Guide to 8 Different Types of Headaches
By Sarah Jio via Woman's Day
According to the latest data, as many as 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches. They’re a pain, quite literally, and finding the right treatment can be tricky. Here, we’ve tapped the experts to get the latest on the most common types of headaches and their remedies.
Oral-Induced Headaches
The epicenter of one of the most common types of headaches isn’t your head, but rather your mouth or jaw, and while these headaches can be felt all day, sufferers say they’re most intense in the morning after a night of teeth-grinding, or during stressful periods during the day when most are unaware that they’re clenching their teeth. How to get help? “Most patients do not realize that they can see a dentist with special occlusion training to treat headaches,” says Colleen Olitsky, DDS, a cosmetic dentist practicing in New York and Florida. “A person's bite, or occlusion—the way the teeth come together—can cause head and neck aches.” Treatment may include wearing a specially fitted night guard, braces, veneers—or even getting Botox.
Migraine Headaches
According to the National Headache Foundation, more than 29 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches. Not only are they painful and debilitating, they’re also associated with nausea, vomiting, vision problems and sensitivities to light and sound. While little is known about the exact cause of migraine headaches, experts like Alexander Mauskop, MD, a neurologist with the New York Headache Center in Manhattan, do their best to offer patients a variety of treatment options such as acupuncture, relaxation techniques (slow breathing, visualization, yoga and meditation), vitamin B12 and magnesium supplements, prescription triptan medications, as well as Excedrin Migraine and Botox injections. Bottom line: While there are many treatment options to pursue, you’ll want to talk to your doctor about what may be best for you.
Drug Rebound or “Medication Overuse” Headaches
You take medicine to zap your headache pain, not to make it worse. But experts are warning about a new kind of headache that is becoming increasingly more common, especially among severe headache sufferers. They’re called Medication Overuse Headaches (MOH)—also referred to as “rebound headaches”—and involve a vicious cycle of pain. If you take medication for headaches and the medication is followed by more headaches, which are often described as “tension headaches,” you may be dealing with MOH. “Taking aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen daily can cause more frequent headaches,” says Dr. Mauskop. If you believe you’re suffering from these types of headaches, seek out a health care provider who specializes in this area, which is still new to many doctors. Treatment methods vary depending on the patient and the severity of the headaches.
Learn about the others at WomansDay.com
More headache help:
Are you prone to headaches? Which kind?
According to the latest data, as many as 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches. They’re a pain, quite literally, and finding the right treatment can be tricky. Here, we’ve tapped the experts to get the latest on the most common types of headaches and their remedies.
Oral-Induced Headaches
The epicenter of one of the most common types of headaches isn’t your head, but rather your mouth or jaw, and while these headaches can be felt all day, sufferers say they’re most intense in the morning after a night of teeth-grinding, or during stressful periods during the day when most are unaware that they’re clenching their teeth. How to get help? “Most patients do not realize that they can see a dentist with special occlusion training to treat headaches,” says Colleen Olitsky, DDS, a cosmetic dentist practicing in New York and Florida. “A person's bite, or occlusion—the way the teeth come together—can cause head and neck aches.” Treatment may include wearing a specially fitted night guard, braces, veneers—or even getting Botox.
Migraine Headaches
According to the National Headache Foundation, more than 29 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches. Not only are they painful and debilitating, they’re also associated with nausea, vomiting, vision problems and sensitivities to light and sound. While little is known about the exact cause of migraine headaches, experts like Alexander Mauskop, MD, a neurologist with the New York Headache Center in Manhattan, do their best to offer patients a variety of treatment options such as acupuncture, relaxation techniques (slow breathing, visualization, yoga and meditation), vitamin B12 and magnesium supplements, prescription triptan medications, as well as Excedrin Migraine and Botox injections. Bottom line: While there are many treatment options to pursue, you’ll want to talk to your doctor about what may be best for you.
Drug Rebound or “Medication Overuse” Headaches
You take medicine to zap your headache pain, not to make it worse. But experts are warning about a new kind of headache that is becoming increasingly more common, especially among severe headache sufferers. They’re called Medication Overuse Headaches (MOH)—also referred to as “rebound headaches”—and involve a vicious cycle of pain. If you take medication for headaches and the medication is followed by more headaches, which are often described as “tension headaches,” you may be dealing with MOH. “Taking aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen daily can cause more frequent headaches,” says Dr. Mauskop. If you believe you’re suffering from these types of headaches, seek out a health care provider who specializes in this area, which is still new to many doctors. Treatment methods vary depending on the patient and the severity of the headaches.
Learn about the others at WomansDay.com
More headache help:
Are you prone to headaches? Which kind?
 You will earn 3 SparkPoints |
NEXT ENTRY > Fun Fitness Fashions for Spring!
Comments
- 3/23/2011 10:57:20 AM
I also believe that some foods can trigger headaches and so I avoid these and try to keep hydrated (also very beneficial for the skin!). Most recently I began Reiki treatments for insomnia, stress and anxiety and can honestly say I do not remember having a migraine in the past 3 years. :)
- 3/22/2011 10:46:21 PM
The first, and worst, required multiple injections of morphine to knock me out and eliminate the pain.
Neither doctor was able to give me a clue WHY, because they were separated by years, with one waking me up and the other developing in the afternoon.
For those who have multiple migraines, my prayers are definitely with you.
Migraines rank right there with a Heart Attack and Kidney Stones for perceived pain (for me, on a scale from 1-10, a migraine and a heart attack would be a 12, while kidney stones rate a 15). A nurse once told me that having had children AND kidney stones, as related to pain, she'd rather have children. - 3/22/2011 7:56:56 PM
My headaches usually happen when I get a sinus infection, or have congestion from a cold. Lots of rest, fluids, and an occasional dose of Tylenol usually helps. For the past 4 years (since having gastric bypass), I'm pleased to report that my healthy habits have kept me from being sick. I've only had 2 colds in that time period! - 3/22/2011 9:41:56 AM
It took some figuring out but we went back to eating non processed foods and voila, his headaches disappeared. I am back to my original weight and he lost several pounds after suffering most of his childhood with obesity.
I truly believe that diet has a HUGE impact on our bodies reactions. - 3/22/2011 7:13:36 AM
- 3/22/2011 1:57:09 AM
I have had the same headache for about 10 years. Everyday, all day. But all the doctors say I'm fine - bull honky if that is fine.
- 3/21/2011 8:53:38 PM
Please Log In To Leave A Comment: Log in now ›