What Types of Headaches are There?
There can be various levels of pain and discomfort associated with headaches, depending on which type of headache you’re actually experiencing. It can be mild and irritating, or it can be severe enough to put you right off your feet, and it can also be at a level anywhere in between. Headaches can appear suddenly, or they can gradually build up to the point where you can’t think of anything else. In any case, you’ll want to eliminate that headache as quickly as possible, so you can focus on your daily activities. Here are some of the types of headaches most commonly treated by your North Haledon chiropractor.
Tension headaches
These types of headaches are probably the most common, and they are often the result of being subjected to stress for a prolonged period of time. Anyone experiencing tension headaches will generally be aware of a pressing or tightening sensation in the facial area. There will also be a painful feeling which can be mild to moderate, and it can last anywhere from 1/2 hour to a full week. Tension headaches are not generally accompanied by vomiting or nausea, but they may cause the sufferer to feel sensitivity to sounds or to light.
Migraine headaches
People who are not aware of the differences between tension headaches and migraines, will often refer to everything as a migraine headache. Migraines are generally recurring and they may last as long as 72 hours. The pain is generally more intense than with tension headaches, being moderate to severe in nature. Migraine headaches are often accompanied by nausea or vomiting, and they can be worsened if you attempt to continue with normal activities. Sometimes migraines are preceded by a neurological symptom which is called an aura, and these are a type of sensory disturbance which will generally be quite recognizable.
Cluster headaches
These particular type of headaches are not nearly as well-known as tension headaches or migraines, and they are significantly different from either of those other two. Migraines more commonly affect females, but males are the primary recipients of cluster headaches, especially males between the ages of 20 and 40. Here are some of the most common symptoms associated with cluster headaches:
- severe pain in the area of the eyes, and sometimes along the side of your head as well
- attacks will generally persist for between 15 minutes and three hours
- cluster headaches may appear as many as eight times in the course of one day
- they are often characterized by nasal congestion, forehead sweating, and tearing up
- intense pain generally accompanies cluster headaches, making the sufferer quite agitated or restless while an attack is in progress.
Dealing with headaches
If you are troubled by any of the types of headaches described above, the most natural and non-invasive method for eliminating the headaches is to consult with your chiropractor at Wolke Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Center. A skilled specialist at this facility will evaluate your lifestyle and diagnose the true source of your headaches, so that a treatment plan can be developed to help you achieve a pain-free lifestyle once again.