But it didn’t happen that way. Sometime in the early morning hours I woke up to a more intense, painful throbbing in the right part of my head and felt that this time, a whole team of construction workers are hammering and sawing and drilling. Groping for the medicine kit, I downed an Alaxan tablet with a glass of water and hurried back to bed, hoping I’ll be able to overcome the pain and sleep it off.
I slept for some hours, only to wake up and discovered the headache has decided to stay not for the day but for two whole days. The headache, which comes with nausea eventually goes away and returns for an occasional visit every now and then. Does this sound familiar? Many may say yes.
Try to check your medicine kit and if you find more painkillers for headache, then welcome to the club. You know what I am talking about.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine which is also the World’s Largest Medical Library classifies headache into three kinds — migraine, tension and cluster headache.
Migraine headache
A migraine headache is a throbbing pain felt on one side of the head that comes with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. Some people get a warning sign that a migraine headache is coming.
More women experience migraine than men and this may also run in families. Medical experts say that a migraine is caused by abnormal brain activity which is usually triggered by some factors including stress, environmental factors, certain foods, alcohol, allergic reactions, the glare of bright lights, odor of certain perfumes, changes in hormone levels which can occur in a woman’s menstrual cycle or if you are using birth control pills, changes in your sleeping patterns, missed meals, exercise, physical or emotional stress, loud noises, or smoking and exposure to smoke, and more.
Symptoms
• A temporary blind spot
• Blurred vision
• Eye pain
• Seeing stars or zigzag lines
• Tunnel vision
• Increased urination
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sweating
• Sensitivity to light
• Increased need for sleep
Not everyone who suffers from migraine experience a warning sign. Migraine headaches can be dull or severe and the pain may last from six to 48 hours.
Treatment
Like cluster headache, your goal should be to prevent symptoms by avoiding or changing your triggers. Recommendations are to drink water to avoid dehydration, rest in a darkened, quiet room and place a cool cloth on your head.
Tension headache
A tension headache happens when you feel discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck, and this is usually associated with muscle tightness in these areas.
Tension headaches are one of the most common forms of headaches which may occur mostly in adults and adolescents. This kind of headache develops in situations where you stay in one position without moving for a long time — like working on the computer, typing, sleeping in a cold room or positioning your head in an uncomfortable position when sleeping, and other factors.
Tension headaches are also triggered by several factors, and this includes alcohol use, too much caffeine or withdrawal from it, colds and the flu, dental problems that involves teeth grinding or jaw clenching, eye strain, excessive smoking, fatigue, nasal congestion, overexertion and sinus infection
Symptoms
• Dull pain, pressure-like, but not throbbing pain.
• A tight band or vise on the head
• Pain all over your head and not just in one side or area.
• Pain is worse in the scalp, temples, or back of the neck, and possibly in the shoulders
• The pain may occur as an isolated event, constantly, or daily and could last for 30 minutes to one week.
• You may find it difficult to sleep. Tension headaches usually don’t cause nausea or vomiting.
Recommendations:
Some people take hot or cold showers to relieve a headache. If it’s already chronic, or recurring, you may need to have make lifestyle changes like going to bed earlier or getting more exercise. You can also try over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen.
Cluster headache
You could be suffering from cluster headache when the pain is focused on one side of your head and involves tearing of the eyes and a stuffy nose.
Cluster headaches may be triggered by cigarette smoking and alcohol intake, high altitudes, glare of bright lights, exertion, hot weather, food high in nitrites like bacon and preserved meats, cocaine and certain medications.
Cluster headache can be described as a sharp, steady, burning pain on one side of the face from neck to temples and could last from 30 minutes to two hours.
Symptoms
• Swelling around or under the eye
• Excessive tearing
• Red eye
• Runny nose
• Red, flushed face
Treatment:
Prevention of the triggering factors is the best way to cure cluster headaches. Keep a diary and write what you think caused the headache so you can avoid them in the future. You can also see your doctor who can recommend medicines.
Red signs
• Do not take any headache for granted. You need to call a doctor and get medical assistance if:
• You develop vision, speech or movement problems, or loss of balance
• You lie down and the headaches get more severe
• The headache starts very suddenly
• There is a change is the headache or pain patterns
• You get side effects from medications like irregular heartbeat, extreme sleepiness, persistent cough, and more effects
• You are pregnant or could become pregnant.
Remember, painkillers are only temporary cures for headache. If it goes any worse, get medical help immediately because it could just be the symptom of something more serious.
