NEARLY everybody at some time in life knows what it means to have a headache. Think back to that last influenza attack or to that cold in the head when your sinuses and your air passages were full of catarrh. That dull ache or throbbing pain that you felt inside your head was just one of those depressing symptoms that made you aware of your illness. Every cough or sneeze seemed to make the headache worse. How glad you were to rest your head on the pillow, and what a relief when you woke up to find your headache gone! If that is the only kind of headache that you have experienced, then you should be thankful.

Many people today—and some nearly every day—suffer from headaches that are not accompanied by obvious underlying illness. Such headaches may be severe and disabling and are not always easily relieved. Perhaps this is the kind of headache that is more familiar to you and no doubt one that you would be thankful to get rid of.
But why do people suffer from headaches? What really aches when your head aches? Are there different kinds of headaches? What factors precipitate headaches? The answers to these questions may help you to appreciate better what you can do about your headaches.

A Protective Mechanism
People experience pain because of an inbuilt protective mechanism. It may be likened to a warning system that tells us that some pain-sensitive tissue is being stimulated and that action is required to remove the body from contact with the damaging stimuli.
So it is with headache. It informs you that not all is well. For your physical and mental comfort and well-being, action needs to be taken. It is only natural therefore that you should be interested in knowing what to do about your headaches.

But what actually aches when you are suffering from a headache? What pain-sensitive tissues are involved? Surprisingly, the brain itself is not a pain-sensitive tissue. Although the pain perception mechanism is an important function of the brain, surgeons and physiologists have shown that when headache arises within the skull, it is due, not to irritation of the brain, but to pulling or stretching of the blood vessels or coverings of the brain. Likewise, when headache arises outside the skull, the sensation of pain is, in most cases, due to stimulation of the fine nerve fibers in the walls of the arteries or within the powerful muscles of the head and neck.

It is understandable therefore that the site of origin of the painful stimuli may determine the characteristics of the headache. Thus, if the arteries are involved, the headache may be throbbing in nature because of the pulsation of the vessel wall with each heartbeat. In contrast, if the muscles are involved, the headache is more constant and aching in type.
From what has been considered so far, it is evident that not all headaches are alike. Accordingly, what you can do about your headache will depend on the particular kind of headache you suffer from and what causes it.

Different Kinds of Headaches
As a warning symptom, headache may be triggered by a variety of conditions, some serious and endangering life, others much more benign in their nature. The different kinds of headaches fall into two main categories: first, those associated with underlying disease and referred to as “organic” headaches, and, second, “functional” headaches, which are due to some disturbance of function.

Organic headaches include those due to infection or allergic conditions affecting the nose and air sinuses, disorders of the teeth and jaw, disease of the eyes and ears, degenerative changes in the spinal vertebrae in the neck, inflammation of the arteries of the forehead, as well as more serious conditions such as tumor of the brain, and inflammation of the meninges or covering of the brain. In these conditions, headache is often only one of several symptoms and signs that characterize the illness and that may demand urgent medical attention.

You may be relieved to know that the vast majority of headaches, perhaps about 90 percent, are of the functional kind and not due to disease of structures either outside or inside the skull. Generally regarded as benign in nature, they are nonetheless a warning of disturbed function in relation to some of life’s activities. Likely this is the common everyday kind of headache that you may have experienced.
Even so, if you have started to develop a persistent headache with or without other symptoms, or if in the last few weeks or months there has been a change in the type or nature of your headache, then you may find it wise to consult a doctor. If there is some serious underlying disorder, then appropriate treatment can be started without unnecessary delay.

Everyday Headaches
If you have been subject to headaches off and on for many years, it is more than likely that your headache is either the so-called “tension” type or the less common “migraine.” You may be wondering just how you can tell the difference.

If you suffer from tension headache, the pain is constant or steady in type. It is felt in the muscles at the back of the head or on both sides of the head; less often it is felt above the eyes. It may feel as if your head is gripped in a vise or constricted by a tight band; alternatively, you may experience only a sensation of weight or pressure on your head. Tension headaches are due to excessive or sustained contraction of the muscles of the scalp and the powerful muscles of the neck that support the head. For this reason they are also known as muscle-contraction headaches.

