Everyone gets a headache from time to time. However, when headaches and head pain become a constant thing in your life, you may need to look into getting the relief you want.
Read on to learn about why headaches occur, what the difference between a headache and a migraine is, and how you can treat headaches yourself.
Why Do We Get Headaches?
Most headaches are caused by stress and tension. You slept wrong, had a bad day at work, met up with someone you don’t like, and eventually, all that stress adds up to a painful headache. You may even use an over-the-counter pain reliever to help you when the stress level gets too high. However, did you know that many dosages are too high to treat your headache? So, when the treatment wears off, you get an even stronger headache in response!
Types of Headaches
There are many kinds of headaches, but the most common are:
- Tension-type Headaches: These are most common. Pain is often a dull ache that can last from hours to days.
- Migraines: Pulsing pain on one side of the head, often includes nausea.
- Medication Overuse Headache: Along with headaches, often these headaches come with poor sleep.
- Cluster Headache: These are quick headaches that have extreme pain.
- Thunderclap Headaches: These are extremely painful headaches that are short and often indicated a life-threatening event. If you get one of these headaches, seek medical assistance.
Migraines vs. Headaches
There are some major differences between general headaches and migraines.
While headaches deal with surface pain, a feeling of tenseness in the face, and other disturbances, migraines are specifically a throbbing pain that often occurs on just one side of the head. It often comes alongside extreme light and noise sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting. You may also get vision distortions with your migraine and feel numbness in your face.
How to Treat Headaches
If you don’t have a physical disorder that’s causing your headache, the two main treatments are rest and pain relief medications. These options can include:
- Anti-inflammatory found over the counter
- Prescription pain medications
- Prescribed preventive medications
- Other treatments that target underlying conditions
However, if you find that you’re getting those pesky rebound headaches from the over-the-counter medication that you use, talk to your doctor about a dosage that might be better for you. If you constantly use over-the-counter or prescription pain medication for headaches, you may have entered an addictive cycle. Talk to your doctor about staying at the hospital or at a facility that will be equipped to take care of you while you go through detoxification.
Feeling Better
Headaches can be a pain—literally! When you get headaches or migraines all the time, it can heavily affect your quality of life. You may have a difficult time concentrating, feel fatigued, and be moody because of the increased sensitivity. Dealing with stress, or getting out of a situation you hate, can be enough to fix some headache problems. However, other times you may need medication or treatment to help you.
By taking initiative, you can decrease and even eliminate your headaches. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Habib Khan to get diagnosed and treated.
