Headaches

Causes, Symptoms, and When to Seek Help

Understanding Headaches

Headaches are a very common condition that affect most people at some point in their lives. Headaches cause pain in your head or your face, and can be widely described as throbbing, constant, sharp or dull. They are the most common reason for missed work or school days and genetics can play a role in determining why some people are more prone to developing headaches. While headaches are not usually serious, they can be a sign of an underlying medical condition.

The two categories of headaches include primary and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are not considered a symptom nor are they caused by an underlying medical condition.

Primary Headaches

Types of primary headaches include tension, migraine and cluster headaches. Primary headaches can be caused by red wine, processed meat, smoking and changes in sleep habits. Even strenuous exercise, hunger, coughing or sneezing can bring on a primary headache.

Primary headaches aren’t dangerous, but they can interrupt your day-to-day life.

Secondary Headaches

Secondary headaches are considered to be a a symptom caused by an underlying medical condition. There are some secondary headaches like dehydration headaches and sinus headaches that aren’t dangerous and go away once the underlying medical condition is resolved.

Types of secondary headaches that can be a sign of a serious medical condition include spinal and thunderclap headaches. Spinal headaches are intense and can lead to seizures if left untreated. A thunderclap headache comes on suddenly and lasts about 5 minutes. While they are sometimes harmless, they should not be ignored because they can be a sign of head injury, brain bleed or a sudden rise in blood pressure.

Know the Warning Signs for Headaches

When To Seek Medical Attention

Seek medical care immediately if you have any of these symptoms: sudden and new severe headache, headache with fever, shortness of breath, stiff neck or rash, headache resulting from a head injury or a new kind of headache after age 55. Also be concerned and consider seeking medical attention if your headache is associated with neurological conditions such as dizziness, vision changes, speech difficulty, numbness or mental confusion.

Relieving Headache Pain Naturally

How Acupuncture Stimulates Healing and Reduces Discomfort

Acupuncture can be an effective way to treat headache pain. When you have a headache, nerves are activated that affect muscles and blood vessels. The nerves send pain signals to the brain which result in a headache. When done by a licensed acupuncturist, needles release endorphins and other hormones, which stimulate the circulatory system and promote healing.