A headache is the pain or discomfort that a person experiences in their head. The term comes from the Latin word cephalaea, although its origins are in the Greek language.
The headache can be experienced in any sector of the skull and its internal structures. It is a disorder that most people experience occasionally for a variety of reasons. Some individuals, however, may suffer from recurrent headaches.
According to DigoPaul, the headache is usually transient and reverses spontaneously. If the pain persists, it is possible to resort to over-the -counter analgesics that help mitigate and eliminate the discomfort, always reading the leaflet to know how to ingest the remedy and what its contraindications are. When the headache is severe or persistent, it is recommended to contact a doctor.
Since headaches can originate from a large number of different causes, the International Headache Society is responsible for the frequent publication of a list in which all types are classified into two large groups, primary and secondary. In the first of them we find approximately 78% of all cases, which are not usually so serious, although this is not directly related to pain, which can be unbearable.
Let’s look at some of the types of primary headache below:
* tension headache: it is the one that occurs most frequently. It is characterized by a sensation of pressure throughout the skull on a regular basis, as if something were exerting pressure on the perimeter of the head. It is associated with stress, anxiety, muscle spasms and depression and can last from a few minutes to more than a day. To counteract the symptoms, relaxation and physical activity are usually recommended;
* cluster headache: the pain it causes is of extreme intensity. Other names it receives are histamine and horton headache, and even cluster headache, in English, and all can be used interchangeably in the clinical setting;
* migraine: this type of headache appears quite frequently, so much so that between 12 and 16% of the world’s population suffers from it. With regard to the development of its symptoms, it causes attacks of intense pain, which generally only affect one half of the head and are accompanied by throbbing, nausea and vomiting.
There are other headaches that are included in the group of primary ones, and also in subgroups; among them are that associated with sexual activity, which can appear both before and after orgasm, benign cough, hypnic and benign exercise.
The secondary headaches, however, they can be severe and usually are associated with diseases certain although of great diversity. Here we find several groups, since secondary headache can be attributed to:
* head or neck trauma or both: these are headaches that arise from a head injury, that is, an alteration in neurological function that occurs as a result of damage to the brain;
* infection: caused by a general infection, such as the flu, or an intracranial infection, such as encephalitis and meningitis;
* Cranial or cervical vascular disorder: the cause of this subgroup is vascular, that is, abnormalities in the blood vessels (veins or arteries). They can occur as a consequence of giant cell arteritis, an inflammation of the vessels, or a cerebrovascular accident;
* a substance or the suppression of it: these headaches are caused by the abuse of certain medications or drugs, as well as by withdrawal syndrome.
