Diagnosing A Headache
Do you know the difference between a migraine and a cluster headache?
On The Saturday Early Show, Dr. Mallika Marshall helps diagnose that throbbing in your head and has tips on the best ways to stop it. The following is her advice:
Tension Headache
Tension headaches affect up to 40 percent of people at some point in their lives. Most people describe a tension headache as a tightness around the head, as though there's a vice or tight band wrapped around their head. The neck and shoulder muscles may also be sore to touch.
- Treatment: Most people can be successfully treated with over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen. But these medications should be limited to no more than a few days per week, because if used more frequently, you can get "rebound" headaches once you stop taking them.
Migraine
The typical migraine headache is a throbbing or pulsating sensation in the head, usually on one side, but it can affect both. Patients usually report nausea, with or without vomiting, sensitivity to bright lights and loud noises.
The cause is thought to be swelling in the blood vessels and nerves that surround the brain. Also, before birth, babies have a hole in their heart, which normally closes in childhood. But in about 25 percent of people, that hole remains open. As it turns out, people who suffer certain types of migraines are more likely to have this hole. If this hole is surgically repaired then the migraine symptoms often abate.
- Treatment: Most people with migraines will tell you that the first thing they want to do is find a dark, quiet place to lie down. Treatment is typically two-fold: medications to treat the ongoing attack, and medications to prevent migraines in the future.
For an acute attack, over-the-counter medications can help some people — Ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen or combinations that include caffeine can also work. However, many people require a prescription medication. Some of the most popular are the triptans, such as Imitrex and Zomig. There are also a number of medications available by prescription to help prevent future migraines such as anti-seizure medications, anti-depressants and blood pressure medications.
Cluster Headache
Cluster headaches affect about a million people in the United States and are much more common among men. The pain typically centers around one eye and often causes a runny nose and facial flushing on the affected side. Episodes may last for up to a few hours, but tend to recur several times during the same day for several weeks or months, hence the name "cluster" headaches. Once the headaches end, a patient may not get another episode for months or even years. The cause is not fully understood.
- Treatment: Unlike with migraines, most people with cluster headaches feel better if they remain active during the episode. Interestingly, inhaling 100 percent oxygen can help at the first sign of headache. It can be prescribed by a doctor. Otherwise, treatment is generally aimed at preventing attacks. There are a number of prescription medications available such as lithium and a heart medicine called verapamil.
Sinus Headache
People with sinus headaches usually complain of a pressure or pain in the forehead, cheeks, nasal area or behind the eyes. They are usually caused by swelling and fluid build up in the sinuses as a result of hay fever or a cold.
- Treatment: For the pain, people can again take over-the-counter pain medications. But another thing to try is an over-the-counter decongestant or an antihistamine that can help relieve the pressure in the sinuses.
If you ever have a severe headache, such as the worst headache of your life, you need to get to an ER immediately. Also, if you have a headache that lasts longer than usual, or you have unusual symptom, you need to see your doctor to ensure you don't have a serious underlying medical condition causing your headache.