As one of the most common nervous system disorders, it is estimated that 48.9% of the population experiences some form of headaches. What’s worse is that only a minority of the people are accurately diagnosed by their healthcare providers.
There’s no way getting around headaches, but the location of your headache serves as good starting point to figure out the root cause of the disorder. Plus, knowing how to describe your symptoms can lead to a better diagnosis of your problem.
Here are some common types of headaches:
1.Migraine
According to the Migraine Research Foundation, 12% of the U.S population suffers from migraines. It often affects those aged between 18 and 44, and it is far more common in women than in men, due to hormonal influences.
Migraine pain is characterized by intense throbbing pain on one side of the head. The pain is commonly coupled with vomiting and nausea, in addition to sensitivity to light and sound.
Research shows that around a third of people experience auras with their migraine attacks. These are usually sensory, visual or language disturbances that last anywhere between 5 to 60 minutes. This can also include:
- Seeing flickering lights, zigzag lines or spots
- Partial vision loss
- Pins and needles
- Numbness
- Difficulty speaking
Migraine is often life-long, recurrent and usually runs in the family.
2.Tension headaches
A common primary headache disorder, tension headaches present as a constant, dull pain on both sides of the head. The pain often radiates to the neck area. However, tension headaches aren’t associated with vomiting, nausea or an aura, compared to migraines.
Common triggers of tension headaches include stress, skipped meals, depression and sleep deprivation. Its hallmark symptoms include:
- Feeling a pressure sensation behind the eyes
- Tenderness of the head, face, neck and shoulders
Sensitivity to light
The severity of these headaches varies from 30 minutes up to several hours.
3.Cluster headaches
As the name suggests, cluster headache is a type of recurrent and severe headache that occurs in clustered time periods, lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 hours. This headache disorder is 6 times more likely to affect men than women.
Often referred to as “suicide headaches”, people describe its pain as an intense piercing or burning sensation around the eye. It can be debilitating to the point where it impairs a person’s daily functioning.
Attacks typically take place around the same time of day, usually a few hours after falling asleep. Its symptoms include:
- Swollen eyelids
- Restlessness or agitation
- Watering eye or runny nose
- Sensitivity to light
Book an appointment with a specialist today!
Dr. Farzin Pedouim, a neurologist and headache disorder specialist in Huntington Beach, LA offers state-of-the-art treatments for various headache disorders like migraine and tension headaches.
He also treats the symptoms of Parkinson’s and essential tremor. Call him at (949) 239-4410 to schedule an appointment.
