What Causes a Headache

I often felt as if my head would literally explode. My headaches would warn me they were on the way with blinding flashes of bright light and a halo of stars around my eyes, through which I could barely see. My doctor called these Migraines.

Finding someone who's never suffered with a headache is like finding someone who's never heard of Elvis, almost impossible. Migraines are another story entirely. For as long as I can remember I've had these throbbing headaches, so bad that agony of a migraine. Headaches can strike anyone, anywhere. And they have struck almost everyone at one time or another. Fortunately most headaches are easy to treat. The first step is in diagnosing what kind of headache you are suffering from. Avoiding them all together is possible but first you have to understand the different types and what causes them to attack you in the first place.

There are three major types of headaches, migraines and headaches brought on by tension. The third type are called cluster headaches, and are relatively rare occurring only in a few unlucky men.

Tension headaches are those usual little aches you get that are nothing more than a nuisance. They can make your whole head hurt but rarely bother you to a point that you can't function. A migraine headache is what I consider to be a 'headache plus'. Because along with the debilitating pain, it also brings many other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and intense sensitivity to sound or light. Migraine headaches hurt intensely and are made worse by any kind of activity. To me, a migraine is almost liked being attacked by a living, breathing thing.
What most people don't know about headaches is that you are wired for one type or another. Dr. Robert Kaniecki, from The Headache Institute at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, says that 'different people are predisposed to a certain type of headache'. Although personally, I'm not sure I agree with that. I've had tension headaches and migraine headaches, although the migraine headaches are much worse, I haven't had one kind more so than the other, maybe I'm just of the weird people.

He also says that abrupt changes in your daily routine and emotional stress can be triggers for both types of headaches. To a much lesser extent, so can certain foods, sensory overload, allergies and weather changes. Hormonal changes have also been known to trigger migraine headaches among women. Which is why there are so many more women than men who suffer from migraines. Migraine headaches also tend to peak in women who are in their 40's. Headaches are considered normal. But if you continually suffer from debilitating headaches that leave you out of commission for a few hours you really should see a physician. Some warning signs to look for before you considering seeing a doctor for a headache, is if the headache is recurring more often than normal. If you find yourself reaching for the Tylenol more than 2 or 3 times a week, this is not a good sign. If your headaches are getting progressively worse over time or occurring more frequently than normal, you should consider consulting with your doctor. There is medication that you can take if you are suffering from migraines on a continuing basis. For more information on headaches visit www.heliohealth.com/headache-treatment-.html