Headache Help: Understanding Your Headaches

So many Americans experience headaches each and every day. Most people have no clue why they experience headaches or how to properly and safely relieve headache tension. The first step in helping to understand is to know the different types of headaches.

Cluster Headaches

Pain is generally on one side of your head or the other. Cluster headaches can be triggered by smoking or drinking alcohol. You will generally get cluster headaches for a few days in a row.

Tension Headaches

Pain affects both sides of your head and is dull, aching, and constant. Tension headaches are triggered by stress. This stress can be either emotional from things happening in your life or physical stress from muscle strain or eye problems.

Migraines

Before the headache begins the individual has a high likelihood of seeing flashing lights or other visual disturbances. The pain can affect one side of the head and is a dull throbbing pain. Light could cause this type of headache to become worse. Many things trigger migraines; food, food additives, hormonal changes, caffeine, and stress are the most likely reasons.

Now that you understand what type of headaches you are having it is time to seek medical help for relief. Be prepared with answers to all the questions your doctor will ask you. Here is a list of information that you will need.

Start a headache journal and record the following information each time you experience pain.
-Date
-Time
-How long your headache lasted
-Rate the pain on a scale of 1-10 for severity
-Where was the pain (left side, front, entire head)
-What where you doing when your headache started
-What did you eat and drink before you got your headache
-What type of medications you used to treat your headache with
-How much medication did you need to take to stop the pain
-Did the medication help your headache

Your doctor will recommend treatment options that fit your lifestyle and headache type. Some examples might include stopping the consumption of alcohol and tobacco smoking, starting an exercise program, trying new medications, and eliminating daily stress. Whatever your doctor recommends you need to follow their advice exactly. Skipping medication, smoking cigarettes, or loading yourself down with stressful tasks will not improve your condition.

If you are having any difficulty with headaches or think you might have a problem controlling your headaches check with your doctor right away. Take care of yourself.

Rosen, Michael M.D., Health Solutions Group. Healthy Mind Healthy Body Volume 3 Issue 1. 2009.