Headache

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Headache is a broad term that covers pain experienced in any part of your head. Headache is a very common health-related condition in Australia: almost all of us will experience headaches during our lifetime. Headache is most commonly reported in people between the ages of 25 and 44 years.

The term headache describes several types of headache, including cluster headache, tension headache, anxiety headaches and even migraine. Headaches can have many different causes and it is possible that there is more than one potential cause.

Continue reading to learn more about how headaches occur, the different types of headaches, headache and migraine self-care techniques and headache treatment.

What are headaches?

Headaches are generally grouped into two broad categories: primary and secondary. Primary headache is when the headache itself is the main problem, such as is the case in a tension headache. Secondary headaches occur when the headache is due to an underlying condition, such as a neck injury, jaw problems or sinus infection. Understanding which type of headache you have will help you to find headache remedies and self-management techniques.

How do headaches occur?

You experience headache pain when areas of your head or neck are inflamed and irritated. Some of the sources of inflammation and irritation include:

• The nerves of the head and neck
• The muscles and skin of the head
• The blood vessels leading to the brain
• Ear, nose, throat, or sinus problems

Pain is not always experienced in just one area of the head or neck. Pain can also be ‘referred’, which is when pain occurring in one area radiates to a different area nearby or feels like it is coming from a different part of the body. For example, a sore neck from a long car journey can radiate and feels painful in the head.

Tension headaches

Tension headaches, also called ‘tension-type headaches’, are the most common form of headache worldwide. They typically consist of mild to moderate pain and occur infrequently. Tension headache pain is often felt on both sides of the head or the whole front and can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 7 days.

Tension headaches occur when neck and head muscles become tense or contract. The pain is generally described as ‘steady’ (not throbbing) and feels like a dull band of pressure.

Most tension headaches can be self-managed using self-care techniques, and people often turn to medicine for headache.

Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches are a rare type of headache, affecting approximately 1 in every 1,000 people. These headaches can be extremely painful.

Cluster headaches earn their name because they usually occur in groups or ‘clusters’ from 1 to 8 headaches a day. They are typically experienced for weeks or months at a time, often either at night or early in the morning.

Cluster headache pain is usually around the eye, in the temple, or jaw and can last from 15 minutes to 3 hours. Managing cluster headaches can be complex and may not respond to traditional headache remedies or self-care, and there is no best medicine for headaches of this type. If you believe you may be suffering from cluster headaches, you need to speak to your doctor.

What are Migraines?

What is a migraine and what are its typical symptoms?

Migraines are a type of headache that are different from other forms of headache. Migraines are severe, throbbing headaches associated with other symptoms such as nausea, light sensitivity, visual abnormalities, and others. Many people report that their migraines are associated with ‘triggers’.

Migraine pain is typically on one side of the head, often beginning around one eye and the temple before spreading. The pain is described as throbbing or pulsating and can last up to 24 hours.

Silent migraine is a subtype of migraine where someone has an attack of migraine aura without any head pain. Silent migraine symptoms include temporary visual, sensory, and even speech symptoms in some cases.

Treatments for migraines can be different to headache treatment. Migraine can be a long-term condition and require support from a healthcare professional.

What are the common triggers for migraines?

Common triggers for migraine can vary person-to-person but can include changing weather, fatigue, sensory triggers, or dietary triggers. Some migraines begin with one or more neurological symptoms called an aura.

What causes headache?

It’s not always possible to fully understand what causes most headaches as there are many causes of headache. The blood vessels in the head and neck can signal pain, and anything that stimulates the pain receptors in your head or neck could cause a headache. Some cases of headache include:

• Stress
• Tense muscles
• Dental or jaw problems
• Eye problems
• Ear, nose, or throat problems
• Hormonal changes
• Injury to the head, neck, or spine
• Nervous system disorders
• Poor or changed diet
• Dehydration
• Medications
• High blood pressure
• Infections, including sinusitis, or meningitis
• Environmental causes, including loud noises or bright lights

What lifestyle factors can trigger headache?

