Headache Mechanisms

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Definitions

Headache
A headache, also called Cephalgia is a pain in the head from any cause.
Apart from pain, headaches may affect your normal function and/or performance.

Mechanisms of Pain Production

Migraine
Migraines are vascular headaches, which may last hours or days. Prior to an acute attack (prodromal phase) a person may experience visual problems, flashing lights, a feeling of numbness, tingling, dizziness and distorted senses. Pain usually starts on one side of the head, becomes severe, and the person reports increased sensitivity to light. Migraines are often associated with nausea, vomiting, chills, sweating, face swelling, irritability and fatigue. After an attack the person may have dull head and neck pains and feel sleepy. Also called Hemicrania megrim.

Tension Headache
Tension headaches commonly start at the top of the neck and back of the head but can continue around to the front of the head and eye region. Usually associated with prolonged poor sitting posture creating increased muscle tension and pressure on the upper joints of the neck and base of head.

Cluster Headache
A variation of a migraine but has bursts or 'clusters' of extreme throbbing one-sided head pain. Can be associated with flushing, sweating, droopy eyelids, nose blockage or discharge. Further episodes occur within days or weeks followed by a long symptom free period. Also called Migrainous cranial neuralgia, Histamine headache or Horton's headache.

Vascular Headache
Any headache caused by changes in blood flow.

Allergy Headache
Headaches have been associated with allergic reactions during or following exposure many different substances. You may have eaten, touched, smelt, drank, or just been close by something. One way to track the substance down is to keep a headache diary of where you went and what you did, and ate etc. and look for a pattern to the appearance of your headache. 

Stress Headache
Stress headaches are usually similar to tension headaches but the person also reports an associated increase in emotional stress leading up to the headache. Increased perceived stress adds to muscle tension and emotional overlay to symptoms.

Chemical Headache
Any headache caused by chemical changes within the body, hormonal, inflammatory, allergy, medication, alcohol

Cervicogenic Headache
This is a headache that is caused as a result of a neck related problem which refers pain to the head.

Other Headache
Other includes Sinus headache -Inflammation in sinuses leading to the nose causes tissue swelling and blockage of secretions, which build up and result in pressure, pain and headache. Other also includes trauma, eye strain, noise, infection, fever or any other disease, pathology or process causing headache.

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Last Modified: July 15, 2001