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What Type of Headache Do You Have?
Do you have a throbbing sensation on
only one side of your head or neck? Do you feel pain in
your sinuses or is the pain more generalized throughout
your entire head? Are your eyes sensitive to bright
light? By answering these and other question about the
source and symptoms of your headache, you and your
physician will be able to uncover the type of headache
you have and which treatment or medication will work
best. Finding the best treatment option for you or your
care recipient includes, going into a doctor’s
appointment prepared with details about your headache.
It is becoming increasingly essential to have this
information readily available for your doctor given
today’s time limitations on visits.
Unknown to many, there are basically three categories a
headache can fall under: Tension-type, Vascular, or
Organically caused, according to the National Headache
Foundation fact sheet.
Tension-type- An ache located where the head and neck
muscles meet. There are two kinds of tension-type
headaches, episodic and chronic. Episodic
tension-headache is recurrent headache episodes lasting
minutes to days. The pain is typically pressing or
tightening with mild to moderate intensity, bilateral in
location and is not made worse with routine physical
activity. Chronic tension-type headaches are present for
at least 15 days per month for at least 6 months. The
pain is typically pressing or tightening with mild to
moderate intensity, bilateral in location, and is not
made worse with routine physical activity.
Vascular- The headache category that includes, migraines
and cluster headaches, and is thought to involve
abnormal function of the brain's blood vessels or
vascular system. Symptoms of migraine headaches include:
vomiting, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
Organically-caused- Evidence that a more serious
complication exists such as: a tumor or infection. The
pain is mostly dull and general in quality and can last
anywhere from a short to long period of time.
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