For those who experience frequent headaches, it can be a real challenge to convey the impact it has on daily life. Even a mild headache can be draining, making everyday tasks and concentration at work a struggle.
More severe headaches can be utterly debilitating, affecting not only relationships but also mental wellbeing. Some people are all too familiar with the predictable pattern of their headaches, while others can sense when one is brewing and how it will disrupt their day.
However, while many can distinguish between a headache and a migraine, there’s often a lack of awareness about the various types of headaches and their respective treatments.
1. Tension-type headaches
This type of headache is the most prevalent among adults and young teenagers, characterized by mild to moderate pain, often accompanied by pressure on both sides of the head, behind the eyes, and occasionally, neck muscle tension, reports Surrey Live.
According to the NHS, approximately half of the adult population in the UK experiences tension-type headaches once or twice a month, with some individuals suffering up to 15 episodes per month, which can be classified as a “chronic tension headache”. Notably, this type of headache disproportionately affects women.
What triggers them?
The NHS lists a range of potential causes for tension-type headaches, including stress, anxiety, squinting, poor posture, tiredness, dehydration, skipping meals, lack of physical activity, bright sunlight, noise and certain smells.
How are they treated?
Tension-type headaches are typically managed with painkillers or lifestyle modifications such as yoga and exercise. If the headache is accompanied by nausea, vomiting and confusion, it’s advised to seek medical attention.
A sudden onset headache or one following an accident should also be cause for concern.
2. Migraine
Migraines are common but can be extremely debilitating. According to the NHS, migraines affect approximately one in five women and one in 15 men.
They often involve severe pain on one side of the head and may also be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and light sensitivity.
Who experiences them and what are the symptoms?
Migraines can affect anyone, but they usually start in early adulthood. Some people suffer from frequent migraines, while others may go years between episodes.
There are several types of migraines:
- Migraine with aura: specific warning signs before migraine
- Migraine without aura: occurs with no warning signs
- Migraine aura without headache: migraine symptoms are experienced, but no headache
What triggers them?
The exact cause of migraines remains unknown, although there has been much debate about potential triggers. Some believe the condition may be hereditary.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the direct cause, there are some common factors that seem to precipitate a migraine. These include:
- Emotional triggers: stress, anxiety, depression, tension, shock and excitement
- Physical triggers: fatigue, posture, poor work shifts, low blood sugar
- Dietary triggers: irregular meals, dehydration, alcohol
- Environmental triggers: lights, smoking, loud noises, strong smells
- Medicine: sleeping tablets, combined-contraceptive pill and hormone replacement treatment
What’s the treatment plan?
While there’s no known cure for migraines, there are treatments available to help manage the symptoms. These include painkillers, triptans and anti-emetics.
The NHS also suggests that some people find relief by sleeping or resting in a dark room. If a migraine persists for more than five days, it’s advised to seek medical attention from a GP.
It’s important to note that symptoms of migraines can also be indicative of more serious conditions such as stroke or meningitis. In case of symptoms like paralysis, slurred speech, a sudden severe headache with sharp pain, seizures, double vision, stiff neck, high temperature and a rash, dial 999 immediately.
3. Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches, though rare, are characterised by an intense pain on one side of the head, typically around or behind the eye.
Who’s at risk and what are the symptoms?
Anyone can experience a cluster headache, but they’re most common in men and usually begin when someone is in their 30s or 40s. Cluster headaches typically occur once a day for several weeks before disappearing, followed by a period of remission before they reoccur.
Interestingly, they tend to happen around the same time each year, often in spring and autumn, according to the NHS.
What triggers them?
The exact cause of cluster headaches remains unclear. However, it’s been suggested that factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and exposure to strong odours like petrol, paint or perfume could trigger these headaches.
There’s also a theory that cluster headaches may be hereditary and linked to activity in the hypothalamus part of the brain.
How are they treated?
Cluster headaches often require specialist treatment as standard painkillers tend not to work. New treatments have been introduced for this type of headache, but it’s always best to seek medical advice.
The NHS emphasises the importance of patients being aware of their triggers and recommends avoiding these activities. OUCH UK is an organisation offering advice to those living with cluster headaches, as managing the symptoms can be challenging.
