A headache is an aching or other pain that occurs in one or more areas of the head, face, or neck.  Headaches can be chronic, recurrent, or occasional in nature.  The pain can range from mild to severe enough to interrupt daily activities and cognitive functioning.  It is thought that most headaches involve a series of nerve fibers in the tissues, muscles, and blood vessels in and around the skull.

There are several types of headaches that can occur and generally are termed based upon the type of pain that is involved and the location of the headache.  For example tension headaches involve aching muscles and usually start in large muscle groups and spread out.  A migraine headache is a severe headache that is often described as a pulsating or throbbing pain in an area of the head.

Headache

Headaches are caused by many different things.  It is believed that most headaches are caused by nerves or specific activity in some brain cells.  Stress is one cause that crosses all types of headaches and it is thought that it is due to the stress effects on the nerves specifically and the surrounding tissues, especially the muscles.

There are two main categories of headaches – primary and secondary.  Primary headaches include the tension headaches, cluster headaches, and migraines.  Tension headaches are the most common type of headache associated with stress, anxiety, and even depression.  Cluster headaches occur daily over a period of time and then stop.  Cluster headaches tend to come and go.  Migraine headaches can be very infrequent to daily depending on the person’s genetics and environment.

Secondary headaches are due to an underlying condition.  The most common conditions that are associated with headaches include cerebrovascular disease (hypertension, arteriosclerosis), head trauma, infections, neural tumors, and metabolic disorders (diabetes, thyroid disease, nutrient deficiencies).  Other conditions that can cause headache tend to be structural in nature such as sinus issues, ear infections, neck issues, or eye problems.  Some medications can cause headaches as a side effect.

The causes of headaches are variable as the types of headaches sometimes.  Some of the common causes include:

• Stress – mental and physical
• Trauma
• Structural tension – fascial and muscular
• Circulatory deficiencies
• Mood disorders – anxiety or depression
• Degenerative bone or disk disease
• Infection
• Arthritis

The treatments for headaches is first to address the underlying cause if possible.  If no underlying cause is determined then the treatment is dependant upon the frequency and nature of the headaches.  For a patient that is experiencing a daily recurrent tension or migraine headache a preventative medication will be looked for instead of a narcotic pain medication or anti-inflammatory medication.  For a headache that occurs during the menstrual cycle of a woman the treatment might involve hormonal balancing therapy.  For an occasional headache the treatment might be an anti-inflammatory or narcotic pain medication.

There are also non-prescription treatments available for the treatment of headaches.  Some headaches can have a structural component that an adjustment of the bones in the spine or massage of the muscles may help treat.  Some of the tension headaches can be treated effectively using TENS units – portable electro-stimulation devices.

Also looking at dietary triggers can be helpful.  There are some foods that increase the potential of having a headache.  For example foods and beverages high in nitrates can trigger headaches.  To determine if foods are contributing to headaches or other symptoms an elimination diet should be tried for a few weeks to determine the types of foods that are causing a problem.

Acupuncture can be a very useful therapy in some cases.  Acupuncture can be very effective in supporting the overall structure and healing processes of the body.  It can calm systems in the body down that may be related to the underlying cause of the headaches if the practitioner is good enough.

Stress management is an important key to headache management that is usually neglected.  Stress is one of the number one factors in causing a headache.  There are several ways to help reduce stress by increasing physical activity, doing meditation, or even just taking time out for yourself to relax.

There are several nutritional supplements that can be effective in treating headaches.  Always check with your doctor about what you are taking because many medications can interact with nutritional or herb supplements.