Four main types of Headaches

Headaches plague about 17%, or one in six Americans every year. That’s 45 million Americans. Headaches suck! In this article we are going over the four major types of headaches, their symptoms, causes, duration, and treatment options.

Tension Headaches are the most common type of headache. They are also the most common type we treat in our office. Tension headaches typically present as a dull ache across one or both sides of the forehead. They generally only last several hours per episode and can be treated with over the counter, prescription medication or with chiropractic care.

Migraines are the second most common type of headache. They typically present as a throbbing or sharp pain in the face or neck, likely on one side. This pain can be accompanied by light sensitive, visual disturbances  and nausea. Due to the severity of these symptoms it is wise to visit a chiropractor or MD to determine if you are experiencing migraines or something more serious. The symptoms can last from several hours to a few days.

Sinus headaches are also very common.
pain in the sinuses, eyes, ears, or face are common symptoms. Congestion, itching, runny nose, fever are signs that a sinus headache might be in your future. Treating the cause of the sinus issue will likely reduce the frequency or intensity of your sinus headaches. A well trained chiropractor or massage therapist can also show you some pressure points that help release some sinus pressure.

Cluster headaches are somewhat less common but can be intense. Symptoms include severe pain on one side of the head, usually behind or around the eye, possibly a drooping eyelid and a smaller pupil. Running nose and tearing in the affected eye are also common with cluster headaches. The duration of cluster headaches is variable; but tend to come and go over several months. Prescription medications tend to help treat cluster headache symptoms. Melatonin and magnesium also have some research showing relief of symptoms. 

Check out this video where Dr. Brett gives his 3 tips to get rid of headaches once and for all