Cluster Headaches
Cluster headache is a primary headache disorder and the most common of the group of headache disorders called trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. The term cluster headache comes from the fact that these attacks occur in groups, or “clusters.”
During a cluster cycle, brief, excruciatingly severe headache attacks recur between 1-8 times per day. Cluster cycles can last for weeks or months and are usually separated by remission periods, or periods of headache freedom, which usually last months or years. People who experience chronic cluster headache have no remission periods, or the remissions last less than a month at a time.
Cluster headache is often said to be the most painful of all headaches; it has been described as “boring,” “burning,” “like a hot poker in the eye” and as “suicide headache.”“Cluster pain is described as being at least 10/10 in severity, and typically there is an inability to lie still,” says Dr. Deborah E. Tepper, MD, of Dartmouth University. “People with migraine tend to lie down in a dark, quiet room, while, in contrast, those with cluster will pace, rock in one place, or sometimes even bang their head to distract themselves from the pain. People almost never lie down during a cluster attack.”
This information was provided by “American Migraine Foundation” for additional information please visit “https://americanmigrainefoundation.org“
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. These headaches are not caused by disease. They are often considered to be “normal” headaches. Other names for tension headaches are ordinary headaches, muscle tension headaches, and stress headaches.
The International Headache Society has suggested that doctors use the term tension-type headaches because so many different names have been used for tension headaches. Typically tension-type headache causes mild to moderate pain, usually on both sides of the head. There is a pressing or tightening sensation. It is not pulsating and is not accompanied by nausea. The headache does not get worse with routine physical activity.
This information was provided by “Harvard University” for additional information please visit “https://www.health.harvard.edu”
Migraines
A migraine is a powerful headache that often happens with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. Migraines can last from 4 hours to 3 days, and sometimes longer. The American Migraine Foundation estimates that more than 36 million Americans get them, women 3 times more often than men.
Current thinking about the source of migraine symptoms reflects advances in technology that help us see how the brain and nervous system work. Previously, the dilation and constriction of blood vessels in the head were thought to be the primary source of migraine pain, and early medications focused on the blood vessels as the principal target for treatment. Researchers now believe that migraine is a neurological disorder involving nerve pathways and brain chemicals.
We know that migraine often runs in families. But genes aren’t the only answer – studies show that environmental factors play an important role, too. Just about everyone has headaches.
But contrary to popular belief, migraine is much more than just a bad headache. It’s an extremely incapacitating collection of neurological symptoms that usually includes a severe throbbing recurring pain on one side of the head.
However, in 1/3 of migraine attacks, both sides are affected. Attacks last between 4 and 72 hours and are often accompanied by one or more of the following disabling symptoms: visual disturbances, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, extreme sensitivity to sound, light, touch and smell, and tingling or numbness in the extremities or face. Of course, everyone is different, and symptoms vary by person and sometimes by attack.
There are different types of migraines.
The type of migraine is usually identified by its predominant symptom. Migraine is a moving target: symptoms can change from one attack to the next, and many sufferers have more than one type. Most people who have a migraine attack begin by treating themselves with over-the-counter medications. Sufferers sometimes consult a doctor as symptoms become more severe and disabling, but more than half of all migraine sufferers are never diagnosed. Migraine is a diagnosis of exclusion – it’s diagnosed by a process of elimination because there’s not yet a test or biomarker to show it’s present. Migraine is diagnosed by analyzing the symptoms, reviewing family history, conducting medical tests, and eliminating other possible causes of the headache. Diagnosis is not always easy, however, as symptoms are often present in other conditions. It’s important to consult a headache specialist if your symptoms are disabling, change, or don’t respond to your usual headache remedies.
This information was provided by “Migraine Research Foundation” for additional information please visit “https://migraineresearchfoundation.org“
