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Approximately 15% of the population have headaches severe or
frequent enough to consult a doctor.
Pain or aching of the head associated with various intracranial
or extracranial factors, headaches may be categorized as
tension, vascular (cluster, migraine), or traction inflammatory.
Tension headaches:
Characterised by a dull, two-sided pain, that also often affects
the shoulders and neck, tension headaches typically appear in
the late teens or early twenties. Caused by excess tension,
stress and depression, this type of headache usually worsens as
the day drags on. Eliminating the stressful situation, rest and
a dose of aspirin or paracetamol will usually suffice. Medical
help should be sought if these continue or worsen.
Cluster headaches:
Occurring in clusters of about 10 headaches in a 24 hour period,
the pain of a cluster headache is often severe and most often
one-sided. Being far more common in men than women, these are
typically accompanied by nasal congestion, watery eyes and
almost unbearable pain. Cluster headaches are not hereditary,
nor are they stress-related, instead they are thought to be
brought on by alcohol consumption or smoking.
Migraine:
A migraine is no ordinary headache - Hippocrates was one of the
first to describe it. Ranging from mild to severe, the patient
usually experiences pain on one side of the head, however pain
on both sides is not unusual. Migraine headaches afflict more
women than men - often occurring just prior to a menstrual
period. Often preceded by a warning sign (the aura) which could
be blurred vision or flashes of light before the eyes, the
migraine headache can cause the body to swell with retained
fluid and the appetite usually wanes. Sufferers often feel
particularly drained, with a strong aversion to noise, bright
light and certain odours.
Headaches that demand medical attention:
- those worst early in the morning, tapering off as the day
progresses
- those that steadily worsen over a period of days or weeks
- those accompanied by seizures, confusion and loss of
consciousness
- those centered in one particular spot
- those that come on suddenly in middle age
- those accompanied by fever or a stiff neck
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