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Headache is one of the most common reasons a person consults any doctor. It is also, according to a recent survey by a leading consumer magazine, the single most common condition for which people are dissatisfied with the treatment they have received.
There are many different types of headaches, and the most common are tension (muscle contraction) headaches and migraines. Regardless of the type of headache, effective treatment starts with the identification of factors that are unique to each patient and a clear diagnosis.
Most commonly, a person suffering from headaches will have either the tension headache or migraine headache types. However, the distinction between these headache types is not as simple as it would seem. In fact, recent research suggests that there is no real distinction between these headache types but, rather, they all share a common underlying cause that has several different contributing factors.
Tension Headache:
Tension headaches are sometimes referred to as muscle contraction headaches. They are the most common type of headaches and can be felt anywhere in the head, but the temples and forehead are the most frequent areas. They are also associated with tightness in the head or scalp. They are not typically associated with other symptoms such as nausea, numbness or visual sensations but can be worsened by emotional stress.
Migraine Headache:
Migraine headaches are usually more severe than tension headaches and generally occur in attacks that can last from a few hours to a few days. They are often accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and sound, numbness or coldness in the hands or tremor. There are two types of migraines - classic migraine and common migraine. The difference between these is that with classic migraine, there is an aura - a period of 10-30 minutes preceding the headache during which the person experiences symptoms such as jagged lines or flashing lights before the eyes, strange odors, difficulty speaking or numbness. In common migraine, no such aura occurs.
Other types of Headaches:
There are other, less common, types of headache that must be considered for a proper diagnosis of the headache disorder to be made. Some of the more important ones are: Cluster headaches occur in "clusters" which can occur for days, weeks or months at a time, then disappear for up to a year or more. Temporal arteritis headaches are caused by inflammation of an artery and occur on the side of the head. Sinus headaches are caused by sinus infection. In addition, more potentially serious causes of pain in the head must be taken into consideration.
Headaches in relation to the Neck:
As was stated above, there are several different contributing factors that lead to the development of tension headache, migraine, or the mixed types of headaches that fall somewhere in between these types. One of these is cervical spine dysfunction. This can consist of joint dysfunction, in which the joints of the neck lose their proper mobility, muscle dysfunction, in which the muscles of the neck become either excessively tense or excessively limp or faulty movement patterns, in which the ability of the nervous system to properly regulate these joints and muscles becomes disturbed. Most commonly, a combination of these occurs, and the result is pain. This pain can be perceived in the neck or referred pain can develop, causing the pain to be perceived in the head.
The area in the brain to which the nerves that sense pain in the head send their signals is the same area to which the nerves that sense pain in the neck send their signals. Because of this, the brain is not always able to localize exactly from where the pain is arising. This, coupled with the other factors that contribute to tension and migraine headache, causes the pain to primarily be perceived in the head.
Other Factors that Contribute to Headaches:
In addition to dysfunction in the neck, most headache conditions involve a disturbance in the control of the chemicals and blood vessels of the brain. The delicate balance that exists in the brain can be altered, leading to conditions that are favorable for the development of headache. If these conditions are combined with the presence of dysfunction in the neck, the likelihood of developing headache becomes greatly increased.
There are certain secondary factors that can contribute to the headache, or can be triggers for a headache episode. These include stress, emotional upset or certain foods like chocolate or red wine. Also, hormones, such as those related to the menstrual cycle, can play a role.