Sometimes people experience primary headaches which have been triggered by lifestyle factors, such as:

If you experience recurring headaches, keeping a headache diary may help you or your healthcare professional identify if there are any lifestyle factors triggering your headaches.

Medicine-overuse headache

Headaches can be uncomfortable and even impact your daily activities. In some cases, it is easier for people to take painkiller medicine for headache, which for some people can make the problem worse by causing what is known as medication-overuse headache.

The risk of medication-overuse headache increases with regular use of headache or migraine medication more than 2 days per week. People who don’t have a history of headache and take pain relievers for other conditions, such as arthritis, are unlikely to develop medicine-overuse headache.

This can be tricky to manage, and many Australians seek natural remedies for headaches. A wide range of natural remedies may help. Examples include drinking more water, applying compresses, or getting some extra sleep.

What are the treatment options for headaches?

There are several headache treatment options available to help manage your symptoms, and there is no single   best management technique or best medicine for headaches. Headache relief will be different for everyone and depends on the type of headache you are experiencing. You should consult with a qualified healthcare professional to determine which headache treatment is appropriate for you.

It is important to consider the possible cause of your pain before deciding on headache treatment options. For example, treatment for sinus headache may be different to treatment for migraine headache.

If you are also experiencing symptoms like headache and nausea, you should consider common causes like dehydration.

It may be helpful to keep a headache diary recording the headache symptoms, duration and any headache remedies tried, and the response to treatment. This information can be very helpful if you need to speak with a healthcare professional to seek a suitable headache treatment.

Some people have reported that drinking enough water alone is an effective headache treatment. Headaches can result from even mild dehydration and drinking water can help manage headache symptoms. Drinking water can also help with other symptoms like headache and nausea.

Migraine self-care techniques

Self-management is important in migraine self-care. An important step of migraine self-care is the identification and management of triggers, if possible. Triggers may include, for example, missing meals, stress, irregular sleep habits, alcohol, bright lights, or overwork. Often, there is no obvious cause.

If you are experiencing a migraine headache, you should try to rest or sleep in a dark and quiet room, and maintain fluid intake, if possible. Relaxation techniques, like guided meditation, may help migraine self-care.

You may also benefit from keeping a migraine diary to help track the characteristics of your migraine attacks. An accurate migraine diary can help you and your healthcare professional identify which migraine self-care strategies were successful.

Medications

There is no single best medicine for headache. The relief you may experience from a medication for headache may depend on the type of headache, the cause of the headache, how early you take the medication, and several other factors. 

The main treatment for occasional headaches includes over-the-counter painkillers (sometimes called analgesics), and there is evidence supporting their short-term use for treating headaches. If you think that these headache treatments may help, you should ask your pharmacist or healthcare professional to confirm which over-the-counter medicine is suitable for you.

In addition to headache treatments which relieve pain, the best medicine for headache may be one that prevents headaches to begin with. These medicines may be recommended by your doctor and can take several weeks to yield their full effect, and are prescribed by your doctor if they are suitable.

What are some alternative headache treatment options? Is plant-based medicine an option?

If you and your doctor have exhausted all available medicine for headache and other forms of headache self-care have failed, they may suggest plant-based medicine for headache. This is usually left as a last resort, as the effectiveness and safety of plant-based medicine for headache is poorly understood.

We spoke to Dr James Stewart, one of Australia’s leading minds in plant-based medicine who provided a medical view about headaches and traditional treatments.

Dr Stewart is a true believer in focusing on overall health and constantly promotes a healthy lifestyle as the key. Click below to learn more about headaches, traditional and alternative treatments you may wish to discuss with your doctor.

Below you will find an independent telehealth clinics with a team of healthcare professionals who are trained and experienced in headache management.

Book today if you wish to consult a healthcare professional who can help you on your journey to achieve relief from headache pain.

Click below to learn more about each condition, traditional treatments, and alternative options you may wish to consider.

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References:

1. Better Health Channel. Headache. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/headache
2. Health Direct. Headaches. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/headaches
3. NPS MedicineWise. Headaches and how to treat them. https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/headaches-and-how-to-treat-them
4. Migraine Australia. About Migraine. https://www.migraine.org.au