A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better by making lifestyle changes, learning ways to relax, and sometimes by taking medicines.
Pain - head; Rebound headaches; Medication overuse headaches; Medicine overuse headaches
The most common type of headache is tension headache. It is likely caused by tight muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp, and jaw. A tension headache:
A migraine headache involves severe pain. It usually occurs with other symptoms, such as vision changes, sensitivity to sound or light, or nausea. With a migraine:
Rebound headaches are headaches that keep coming back. They often occur from overuse of pain medicines. For this reason, these headaches are also called medicine overuse headaches. People who take pain medicine more than 3 days a week on a regular basis can develop this type of headache.
Other types of headaches:
In rare cases, a headache can be a sign of something more serious, such as:
There are things you can do to manage headaches at home, especially migraines or tension headaches. Try to treat the symptoms right away.
When migraine symptoms begin:
A headache diary can help you identify your headache triggers. When you get a headache, write down the following:
Review your diary with your health care provider to identify triggers or a pattern to your headaches. This can help you and your provider create a treatment plan. Knowing your triggers can help you avoid them.
Your provider may have already prescribed medicine to treat your type of headache. If so, take the medicine as instructed.
For tension headaches, try acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen. Talk to your provider if you are taking pain medicines 3 or more days a week.
Some headaches may be a sign of a more serious illness. Seek medical help right away for any of the following:
Your provider will take a medical history and will examine your head, eyes, ears, nose, throat, neck, and nervous system.
Your provider will ask many questions to learn about your headaches. Diagnosis is usually based on your history of symptoms.
Tests may include:
Vincent Martin is an Internal Medicine doctor in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Martin has been practicing medicine for over 38 years and is rated as an Elite doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Headache. He is also highly rated in 9 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Migraine, Headache, Tension Headache, and Premenstrual Syndrome. He is licensed to treat patients in Ohio. Dr. Martin is currently accepting new patients.
Richard Lipton is a Neurologist in Bronx, New York. Dr. Lipton has been practicing medicine for over 34 years and is rated as an Elite doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Headache. He is also highly rated in 17 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Migraine, Headache, Vascular Dementia, and Dementia. He is licensed to treat patients in New York. Dr. Lipton is currently accepting new patients.
Stephen Silberstein is a Neurologist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Silberstein has been practicing medicine for over 59 years and is rated as an Elite doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Headache. He is also highly rated in 14 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Migraine, Headache, Cluster Headache, and Migraine with Brainstem Aura. He is licensed to treat patients in Pennsylvania. Dr. Silberstein is currently accepting new patients.
Published Date : October 06, 2019
Published By : Alireza Minagar, MD, MBA, Professor, Department of Neurology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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