Headaches are always classified as either primary or secondary. What is a primary headache? This is a headache that is not caused by another condition or sickness. Most common causes for this type of headache are stress, sleep deprivation (insomnia), alcohol, fatigue; Secondary headaches on the other hand are due to another condition, such as an injury, infection, sickness, can range from harmless to very dangerous.
4 Common Types of Headache
What is a migraine?
Migraine is a complex disorder that is characterized by recurrent episodes of headache. The pain most commonly affects the forehead area. It’s usually on one side of the head, but it can occur on both sides and shift.
Symptoms: The pain occurs in the face or neck, throbbing in one area, the person is sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, distorted vision
Duration: mostly last between 4 to 72 hours
Primary or secondary: Primary
Types of Migraine
Migraine with aura/Classical migraine- This is a type of migraine where you have a warning sign (an ‘aura’) that a migraine attack is going to happen.
Symptoms:
Blind spots
Seeing coloured spots
Seeing flashing lights
Seeing zig zag patterns
Temporary blindness
Migraine without aura-there is no warning sign that a headache is about to happen.
Vestibular migraine- This is a type of migraine that features vertigo (a sensation of movement), dizziness or balance problems.
Menstrual migraine-This are migraine attacks that are linked to menstruation.
Hemiplegic migraine – A rare type of migraine that involves temporary weakness on one side of the body.
Migraine treatment:
Lifestyle adjustments-This includes stress management and avoiding migraine triggers like anxiety, excitement
Poor sleep quality, strenuous exercise (if you don’t do it often)bright lights ,changes in climate ,hormone replacement therapy drugs alcohol or caffeinated drinks ,food additives such as nitrates (a preservative in cured meats), aspartame which is (an artificial sugar), or monosodium glutamate (MSG),tyramine, which occurs naturally in some foods.
OTC (over the counter) pain or migraine medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids) or acetaminophen.
Medication
Nsaids: medications like ibuprofen or aspirin are typically used in mild-to-moderate attacks that don’t include nausea or vomiting.
Triptans: medications like Imigran( sumatriptan) eletriptan, and Rizact 10mg/ rizatriptan, are the first line of defense for individuals who have nerve pain as a symptom of their migraine attacks.
Antiemetics: medications like metoclopramide, chlorpromazine, are typically used with nsaids to help decrease nausea.
Ergot alkaloids: medications, Cafergot , Migranal and Ergomar are usually reserved for individuals who don’t respond to triptans or analgesics
Tension
Symptoms: There is a dull pain on either side of the head, and pressure across the forehead.
Duration: last for 30 minutes to several hours
Primary or secondary: Primary
Sinus
Symptoms: there is pain in the face, sinuses, eyes, ears, or forehead, congestion, itching, runny nose, fever, swelling in the face
Duration: last for several days to weeks (if treated)
Primary or secondary: Secondary
Cluster
Symptoms: there is severe pain on one side of the head, usually around the eye, accompanied with a drooping eyelid, small pupil, tearing, runny nose or redness on the same side of the head.
Duration: can last for weeks or several months.
Primary or secondary: Primary
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