Topic Overview
Headaches are one of the most
common pain-related health problems in both children and adults. You may have a
headache along with another minor health problem such as a sore throat, cold,
or sinus problem.
Types of headaches
The most common types of headaches
usually are not serious but may occur again and again.
- Tension headaches are the most common
type of headache and are often caused by stress and emotional strain. Most
adults have tension headaches from time to time, and everyone may have different areas of pain.
- Cluster headaches
- Migraine headaches. Approximately one-third of people who have migraine headaches
first began having them as teenagers.
Common causes of headaches
Common causes of headaches
include:
- Alcohol, caffeine, or other drug use or
withdrawal.
- Changes in the levels of chemicals in the body (neurotransmitters).
- Coughing or
sneezing.
- Dehydration.
- Dental
problems or procedures, such as pain from grinding the teeth or from a root
canal.
- Eating or drinking cold foods and
fluids.
- Emotional stress.
- Exposure to smoke or fumes
from chemicals, including
carbon monoxide.
- Eyestrain.
- Fever.
- High
altitude. Lower oxygen levels at high altitudes can cause
headaches.
- High blood pressure (hypertension).
- Infection in the
sinuses, such as
sinusitis or an
abscess.
- Medical procedures, such as the
aftereffects of a lumbar puncture (spinal tap).
- Medicines. Many medicines can cause
headaches.
- Muscle strain in the neck, upper back, or shoulder
muscles.
- Upper respiratory infections.
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Headaches with other serious symptoms
Although rare,
a headache may be a
symptom of a serious illness. Other symptoms, such as
vomiting, dizziness, or changes in vision, may also be present. The following
serious illnesses or injuries can cause headaches.
- A head injury:
- Injury to the brain (concussion)
- Fracture of
the skull
- Bleeding in or around the brain
- Brain tumor, which causes swelling
within the brain
- Infection in the brain (encephalitis)
or of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
- Stroke, a
problem that occurs when a blood vessel (artery) that supplies blood to the
brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot
- A rupture of a blood
vessel with bleeding in or around the brain (aneurysm)
Check your symptoms to decide if and when
you should see a doctor.
Check Your Symptoms
Home Treatment
Most of the time headaches get
better or go away with home treatment and do not require a visit to a doctor.
Home treatment for headaches can often help reduce the severity of pain and the
length of time the pain is present. Home treatment may also relieve other
symptoms, such as fever, nausea or vomiting, anxiety, or muscle aches. Start
home treatment as soon as you can. Be sure to review the home treatment
information for any other symptoms you may have.
If your doctor has
prescribed a specific treatment for your headaches, begin treatment as soon as
a headache starts. Be sure to follow his or her instructions when taking any
prescription medicine for your headache.
For
mild pain without other symptoms, try the
following:
- Rest in a quiet, dark room.
- Place a
cool compress on your forehead.
- Do not smoke, drink alcohol, or use
illegal drugs.
Medicine you can buy without a prescription| Try a nonprescription
medicine to help treat your fever or pain: |
|---|
Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and
forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two
medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine. |
Safety tips| Be sure to follow these
safety tips when you use a nonprescription medicine: |
|---|
- Carefully read and follow all directions
on the medicine bottle and box.
- Do not take more than the
recommended dose.
- Do not take a medicine if you have had an
allergic reaction to it in the past.
- If
you have been told to avoid a medicine, call your doctor before you take
it.
- If you are or could be pregnant, do not take any medicine other
than acetaminophen unless your doctor has told you to.
- Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than age 20 unless your doctor tells you to.
|
Reduce headaches
You may be able to reduce the frequency and severity of your
headaches by trying:
Headaches in children
When your child has headaches:
- Talk to your child. Let him or her know you care.
Extra attention and quiet time may be all that is needed to relieve the
pain.
- If your child's doctor has prescribed a specific treatment
for his or her headaches, begin treatment as soon as your child complains of
the pain.
- Let your child rest quietly in a darkened room with a
cool compress on his or her forehead.
- If your child's headache pain
is mild, encourage him or her to go on with normal activities.
- Let
your child do his or her usual activities if he or she feels like it unless the
headache pain is moderate to severe.
Medicine you can buy without a prescription for children| Try a nonprescription
medicine to help treat your child's headache: |
|---|
Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and
forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen to treat a fever. When you
switch between two medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much
medicine. |
Safety tips for children| Be sure to follow these
safety tips when you use a nonprescription medicine: |
|---|
- Carefully read and follow all labels on
the medicine bottle and box.
- Give, but do not exceed, the maximum
recommended doses.
- Do not give your child a medicine if he or she
has had an
allergic reaction to it in the past.
- Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than age 20 unless directed to do so
by your child's doctor.
- Do not give
naproxen (such as Aleve) to children younger than age 12 unless your
child's doctor tells you to.
|
Symptoms to watch for during home treatment
Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home
treatment:
- Pain increases or other symptoms develop, such as fever, confusion, vision changes, or vomiting.
