You know how annoying and unpleasant a severe headache or migraine attack can be if you suffer from headaches or migraines. A constant headache or pulsating migraine affects not only you, but also your family and friends. With over 300 possible causes for a headache, a precise diagnosis is critical to guiding the appropriate investigations, therapy, and management of your headache issue.
A migraine isn’t the only source of head pain. Better treatment will result from correctly identifying the reason.
Types and Causes of Common Headaches
Because there are so many various kinds of headaches, determining the location and nature of your discomfort can help you figure out what’s causing it.
The following are some of the most prevalent types:
- Tension headaches: Tension headaches have a tendency to extend discomfort over both sides of the head, starting at the back and moving forward. The most common type of headache is this one. Tension headaches are commonly caused by eyestrain, worry, and hunger, and they can be chronic.
- Sinus headaches: When you’re sick or congested, these headaches are common. They’re caused by sinus swelling, which causes pain behind the cheeks, nose, and eyes. When you first wake up in the morning and bend forward, the pain is usually at its worst.
- Cluster headaches: These headaches are frequently quite intense and occur in “clusters,” which means they recur on a daily basis (usually at the same time) for months. They are caused by the production of serotonin and histamines, which causes dilatation of the brain’s blood vessels. Physical effort, harsh lights, and even altitude can induce them.
Migraines: More Than Just a Headache
The majority of people connect the term migraine with a severe headache. However, headaches are only one symptom of migraines, and their severity and duration vary.
Brain activity variations alter blood flow in the brain and surrounding tissues, resulting in a variety of symptoms. Migraine sufferers may have some or all of the following symptoms in addition to severe head pain:
- Nausea
- Increased sensitivity to light, sound or smells
- Dizziness
- Extreme fatigue
There are four stages to a migraine attack, however not everyone experiences each one. Among the phases are:
- Prodrome phase: This stage, also known as the pre-headache phase, is defined by painless sensations that appear hours or days before the migraine attacks. Mood fluctuations, food cravings, and neck stiffness are among them.
- Aura phase: Sensory disturbances that occur before or during a migraine are referred to as auras. Auras can influence a person’s vision, touch, or speech, though they are not experienced by everyone who suffers from migraines. Blurred eyesight, blind spots that increase over time, numbness in the arm, and slurred or confused speech are all examples of auras.
- Headache phase: This is when the pain normally strikes, and it might be slight or severe. Physical exercise, as well as exposure to light sounds and odors, can aggravate the pain. Some people, though, can experience a migraine without getting a headache.
- Postdromal phase: When the discomfort has lessened, the final step begins. During this time, people may feel exhausted, disoriented, or ill.
Causes of Migraines
While most headaches have a clear source, migraines have multiple triggers but no single cause. If you get migraines, you might notice that certain things set them off.
The following are examples of triggers that can differ from person to person:
- Gender and hormonal shifts: Migraines are three times as common in women as in men. Menstrual cycles and hormonal fluctuations, according to Brockman, are a factor in migraines in women.
- Allergies: Allergies, often known as allergic rhinitis, induce irritation and inflammation in the body. Allergies are a known trigger for some people because migraines are linked to blood vessel inflammation.
- Family history and genetics: People who have headaches in their families are more prone to get migraines themselves. Scientists have uncovered a widespread genetic abnormality in people who suffer from the most frequent type of migraine.
- Environmental: Changes in weather, stress, food, scents, and lack of sleep are all examples of triggers in this group.
Treatment for Migraines and Headaches
Although there is no cure for headaches and migraines, medicines and lifestyle modifications can help you manage your symptoms and avoid future attacks.
Please contact Simply Align Rehab Physio in Scarborough/Toronto at simplyalignrehab.com for detailed advice on your Headache or Migraine, or call or text us at (416) 628-8554 for your Physiotherapy or Chiropractor requirements in Toronto.