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Headaches are pretty prevalent. Nearly everyone has had a headache at some point in their lives. It might happen anywhere on the head, on both sides, or at just one spot.
The headache might be primary (not caused by any medical condition) or secondary (a result of an underlying medical condition). However, the majority of headaches are primary headaches. They usually improve on their own or with modest pain relievers.
There are several sorts of headaches that you may experience:
- Headaches caused by tension
- Cluster headaches
- Migraines
Tension Headaches
The most frequent type of headache is tension headaches.
It may seem like a dull or squeezing discomfort that gradually builds up, similar to a tight band wrapped around your head. You may experience mild to severe discomfort in your forehead, temples, sides, and back of your head. In severe circumstances, the headache may cause you to feel agitated and sleepless.
Tension headaches can be caused by numerous circumstances, including:
- Anxiety and stress
- Muscle tension
- Ache in the neck
- Inadequate posture
- Lack of physical activity
Tension headache treatment is available. Managing a tension headache is frequently a combination of developing healthy behaviors, locating effective non-drug treatment, and utilizing medication correctly.
Migraine
Many people experience migraines in Singapore. It can produce excruciating throbbing pain in the front or sides of your head. It may start on one side of your head and gradually extend to the other. Other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light and sound, may accompany the pain. Walking, for example, may aggravate the pain.
Some people may have an aura in addition to their migraine symptoms. An aura is a slow-onset visual (e.g., seeing zigzag lines) or sensory (tingling face or limbs) disturbance. Auras often last 15 to 60 minutes and occur before or during a migraine headache.
Several circumstances can bring on a migraine episode. These are some examples:
- Environmental changes
- Stress
- Consuming certain foods
- Sleep pattern changes
- Extreme physical effort
- Fatigue
- Excessive exposure to bright lights, loud noises, or strong odors
Although the origins of migraine are not entirely known, genetics and environmental factors appear to play a role. In addition, changes in the brainstem and its interaction with the trigeminal nerve, a significant pain channel, might be at work. Taking combination pain relievers more than 10 days per month or at higher doses might result in significant drug-overuse headaches, which occur after the medicine stops reducing pain. Consult a doctor for the best treatment strategy.
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches are the most painful. Fortunately, it is also uncommon. Unfortunately, it frequently happens numerous times every day for weeks to months before going into remission for months or even years.
Cluster headaches may recur in a predictable pattern. The agony increases rapidly, reaching a climax within five to fifteen minutes. A throbbing, pressing, piercing, scorching, or intense pain that lasts 45 to 90 minutes is possible.
The discomfort might be behind and around one eye or on one side of the forehead or temple. It can expand to the back of the head, neck, and shoulder. The discomfort may be so intense that you have a runny nose or redness in your eyes, in addition to the headache. If you get a cluster headache at night, the agony may even wake you up.
Headache Diagnosis and Treatment
Your doctor may prescribe drugs to offer immediate relief and/or minimize the frequency of your headaches based on the kind and severity of your symptoms. You can also minimize the severity and frequency of your headaches by making modest lifestyle adjustments such as:
- Keeping regular sleeping hours
- Resting
- Taking pain relievers
- Exercise regularly
- Consuming regular meals and lots of water
- Keeping away from recognized headaches causes
- Controlling stress levels
- Caffeine and alcohol consumption should be reduced.
If your headache happens regularly or gets so severe that it interferes with your daily life or causes concern, you should seek medical assistance. To determine the source of your headaches, the medical expert will perform advanced diagnostic techniques such as MRI or CT scans.