Oh my aching head! Nearly everyone
has had a headache. The most common type
of headache is a tension headache.
Tension headaches are due to tight
muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp
and jaw. They are often related to
stress, depression or anxiety. You are
more likely to get tension headaches if
you work too much, don't get enough
sleep, miss meals or use alcohol.
Other common types of headaches include migraines, cluster headaches and sinus headaches. Most people can feel much better by making lifestyle changes, learning ways to relax and taking pain relievers.
Headaches can have many causes, but serious causes of headaches are rare. Sometimes headaches warn of a more serious disorder. Let your health care provider know if you have sudden, severe headaches. Get medical help right away if you have a headache after a blow to your head, or if you have a headache along with a stiff neck, fever, confusion, loss of consciousness or pain in the eye or ear.
Table of Contents (click to jump to sections)
Is there any treatment?
What is the prognosis?
What research is being done?
Clinical Trials
Organizations
Related NINDS Publications and Information
Additional resources from MEDLINEplus
What is Headache?
There are four types of headache: vascular, muscle contraction (tension), traction, and inflammatory. The most common type of vascular headache is migraine. Migraine headaches are usually characterized by severe pain on one or both sides of the head, an upset stomach, and, at times, disturbed vision. Women are more likely than men to have migraine headaches. After migraine, the most common type of vascular headache is the toxic headache produced by fever. Other kinds of vascular headaches include "cluster” headaches, which cause repeated episodes of intense pain, and headaches resulting from high blood pressure. Muscle contraction headaches appear to involve the tightening or tensing of facial and neck muscles. Traction and inflammatory headaches are symptoms of other disorders, ranging from stroke to sinus infection. Like other types of pain, headaches can serve as warning signals of more serious disorders. This is particularly true for headaches caused by inflammation, including those related to meningitis as well as those resulting from diseases of the sinuses, spine, neck, ears, and teeth.
Is there any treatment?
What is the prognosis?
What research is being done?
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) conducts research relating to headaches at its laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and supports additional research through grants to major medical institutions across the country. NINDS also supports and conducts studies to improve the diagnosis of headaches and to find ways to prevent them.
NIH Patient Recruitment for Headache Clinical Trials
American
Council for
Headache
Education 19 Mantua Road Mt. Royal, NJ 08061 achehq@talley.com http://www.achenet.org Tel: 856-423-0258 800-255-ACHE (255-2243) Fax: 856-423-0082 |
National
Headache
Foundation 820 N. Orleans Suite 217 Chicago, IL 60610-3132 info@headaches.org http://www.headaches.org Tel: 312-274-2650 888-NHF-5552 (643-5552) Fax: 312-640-9049 |
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21st Century Prevention and Management of Migraine Headaches
Summary of a workshop on 21st Century Prevention and Management of Migraine Headaches, held June 8-9, 2000 -
Chronic Pain:
Hope Through
Research
Chronic pain information page compiled by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). -
NINDS Chronic Pain Information Page
Chronic pain information page compiled by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). -
NINDS Migraine Information Page
Migraine information sheet compiled by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). -
NINDS Pseudotumor Cerebri Information Page
Pseudotumor Cerebri (Benign Intracranial Hypertension) information sheet compiled by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Prepared by:
Office of Communications
and Public Liaison
National Institute of
Neurological Disorders
and Stroke
National Institutes of
Health
Bethesda, MD 20892
NINDS health-related material is provided for information purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patient's medical history.