Types of Headaches & Migraines
Headaches and migraines can be caused by various factors, including stress, hormonal changes, dehydration, or underlying medical conditions. Below are common types of headaches and migraines, along with their symptoms:
Migraine Headache
🔹 Symptoms:
- Severe, throbbing pain (usually on one side of the head)
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Nausea or vomiting
- Blurred vision or aura (flashing lights, blind spots)
- Can last 4 to 72 hours
🔹 Types of Migraines:
- Migraine with aura – Visual disturbances (flashing lights, zigzag patterns) before the headache
- Migraine without aura – Severe headache without visual disturbances
- Chronic migraine – Occurs 15+ days a month
- Menstrual migraine – Linked to hormonal changes during menstruation
Tension Headache
🔹 Symptoms:
- Dull, aching pain on both sides of the head
- Tightness or pressure around the forehead and temples
- Shoulder and neck muscle tension
- No nausea or vision problems
🔹 Cause: Stress, dehydration, poor posture, eye strain
Sinus Headache
🔹 Symptoms:
- Deep pain in the forehead, cheekbones, or nose bridge
- Facial swelling and pressure
- Stuffy nose with yellow/green mucus
- Worse when bending forward
🔹 Cause: Sinus infection, allergies, or colds
Rebound Headache
🔹 Symptoms:
- Daily or near-daily headaches
- Worse in the morning
- Feels like tension or migraine headache
🔹 Cause: Overuse of painkillers (like ibuprofen, aspirin, or caffeine-containing medications)
Cervicogenic Headache
🔹 Symptoms:
- Pain starts in the neck and spreads to the head
- Stiff neck with reduced mobility
- Worse with certain neck movements
🔹 Cause: Neck injuries, poor posture, or arthritis
Thunderclap Headache
🔹 Symptoms:
- Sudden, extremely severe headache (“worst headache of your life”)
- Can be a sign of brain hemorrhage, aneurysm, or stroke
- Seek medical help immediately!