Headache is defined as pain in the head or upper neck. It is one
of the most common locations of pain in the body and has many
causes.
How are
headaches classified?
Headaches have numerous causes, and in
2007 the International Headache Society agreed upon an updated
classification system for headache. Because so many people suffer
from headaches, and because treatment is sometimes difficult, the
new classification system allows health care practitioners to
understand a specific diagnosis more completely to provide better
and more effective treatment regimens.
There are three major categories of headaches:
1. primary headaches,
2. secondary headaches, and
3. cranial neuralgias, facial pain, and other headaches
What are primary headaches?
Primary headaches include
migraine, tension, and cluster headaches, as well as a variety of
other less common types of headache.
Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache; as
many as 90% of adults have had or will have tension headaches.
Tension headaches are more common among women than men.
What causes tension
headaches?
While tension headaches are the most frequently occurring type of
headache, their cause is not known. The most likely cause is
contraction of the muscles that cover the skull. When the muscles
covering the skull are stressed, they may spasm and cause pain.
Common sites include the base of the skull where the trapezius
muscles of the neck inserts, the temple where muscles that assist
the jaw to move are located, and the forehead.
There is little research to confirm the exact cause of tension
headaches. Tension headaches occur because of physical or
emotional stress placed on the body. Physical stress that may
cause tension headaches include difficult and prolonged manual
labor, or sitting at a desk or computer for long periods of time
Emotional stress may also cause tension headaches by causing the
muscles surrounding the skull to contract.
What can you do to help
yourself?
If the doctor has examined you without finding any serious cause
for the headaches, these tips should prove helpful:
• avoid excessive use of alcohol and tobacco.
• engage in correct posture while sitting and working. The type of
chair you use is important. It should be one that maximises
comfort and good posture and may need to be adjusted to suit your
needs.
• perform relaxation techniques on a consistent basis.
• get plenty of fresh air and exercise.
• some people find that taking the natural herbal treatment
Feverfew is very effective at reducing or preventing their
headaches occurring. This needs to be taken daily – even if no
headache is present – to have an effect. Consult your GP before
starting this.
For migraine headaches, symptoms may be reduced by:
• resting in a quiet room with the lights turned off.
• avoiding food or drink in your diet that have been identified as
having possible factors associated with migraine headaches.
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