Migraine is rather different. The word “migraine” is derived from a French word meaning “half a head” and is appropriate because, in most cases, the ache affects only one side of the head. In contrast to tension headache, the pain soon becomes throbbing or pulsating in kind due to its origin mainly in overdistended arteries outside the skull. There is often a feeling of nausea or other digestive disturbance, and the pain may be so intense as to interfere with work and compel the individual to lie down. There may be more than one in the family who suffer from this kind of headache, because the tendency to develop migraine is inherited. In cases of “classical” migraine as opposed to common migraine an attack may be heralded by a preheadache warning or “aura,” such as spots or flashes of light before the eyes.

These characteristic features may be of some help to you in differentiating “tension” and “migraine” type headaches. The distinction between the two, however, may not always be easy; indeed, you could be subject to both. Whether you suffer from tension headaches or recurrent attacks of migraine, there is much that you can do to lessen the severity of your headache, reduce their frequency, and perhaps even prevent their recurrence.

Treating Your Headache
In the immediate treatment of your headache, the simplest remedy that circumstances may permit is self-medication with an analgesic or pain-relieving drug. Many preparations are widely advertised and readily available in the form of powders and tablets containing mixtures of drugs. Preparations that contain amidopyrine or phenacetin may be harmful and are best avoided. It is safer to use a simple drug, for example aspirin in its soluble form, or if aspirin gives you indigestion, then paracetamol is an effective alternative. The recommended dose can usually be repeated after three or four hours if necessary. With this simple measure, your tension headache may disappear, or your migraine attack may be cut short.

When circumstances permit, however, alternative procedures may bring relief with or even without the use of analgesic drugs. Your tension or muscle-contraction headache may respond to just a brief period of rest and relaxation. If you can interrupt your routine activities and can lie down for half an hour or so in a quiet, semidarkened room, you will undoubtedly feel the benefit. Heat applied locally to the head and neck by means of hot towels or radiant heat, or even a warm bath, is also beneficial. Additionally, if you have a friend who can apply gentle massage or traction to the muscles of the neck for just ten or fifteen minutes, this will greatly assist in relaxing the muscles that are responsible for your tension headache.

Similar general measures may be effective in the immediate treatment of your migraine attack. Instead of locally applied heat, you may get much more relief from cold compresses or even ice packs applied to the head. Such compresses help to reduce the overdistension of the arteries that give rise to this type of headache. Repeated cups of strong tea or coffee may also bring relief by a similar effect on the blood vessels due to the action of caffeine. Your migraine headache, however, may be so severe as to compel you to lie down, and all you may want to do is “sleep it off.” Under such circumstances it is wise to submit to the body’s demands.
If your headache cannot be relieved by the above measures, then it may be advisable to seek the advice of a doctor.

Bearing in mind, however, that your headache is part of an inbuilt protective mechanism, it would be unwise continually to treat only the effect and fail to cope with the cause. So what can you do to reduce the frequency of your headaches or, better still, prevent their recurrence? The answer depends to a large extent on how you can avoid or eliminate some of the predisposing factors.

Predisposing Factors
Well-recognized predisposing factors, even among those not prone to headache, are overindulgence in food or alcohol, or exposure to stuffy, poorly ventilated atmospheres.
Tension headache frequently occurs after fatigue and stress, or may be related to episodes of anxiety or conflict at work or at home. Migraine headaches can also be induced by fatigue, stress, anxiety and overexcitement. In fact, excitement and emotions rank high on the list of predisposing factors. Commenting on this, Dr. Oliver W. Sacks, in his book Migraine: The Evolution of a Common Disorder (1970), writes: “Violent emotions exceed all other acute circumstances to provoke migraine reactions, and in many patients—especially sufferers from classical migraine—are responsible for the vast majority of all attacks experienced . . . we find, in practice, that sudden rage is the commonest precipitant, although fright (panic) may be equally potent in younger patients. Sudden elation (as at a moment of triumph or unexpected good fortune) may have the same effect.” As well as emotional stress, there may be other contributory factors such as exposure to bright lights, excessive noise, hunger, alcohol, eating certain foods such as cheese, chocolate, cucumbers, tomatoes, fatty foods, wheat, onions and even oranges.
If, as is likely, one or more of these predisposing factors are applicable to your case, then there is every possibility that by avoiding or eliminating these factors you can reduce the frequency of your headaches, or even prevent them.

