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Headaches

Headaches can consist of pain that originates above the eyes or ears, in the back of the head, or in the back of the upper neck. Similar to chest pain, headaches can be triggered by many different things.

Headache Causes

The are two kinds of headaches, primary and secondary. Primary headaches are not caused by any outside stimulus and begin on their own. Migraine, tension, and cluster headaches are all examples of primary headaches. Secondary headaches are the side effect of a disease. They may be mild and curable or severe and life-threatening.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache. Nine out of ten adults have either already suffered or will suffer from a tension headache during their lives. Males are more likely to get tension headaches than females.

Migraine Headaches

Migraines are the second most common type of primary headache, and about 28 million Americans suffer from migraines. Migraine headaches can affect all age groups; prior to puberty, children are equally affected by migraines regardless of sex. However, approximately six percent of men and as much as 18 percent of women will endure a migraine at some point in their lives following puberty.

Doctors often diagnose patients with migraines as having tension or sinus headaches instead. As a result, patients may not receive treatment specialized for migraines.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are the rarest type of primary headache, only affecting .1 percent of the entire US population. Around 85 percent of people who experience a cluster headache are male, and the average age of people who suffer from cluster headaches is between 28 and 30 years old. However, children can get cluster headaches in rare instances.

Secondary Headaches

Secondary headaches are caused by a variety of medical conditions, including:

• Brain tumors
• Strokes
• Meningitis
• Subarachnoid hemorrhages
• Caffeine withdrawal
• Stoppage of pain killer dosages

A number of people who experience migraines may have previously had a tension or secondary headache that evolved into a migraine. This is disorder is known as a "mixed" headache.