What Causes Headaches
A headache is medically known as cephalalgia which is a pain in the head caused by dilation of cerebral arteries or muscle contractions or a reaction to drugs. A headache is usually a symptom of a condition of the head which may be benign or in extreme cases may require medical assistance. By extension discomfort can also be experienced in the neck. Treatment of a headache depends on the underlying etiology or cause, but commonly involves analgesics.
Headaches can be primary which means they are not the result of an underlying condition (as in a migraine or stress) or they can be secondary which means they are caused by another condition such as brain tumor. In addition to the primary and secondary categories, headaches can be classified as cranial neuralgia, facial pain and other.
Cranial neuralgia describes a group of headaches that occur because the nerves in the head and upper neck become inflamed and are the source of the head pain. Facial pain and a variety of other causes for headache are included in this category.
Causes of Headaches
Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache and occur frequently. A distinct cause of tension headache is unknown but it is felt that the most likely cause is contraction of the muscles that cover the skull. When the muscles covering the skull are stressed, they may spasm and cause pain. Common sites include the base of the skull where the trapezius muscles of the neck inserts, the temple where muscles that assist the jaw to move are located, and the forehead.
Tension headaches occur when a person suffers from physical or emotional stress. Physical stress that may cause tension headaches include difficult and prolonged manual labor, or sitting at a desk or computer for long periods of time. Emotional stress may also cause tension headaches by causing the muscles surrounding the skull to contract. Tension headaches affect women more than they do men.
Cluster headaches are another type of primary headache; they can cause severe and sudden pain. This headache may occur several times for the day and usually affect one side of the head in the eye area. The headaches cause extreme pain that will disturb a person’s sleep (usually at the same time in the night). The eye on the affected side often becomes red and watery and the nose may become blocked or runny on the affected side.
The cause for cluster headaches is unknown, but they seem to be associated with seasonal changes such as autumn and spring. In some people, they are triggered by drinking alcohol or an extreme increase in temperature (such as from exercising in hot weather). Statistics show that cluster headaches are rare and affect about 1 out of every 1000 people. Although anyone can experience the headaches approximately 8 out of 10 people who have them are men and most are smokers.
A migraine is a severe headache that often has a number of associated symptoms, such as nausea, increased sensitivity and visual problems. They are common, affecting about one in four women and one in 12 men in the UK. Studies show that hormonal influences may be the reason why migraines affect more women than men.
Secondary headaches can be caused by: head and neck trauma, blood vessel disorders (stroke), brain tumors or seizures, the use of certain medications (indometacin) and drugs including withdrawal effects, infections such as encephalitis, high blood pressure, dehydration and psychiatric disorders, and others.
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