Tension headaches are often caused by:

● Stress
● Lack of sleep
● Fatigue
● Hunger
● Caffeine withdrawal
● Abrupt cessation of medications that contain caffeine
● Weather changes
● Food and drinks, such as:
– chocolate
– processed foods that contain monosodium glutamate (MSG)
– alcohol

Migraine headaches can be caused by:

● Being around smoke
● Certain smells
● Bright light, including sunlight, or flashing lights
● Foods, such as:
– aged cheeses
– avocados
– bananas
– chocolate
– peas
– pork
– sour cream
– nuts
– peanut butter
– yogurt
● Alcohol
● Changes in estrogen levels for women
● Taking certain prescription medications
● Abrupt cessation of caffeine
● Food additives, such as:
– monosodium glutamate (MSG)
– nitrates (found in cured meats)

There are many types of headaches, including:

● Tension Headaches — Often triggered by stress and dehydration, tension headaches can affect anyone.

● Cluster Headaches — These chronic headaches are characterized by severe burning and piercing pain that often occur behind one eye or on one side of the face at a time.

● Migraine Headaches — Characterized by an intense pulsing from deep within the head, migraine headaches can last for days.

● Allergy or Sinus Headaches — These secondary headaches are brought on by allergies and cause a feeling of pressure or tension in the sinuses or front of the head.

● Hormone Headaches — Another type of secondary headache, these are linked to hormonal fluctuations and commonly affect women.

● Caffeine Headaches — This secondary headache is caused by an abrupt cessation of caffeine, and is normally brought on when a person who normally consumes caffeine does not.

● Exertion Headaches — Because these headaches are caused by periods of intense physical activity, they are also considered a secondary headache.

● Hypertension Headaches — The last type of secondary headache on this list, hypertension (high blood pressure) can cause headaches, which occur when blood pressure levels become dangerously high.

Seek immediate medical attention for headaches if:

● It is sudden, new and severe
● It is associated with neurological symptoms, including:
– Weakness
– Dizziness
– Sudden loss of balance or falling
– Numbness or tingling
– Paralysis
– Speech difficulties
– Mental confusion
– Seizures
– Personality changes/inappropriate behavior
– Vision changes (blind spots, blurry or double vision)
● Accompanied with neck stiffness, fever, rash, or shortness of breath
● The pain disrupts sleep
● It comes with severe nausea and vomiting
● It occurs after a head injury/accident

The treatment for headaches is unique for each patient and depends on several factors, including:

● The severity of the symptoms (ranging from mild to moderate to severe)
● The frequency of headaches (how often they occur)
● The chronicity of headaches (how long they have been present)
● The cause of headaches (either primary—not caused by a medical condition—or secondary—directly associated with a medical condition)

Based on these factors, the treatment for headaches may include medications, pain management therapies, and procedures that directly address the underlying cause of the headaches.

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