4. Sinus headaches
Sinus headaches are characterised by a deep, constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose. Additional symptoms include a runny nose, a feeling of fullness in the ears, fever and facial swelling.
Who is affected?
Sinus headaches can affect anyone, regardless of age or time of year.
What causes them?
Sinus headaches are caused when the sinuses – air-filled spaces inside the forehead, cheekbones and bridge of the nose – become inflamed due to an infection or allergy. This inflammation leads to a build-up of mucus which cannot drain properly, resulting in increased pressure and subsequent headaches.
What are the treatments?
There are a variety of ways to alleviate sinus headaches, which can be categorised into home remedies, pharmacist recommendations and GP interventions:
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Home remedies: get lots of rest, drink lots of fluids, painkillers, place a warm flannel over the face, inhale steam and cleaning nasal passages with salt water solution.
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Pharmacists: decongestant nasal sprays, drops or tablets as well as salt water solution
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GP: if your symptoms are severe and painkillers are not helping, patients should visit the GP. They will prescribe steroid nasal sprays/drops, antihistamines and antibiotics. They may refer patients to a nose and throat specialist if it’s reoccurring and the medicine does not work.
5. Hormone headaches
Hormone headaches are quite common and are often referred to as migraines, triggered by hormonal factors. Symptoms include loss of appetite, fatigue, acne, joint pain, decreased urination, lack of coordination, constipation and cravings for alcohol, salt or chocolate.
Who gets them?
Hormone headaches are predominantly experienced by women, with over five million women suffering from hormone headaches every month.
What causes them?
There are numerous causes for hormonal headaches, but the main four are:
- Menstrual cycle
- Pregnancy
- Perimenopause/Menopause
- Oral contraceptives/hormone replacement therapy
Other triggers for hormone headaches can include skipping meals, lack of sleep or too much sleep, intense lights, sounds or smells, drastic weather changes, alcohol, excessive caffeine or withdrawal from it, stress, processed meats and fish, monosodium glutamate (MSG), aged cheeses, soy products and artificial sweeteners.
So, what are the treatments?
There’s a range of home remedies that patients can try to help alleviate the pain of hormone headaches.
- Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrate
- Lying down in a dark, quiet room
- Placing an ice bag or cold cloth to your head
- Massaging the area where you feel pain
- Performing deep breathing or other relaxation exercises.
There are also various medicines available such as painkillers or triptans. For women who suffer from more chronic hormonal pains, medications like beta blockers or anti-depressants can be prescribed.
Hormonal therapy is another option if these medicines prove unsuccessful.
It’s important to seek medical attention if you experience symptoms such as dizziness, a stiff neck, rash, shortness of breath, loss of vision or any other severe symptoms.
6. Exertion headaches (activity-related headaches)
Exertion headaches share similar symptoms with migraines and typically occur after vigorous exercise. They can be described as a pulsating or throbbing sensation.
Usually, the pain subsides once the exercise stops, but in some rare cases, the headache can persist for up to two days.
Who gets them?
Exertion headaches are most common in younger people, ranging from adolescents to those up to the age of 50.
What triggers them?
During physical activities like sports or sex, the blood pressure in your brain’s vessels can rise, leading to a headache. Other factors that can contribute to these exertion headaches include poor nutrition, alcohol consumption, hot weather, high humidity, changes in barometric pressure, exercising at high altitudes, caffeine intake, and low blood sugar levels.
How are they treated?
Exertion headaches are typically harmless and tend to fade once the physical activity has stopped. If this is the case, there’s usually no need for concern or medical advice.
However, if you frequently experience exertion headaches, doctors recommend undergoing some tests to rule out any serious underlying issues.
7. Rebound headaches
Rebound headaches can occur when patients overuse medication intended to treat other types of headaches, such as migraines. These headaches often present as a dull, constant pain, which is usually most noticeable in the morning.
Who’s at risk?
Anyone taking medication for another type of headache could potentially develop a rebound headache if the medicine isn’t used correctly. When faced with severe headache pain, many patients rely heavily on painkillers, and this excessive dosage can result in further discomfort.
What triggers them?
Rebound headaches are typically caused by “regular, long-term use of medication to treat headaches, such as migraine”. They can also be triggered by taking painkillers for more than a couple of days per week.
