A headache is pain or discomfort in the head or face area. Headaches vary greatly in terms of pain location, pain intensity, and how frequently they occur. As a result of this variation, several categories of headache have been created by the International Headache Society (IHS) to more precisely define specific types of headaches. What causes a headache?
Headaches may be caused by a number of conditions, such as disorders of the neck, eyes, brain, jaw, or teeth. Headaches with an underlying medical condition are classified as secondary headaches because they are related to the condition. An example of this would be a headache due to neck injury or sinus infection.
Other headaches are classified as primary because the headache itself is the main medical problem, although underlying non-medical causes, such as muscle tension or foods, may be identified. Other contributing factors may include medications, dehydration, or changing levels of hormones. These factors that influence headaches are sometimes called headache triggers. Treatment for headaches:
Specific treatment for headaches will be determined by your physician based on:
* your age, overall health, and medical history * type of headaches * severity and frequency of the headaches * your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies * your opinion or preference