- Symptoms become more severe or frequent.
Prevention
Prevent headaches
You may be able to prevent headaches by
changing your daily routine. Identify possible causes of your headaches using a
headache diary(What is a PDF document?).
- Eat regularly. Do not skip meals. Choose
nutritious foods. Do not fill up on salty foods or carbonated
beverages.
- Keep a regular sleep schedule. Set a bedtime and time to
get up, and stick to them, even on weekends. This will help your body get used
to a regular sleep time. Avoid oversleeping.
- Physical therapy may
help you strengthen your neck muscles, improve your posture, and increase your
mobility.
- Exercise regularly. Walking, cycling,
jogging, swimming, or even dancing or gardening are great ways to relieve
stress. If you tend to hold tension in your neck and shoulders, walking may be
especially helpful. The swinging motion of the arms seems to relax those
muscles.
- Practice a
relaxation exercise once or twice a day for 10 to 20
minutes.
- Try
massage, which can reduce muscle tension, especially in
your neck and shoulder muscles. Muscle tension can cause headaches or make them
worse.
- Practice good posture and body mechanics at home
and at work:
- Sit straight in your chair with your lower
back supported. If you sit most of the day, take breaks once an hour to stretch
your neck muscles. There are some specific neck exercises you can do during your
breaks.
- If you work at a computer, adjust
your monitor so that the top of the screen is at eye level. Use a document
holder to keep the copy at the same level as the screen.
- If you
frequently use the telephone, consider a headset or speakerphone. Do not cradle
the handset between your shoulder and your ear.
- Have frequent dental checkups and yearly eye
examinations.
Headaches can often be prevented by avoiding things that may
cause, or "trigger," the pain. Although these triggers may be
different for different people, generally avoid:
- Alcohol and caffeine (coffee, tea, or soda
pop).
- Sudden caffeine withdrawal.
- Foods, such as very
salty foods or foods that contain the preservative MSG.
- Poor eating
habits, including missing meals, extreme diets, and fasting.
- Dehydration.
- Changes in usual sleep
patterns, not getting enough sleep, or oversleeping.
- Stress,
anxiety, or
depression.
- Medicines, such as
heart medicines, blood pressure medicines, and hormones.
- Poor posture and body mechanics.
- Smoking cigarettes or cigars, or
breathing
secondhand smoke.
- Glare from sunlight or
artificial light.
- Exposure to strong odors.
- Strain in
the muscles of the jaw from grinding or clenching teeth or chewing
gum.
- Herbal remedies, such as ginseng or St. John's wort.
To prevent a child's headache:
- Make sure your child gets enough
rest.
- Offer frequent nutritious snacks and beverages during the
day. Do not allow your child to fill up on salty foods or carbonated
beverages.
- Do not allow your child to skip meals.
Preparing For Your Appointment
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
Questions to prepare for your appointment
You can help your
doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the
following questions. When you go to your appointment, be sure to bring your
headache diary(What is a PDF document?).
- What medicines do you take, either weekly or
monthly, depending on the severity of your headaches? What is your response to
the medicine? Make a list to help you remember your medicines and your
response.
- For a headache that started suddenly (acute):
- When did the headache start?
- What
were you doing when the headache started?
- For ongoing headaches (chronic):
- When did your headache problems
start?
- How often do you have headaches?
- How long do
your headaches usually last?
- Where is your headache pain
located?
- Describe your headache pain (stabbing, throbbing, dull,
sharp), and how you would
rate the pain?
- How do your headaches
usually begin or evolve?
- Do you have other symptoms with your
headaches?
- Are your headaches related to your menstrual
cycle?
- What do you think causes your headaches?
- What
home treatments have you tried, and how well did they work?
- What
prescription medicines have you been given? Did they work?
- What
prescription or nonprescription medicines do you take?
- Are you
using an alternative or complementary medicine or treatment (including herbal
remedies)?
- Have you recently had a dental procedure, such as a
filling or a root canal?
- When was your last eye examination? Do you
wear corrective lenses?
- Do you have any
health risks?
Other Places To Get Help
Organization
| American Headache Society Committee for Headache
Education (ACHE) |
| 19 Mantua Road |
| Mount Royal, NJ 08061 |
| Phone: | (856) 423-0043 |
| Fax: | (856) 423-0082 |
| Email: | achehq@talley.com |
| Web Address: | www.achenet.org |
| |
The American Headache Society Committee for Headache
Education (ACHE) is a nonprofit partnership between health professionals and
headache sufferers. ACHE provides resources and tools to health care
professionals to help them help their headache patients. This website has many
educational resources for doctors, patients, families, schools, and
employers. Resources include newsletters, articles on headaches, tools for both
patients and doctors, and lists of certified headache doctors. |
|
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
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| Primary Medical Reviewer | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine |
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| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
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| Last Revised | April 17, 2012 |
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