However, this only happens if patients already have a headache disorder. The types of painkillers that can cause these headaches include simple painkillers, combination painkillers, migraine medicines and opiates.
According to the NHS: “Rebound headaches usually stop when you stop taking the pain medication. It’s tough in the short term, but your doctor can help you beat rebound headaches for long-term relief”.
How are they treated?
The primary way to cure rebound headaches is to either resume normal consumption of pain relief medicine or stop taking it altogether. There are numerous ways to prevent rebound headaches.
Some factors include:
- Taking your headache medication as prescribed
- If you need headache medication more than twice a week, contact your doctor
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Avoid medications that contain butalbital or opioids
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Use OTC painkillers less than 15 days a month
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Limit use of triptans or combination analgesics to no more than nine days a month
Moreover, maintaining good health in general can contribute to avoiding rebound headaches by ensuring adequate sleep, drinking plenty of water and reducing stress. Patients should consult their GP if they take painkillers for headaches more than twice a week or if their headaches are getting worse.
8. Post traumatic headaches
Post-traumatic headaches are a common occurrence following an injury to the head or neck. Typical symptoms include pain in the head and neck, dizziness, double vision, exertion headaches, tired eyes, and memory loss.
Who is at risk?
Anyone who has sustained an injury to the head or neck can experience a post-traumatic headache. Each year, there are between 1.4 to 1.8 million head/neck injuries, many of which are alcohol-related.
Statistically, men are more likely to sustain these injuries. The age groups most prone to these injuries are 15 to 29 and 65 to 70.
What triggers them?
A variety of injuries can lead to a post-traumatic headache. These include incidents of violence, motor vehicle accidents, falls, bicycle accidents, and sports injuries.
How are they treated?
While there are no medicines specifically designed for post-traumatic headaches, migraine medications are often prescribed after an official diagnosis. If a patient has suffered a concussion as a result of a head or neck injury, it’s crucial to consult a GP.
9. Cough headaches
Cough headaches are head pains triggered by straining actions such as coughing, sneezing, and blowing your nose. Generally, cough headaches are harmless and prevalent and do not necessitate any treatment.
However, secondary cough headaches may require surgical intervention.
Symptoms include a sharp, splitting pain on both sides of the head following straining. This may be followed by a dull, aching pain that lasts for hours.
Who is most likely to experience them?
Primary headaches are more common in individuals over the age of 40, with men being particularly susceptible to cough headaches.
What triggers them?
Secondary causes include:
- A defect in the shape of the skull.
- A defect in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance. This can occur when a portion of the brain is forced through the opening at the base of the skull (foramen magnum), where only the spinal cord is supposed to be.Some of these types of defects are called Chiari malformations.
- A weakness in one of the blood vessels in the brain (cerebral aneurysm)
- A brain tumor
- A spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak
What are the possible treatments?
A range of medications such as Indomethacin, Propranolol and Acetazolamide (Diamox) can be prescribed for primary headache relief. In some cases, a lumbar puncture may be performed by a medical professional to drain excess fluid from around the brain and spinal cord.
Secondary cough headaches often necessitate surgical intervention. If you’re experiencing any symptoms indicative of a secondary cough headache, it’s crucial to consult your GP.
10. Caffeine headaches
Caffeine headaches typically present as moderate pain that originates behind the eyes and migrates towards the forehead. They have also been known to precipitate migraines.
Who is most likely to experience them?
Caffeine headaches are predominantly caused by individuals detoxing from caffeine or inadvertently consuming excessive amounts. Therefore, those most affected will be daily caffeine consumers or those who misuse caffeine.
What triggers them?
The top five causes of caffeine headaches are caffeine withdrawal, inconsistent caffeine consumption, caffeine overdose, caffeine sensitivity, and caffeine allergy.
What’s the cure?
There are several ways to alleviate a caffeine headache. The primary home remedies involve taking painkillers, hydrating well, steering clear of medications, foods and drinks with caffeine, and ensuring you get plenty of sleep.
To avoid caffeine headaches, it is recommended that individuals maintain a consistent daily caffeine intake (not exceeding 50mg) or limit their caffeine consumption as much as possible.