Preventing Your Headache
Since the factors predisposing to headache affect nearly every aspect of living, some readjustment in your life’s activities may be called for. You may need to give attention, not only to your diet and eating habits, but to conditions at work and at home, to your rest, relaxation, recreational activities, and perhaps, even more importantly, to your mental outlook or attitude toward life.

A well-balanced diet taken regularly and in moderation will help prevent the headaches of overindulgence and indigestion, or the migraine that may be induced by hunger. It is easy to exclude any particular food or alcoholic beverage that in your case may seem to be associated with your headache.
If conditions at work or the nature of your work leads to undue stress and fatigue, it may be that a change is called for, or if this is impractical, then an improved work schedule may be necessary. Certainly it would be unwise to work overtime to the detriment of your health. If you are a housewife and work at home, a practical schedule for your daily routine will be a great help in avoiding undue stress and fatigue. Whether at work or at home, it is important to ensure adequate ventilation and proper lighting.

It is advisable to obtain not only sufficient sleep, but also restful sleep. For this purpose you may need a softer or firmer pillow, an extra pillow or one less, or even a new mattress if you are to avoid bad posture and muscle tension that may be contributory to some headaches.
The readjustment of your activities may call for a short period of relaxation each day, perhaps just ten to fifteen minutes after meals. If you can learn to let all your muscles go limp, especially your face muscles, you can do much to relieve muscle tension.

It will be beneficial as well as pleasurable to allow for recreational activity in moderation, preferably one that can be enjoyed with others in the family, one that is not overtaxing in energy and that will make a pleasant change from your daily routine; for example, a visit to the zoo, a trip to the seaside, or just a walk in the country with the opportunity of studying creation in all its variety.

Perhaps the most difficult alteration that may be required and the one most likely to be successful in counteracting tension, stress and fatigue is the mental readjustment of your outlook or attitude toward life and its problems. If you can cultivate the “quiet and mild spirit,” learning to remain unruffled when people or circumstances tend to irritate, if you can come to appreciate the value of contentment in contrast to the demanding and never-ending quest for material possessions and pleasures, and if you can develop an unselfish concern over the welfare of others and not be overly concerned about yourself, you will indeed have gone a long way toward eliminating those emotional stresses and strains that so often result in tension or migraine headaches.

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Woke up this morning with serious headache so I was really happy when I saw this thread BUT problem is, I couldn't read d whole article cos my headaches. Pls summarize for my sake

Thanks.

TEA esq™:
Woke up this morning with serious headache so I was really happy when I saw this thread BUT problem is, I couldn't read d whole article cos my headaches. Pls summarize on my behalf

Thanks.

Ok, I hardly do this but here goes. The op talks about different kinds of headaches but emphaized on the one caused by tension.
I decided to lift the part that's most beneficial to you. Enjoy

Treating Your Headache
In the immediate treatment of your headache,
the simplest remedy that circumstances may
permit is self-medication with an analgesic or
pain-relieving drug. Many preparations are
widely advertised and readily available in the
form of powders and tablets containing
mixtures of drugs. Preparations that contain
amidopyrine or phenacetin may be harmful
and are best avoided. It is safer to use a simple drug, for example aspirin in its soluble form, or if aspirin gives you indigestion, then
paracetamol is an effective alternative. The
recommended dose can usually be repeated
after three or four hours if necessary. With this
simple measure, your tension headache may
disappear, or your migraine attack may be cut
short.
When circumstances permit, however,
alternative procedures may bring relief with or
even without the use of analgesic drugs. Your
tension or muscle-contraction headache may
respond to just a brief period of rest and
relaxation. If you can interrupt your routine
activities and can lie down for half an hour or
so in a quiet, semidarkened room, you will
undoubtedly feel the benefit. Heat applied
locally to the head and neck by means of hot
towels or radiant heat, or even a warm bath, is also beneficial. Additionally, if you have a friend who can apply gentle massage or traction to the muscles of the neck for just ten or fifteen minutes, this will greatly assist in relaxing the muscles that are responsible for your tension headache.

^ ^thanks