to improve your quality of life.

Come to Koala® Center For Sleep & TMJ Disorders for top-level relief from headaches caused by TMJ disorder. With our seven US locations, we serve patients from all across the country: we have one in Kansas City, MO; one in El Paso, TX; one in Wausau, WI; one in Mishawaka, IN; one in Bloomington, IL; and one in Peoria – Dunlap, IL. Schedule an appointment at any of our locations today to receive high quality care. We look forward to serving you!