Headache
A headache is a common symptom that involves pain that is experienced in one or more areas of the head or face. Over 45 million people are affected by headaches each year and many of them include chronic headaches that last for weeks or months with no relief.
Headaches can be the result of a wide range of conditions and causes, including coughing, sneezing, fever, arthritis, depression, or even environmental changes. There are many different types of headaches, classified by the cause, location and severity of the pain. The most common types of headaches include:
Tension Headache - Tension headaches are the most common type of headache and are often caused by stress, anxiety and depression in middle to later aged people.
Cluster Headache - Cluster headaches occur every day for a period of weeks or months and then go away for up to a year. They often return during the same season in the following year.
Migraine Headache - Migraine headaches cause throbbing pain often on one side of the head and are often so severe that they can lead to nausea, vomiting, depression and sleep disruption.
Most headaches can be treated with over-the-counter medication, although some are so severe that they require more advanced prescription drugs and treatment methods. Relieving stress and anxiety and other lifestyle changes can also help reduce the symptoms of headaches.