THE ache headache, also called headache, is a very common problem in society and can affect anyone, regardless of age, race or social status. Sometimes, the frequency and intensity of headaches can affect a person's routine, causing some damage to their quality of life.
There are more than 150 types of headaches. They are divided into primary and secondary.
In this article, the primary headaches, which are more common and are due to biochemical disturbances in the brain that damage neurotransmitters, causing pain. In this way, they themselves are the disease and the symptom. Primary headaches can be of the type migraine, the most known; tension-type; cluster headache and paroxysmal hemicrania.
Migraine
Unilateral, and sometimes bilateral, headache is more common among women, with intensity ranging from moderate to severe, and usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting, light phobia, noise or smells. With variable frequency, it can have physical or emotional causes, such as stress, PMS, certain types of food, etc. Physical efforts worsen pain that can last from 4 to 72 hours. Migraine is believed to be hereditary in nature.
tension headache
Classified as the most common type of headache, it is mainly caused by stress or tiredness. Other causes can be: changes in the eyes, neck, teeth, jaw or incorrect posture. They affect more women and the intensity varies from mild to moderate. These are pains that can last a few hours or days, and are aggravated by stress, physical exertion and overwork. People with this type of pain may experience nausea or a phobia of light and noise.
cluster headache
Rare pain with still unknown causes, which affects more men. It is a very intense type of pain (some patients even hit their head against the wall as a way to relieve the pain). It can occur several times a day, and lying down becomes an extremely aggravating factor. It can last from 15 to 180 minutes, associated with the following symptoms: red eyes, watery eyes, runny and nasal congestion, sweating, pupil contraction, eyelid drooping on the same side as pain and edema facial.
Paroxysmal Hemicranias
It's an unusual pain, but not rare. Easily confused with migraines, cluster headaches and even sinusitis. It can be an intense and severe pain or pulsatile and moderate pain, which can last from 5 to 45 minutes. They are accompanied by intense pain in the eyes, temples, forehead and cheekbones, red eyes, watery eyes, stuffiness and a runny nose. Seizures can occur several times a day, on consecutive days or at intervals.
Headaches classified as secondary are pain caused by some type of disease, such as aneurysms, meningitis, brain tumors, problems with the eyes, ears, throat, flu, colds, diseases of the body in general, diseases of the blood vessels, blows to the head, increased intracranial pressure, anatomy and physiology of the skull, among others.
By Paula Louredo
Graduated in Biology
