TYPES OF HEADACHES & HOW TO PREVENT THEM

Headache, also known as cephalalgia, is the symptom of pain in the face, head, or neck. Or pain experienced in any part of your head. It is a common condition, and most people will have at least one in their lifetime. Headaches can affect males and females of any age.Occasionally it can be a symptom of a serious health problem

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Headaches vary greatly in terms of the location and intensity of the pain, and how often the headaches occur. The brain tissue doesn’t have pain-sensitive nerve fibers and doesn’t feel pain. But, other parts of the head can be responsible for a headache including:

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▪︎A network of nerves that extends over the scalp

▪︎ Certain nerves in the face, mouth, and throat

▪︎ Muscles of the head, neck, and shoulders

▪︎ Blood vessels found along the surface and at the base of the brain

CLASSIFICATION OF HEADACHES

Headaches can be primary (when they happen on their own, and not as a result of another health problem) or secondary (resulting from another health problem).

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Primary headaches

Sometimes primary headaches can be triggered by dietary factors, such as:

▪︎Alcohol, particularly red wine
▪︎Certain foods, such as cheese, citrus fruits, processed meats and foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG)
▪︎Large amounts of caffeine
▪︎skipping meals
▪︎Not drinking enough water

Secondary headaches can be trigerred by diseases e.g; High blood pressure , Meningitis, Head injury & brain tumour

TYPES OF HEADACHES

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▪︎Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache among adults and teens. They cause mild to moderate pain and come and go over time. They usually have no other

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▪︎ MIGRAINE
It ia a common health problem where as well as headache, you may have one or more other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting or feeling sensitive to light or noise. The pain is usually throbbing on one side of your head and can last hours or days.

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Some people experience other symptoms before or during a migraine attack, for example visual aura or changes in their vision. Visual aura might include flashes of light, blind spots, or seeing 'zig zag' patterns. Others will have problems with their speech, or feel 'pins and needles' (a numb, tingling feeling) in their arms and legs.

Cluster headache

Cluster headaches are a more rare type of headache that can be very painful. They generally occur in groups or 'clusters' of attacks.

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The pain is usually behind one eye and feels stabbing or burning. You might have a runny nose and a red eye with watery discharge. It can last up to 3 hours and may happen a few times a day.

Sinus headache

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Headaches due to sinus problems cause pressure in your forehead or cheek bones, on one side or both sides of your face.

▪︎ ALCOHOL HEADACHE

Headache due to drinking alcohol causes throbbing pain that gets worse with exercise.

▪︎DEHYDRATION HEADACHE

Headache due to dehydration causes pain all over your head.

▪︎ALTITUDE HEADACHE

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Altitude headache is an intense, throbbing pain that is either generalised all over your head or mainly in your forehead. It is also known as 'mountain sickness', but can happen when you change altitudes.

▪︎ SLEEP APNOEA HEADACHE

Headache due to sleep apnoea is usually felt when you wake up in the morning, on most days of the week.

▪︎Rebound Headaches

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You might also hear these called medication overuse headaches. If you use a prescription or over-the-counter pain reliever more than two or three times a week, or more than 10 days a month, you’re setting yourself up for more pain.

▪︎ Thunderclap Headaches
People often call this the worst headache of your life. It comes suddenly out of nowhere and peaks quickly
Causes:

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▪︎Blood vessel tear, rupture, or blockage
▪︎ Head injury
▪︎Hemorrhagic stroke from a ruptured blood vessel in your brain
▪︎Ischemic stroke from a blocked blood vessel in your brain

HOW TO PREVENT HEADACHES

Eating healthy food regularly

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Drinking enough water

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Working on good posture

EXERCISING regularly

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Techniques for managing your stress

Getting the right amount of sleep every night

Cutting down on alcohol and caffeine

TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR HEADACHES

▪︎Avoiding triggers e.g - Hypoglycaemia
▪︎ Neck exercises and massage
▪︎ over-the-counter pain relief medicines

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▪︎ Other medicines that need to be prescribed by a doctor

▪︎ Avoid smoking

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