Headache Clinic
Headache is one of the most common problems in the world. Stress, busy work lives, lack of sleep –
all lead to this common problem. Our weekly headache clinic with the help of our headache
specialists trained in America will ensure you get the right treatment and approach to get
rid of your headaches and evaluate the actual cause.
Headaches
Different types of headaches can have their own symptoms, occur for unique reasons,
and need different kinds of treatments. After knowing the type of headache your doctor
can find the treatment that is most likely to help and even try to prevent them.
There are more than 100 types of headaches, but most common ones are:
- Daily Headaches: They are also called stress headaches and common among adults and teens. These headaches cause mild to moderate pain, and come and go over time.
- Cluster Headaches: In these headaches, pain is intense and feels like burning or piercing pain behind the eyes, either constant or throbbing. It is the least common but the most severe type of headache. The pain is so bad that most people cannot sit still and often pace during an attack.
They are termed “cluster headaches” because they tend to happen in groups. You might get them once or thrice in a day during a cluster period, which may last two to three months.
- Facial Headaches: With these, you feel deep and constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead, or bridge of your nose. They happen when cavities in your head get inflamed. The pain generally comes along with other sinus symptoms, such as feeling of fullness in the ears, a runny nose, fever, and swelling in the face.
- Chronic Headaches: They are also called inflammatory or traction headaches and get worse over time. They make up less than 5 percent of all headaches in adults and less than 2 percent of all headaches in kids. They may also be the outcome of an illness or disorder of the brain or skull.
Causes
In a headache, the pain you feel comes from a mix of signals between the brain, blood vessels, and nearby nerves. Specific nerves of the blood vessels and head muscles switch on and send pain signals to the brain. But it is not clear why these signals turn on in the first place. People often get headaches because of illnesses, stress and environment.
Treatment
Your doctor may advice different types of treatments. He/she may recommend more testing or refer you to a headache specialist.
The treatment depends on various factors including the type of headache, intensity, frequency, and its causes.
Migraine
A migraine is a severe, painful headache that can be accompanied or preceded by sensory warning such as blind spots, flashes of light, nausea, vomiting, tingling in the legs and arms, and increased sensitivity to light and sound.
The agonizing pain that migraine brings may last for hours or even days. Migraine is a common problem affecting more than 36 million Americans.
Causes
The exact cause of migraine is unknown, however, it is thought to be a result of abnormal brain activity causing temporary alteration in the nerve signals, chemicals and blood flow in the brain.
Triggers
Individuals suffering from migraines can identify triggers that cause headache, but many people cannot. Potential migraine triggers are:
- Bright lights, smoky rooms, loud noise, temperature changes, strong smells, certain odors or perfumes
- Allergies and allergic reactions
- Emotional stress, depression, anxiety, and excitement
- Irregular sleeps or changes in sleep patterns
- Skipping meals or fasting
- Smoking or exposure to smoke
- Alcohol
- Hormonal triggers such as birth control pills, menstrual cycle fluctuations, or menopause
Symptoms
Typical symptoms of migraine are:
- Moderate to severe pain, commonly confined to one side of the head
- Increasing pain during physical activity
- The pain is commonly severe, throbbing and pulsating pain
- Inability to perform regular activities due to pain
- Feeling sick
- Increased insensitivity to sound and light, relieved by lying quietly in a darkened room
- Some people may experience other symptoms such as tummy ache, diarrhea, sweating and temperature changes
Treatments
At present, there is no cure for migraine, so the treatment is basically aimed at preventing migraine attacks and alleviating symptoms. Some lifestyle changes may help reducing the frequency of migraine headaches. These include:
- Reducing stress
- Getting enough sleep
- Avoiding certain foods
- Drinking plenty of water
- Regular physical exercise
Migraine treatment and prevention focus on avoiding triggers, controlling symptoms and taking medicines.
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