Treating The Four Most Common Types Of Headaches

July 27, 2023 / Thomas Cohn, MD

A headache can ruin your whole day, which is why it’s important to prevent headaches from developing and take some steps to treat them when you feel one coming on. However, not all headaches are the same, and you need to really understand what type of headache you are dealing with in order to pursue the optimal treatment. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at four of the most common types of headaches and how each is treated.

Common Types Of Headaches

There are more than four types of headaches, but these four tend to be much more common, which is why we are putting them under the spotlight:

Migraine – A migraine is the most common type of headache, and there are many different subsets of migraines. A migraine typically involves pain or a throbbing sensation on one side of the head or face. A number of different issues can contribute to or directly cause a migraine headache, including dehydration, stress, hormonal changes, lack of sleep or sensory triggers like flashing lights or loud sounds. Treatment involves pinpointing the underlying cause of the migraine and working to target the issue. For example, improving your sleep habits, finding healthy outlets for stress and staying hydrated can all help to prevent and treat a migraine attack.

Tension Headache – A tension headache is likely the next most common type of headache, causing discomfort in the back of your head, temples and forehead. As the name implies, they are oftentimes the result of muscle tension or excessive strain on muscles that support your head and neck. Oftentimes they can develop as a result of poor posture and an unhealthy diet that doesn’t supply your body with nutrients that help muscles function property. Simple tweaks to your diet and really focusing on improving your posture can help to keep tension headaches at bay.

Cluster Headache – A cluster headache usually involves pain or discomfort on one side of the head, oftentimes in the eye region. Researchers believe they develop as a result of your body’s sudden release of histamine or serotonin, which means foods, allergens or sensory triggers can all lead to a cluster headache. Although they tend to be shorter in nature compared to migraine and tension headaches, they can still pack a punch. Avoiding allergens and potential triggers are a helpful step, and your doctor may talk to you about certain medications to help relieve a cluster headache should one develop.

Hypnic Headache – The final headache we’ll spotlight is called a hypnic headache, and it is a primary type of headache that typically occurs during sleep, which can make getting prolonged restful sleep difficult. They tend to occur in older individuals, and while their exact cause is unknown, researchers believe that brain activity and nerve relays during the REM cycle play a role in their onset. Interestingly, caffeine is oftentimes a recommended treatment, but if this also keeps you from falling asleep and staying asleep, your doctor may see if melatonin or similar medication can help you find relief.

If you need help overcoming chronic or infrequent headaches, or if you believe that your underlying pain condition is contributing to your headaches, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580 for assistance.

How To Prevent And Treat Stress Headaches

March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Things have become a little more stressful in recent weeks, and all this stress and anxiety can lead to physical problems in your body. One of the more common conditions that can develop as a result of added stress and anxiety are tension headaches. Stress is one of the leading factors in the onset of tension headaches, so it’s important to manage your mental health during particularly stressful times to avoid adding a tension headache to the list of things you have to deal with.

In today’s blog, we take a closer look at these stress-induced headaches and share some tips for preventing and treating them.

Preventing Tension Headache Triggers

Tension headaches tend to develop as a result of muscle tension in your head or neck, and stress can actually cause muscles in these areas to contract. So if you’re dealing with a lot of stress, you may unknowingly be physically stressing key neck muscles, and these movements can induce a headache. In order to prevent these headaches, you’ll want to help eliminate some stress from your life.

Obviously everyone deals with stress in their own way, and everyone is dealing with different things in their life. Collectively, we’re in a pretty stressful time amid the coronavirus outbreak, so stress levels across America tend to be higher than normal right now. We can’t guarantee that the following tips will work for you, but they are a good general list of ways you can work to reduce stress and prevent the onset of tension headaches. Those tips include:

Daily exercise – Exercise helps to get blood flowing throughout your body, which helps muscle groups perform optimally. Exercise can also help distract us from some of the stress-inducing areas of our life, which can help to alleviate headaches. Just be sure to warm up slowly, as intense physical exertion without a proper warm up can actually trigger a headache.

Healthy Sleep – Try to get plenty of healthy sleep if you’re dealing with more stress. Go to bed at a regular time, make the room as dark as possible and eliminate distractions like your cell phone or a television. Make it easier for your body to get a good night’s sleep, because lack of quality sleep can lead to the release of stress hormones.

Eating Right – A healthy diet can also help reduce stress. A healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables can give you more energy to get through the day, which can help you stay motivated to reduce stress. Poor eating habits can lead to weight gain and inhibit the desire to perform other healthy activities, like exercise.

Talking – Social distancing does not mean we need to remain socially isolated. Talk with friends or family members on a regular basis, and you’ll find that your stress levels are lower. That being said, make sure you keep the conversation light, or at least avoid dwelling on negative topics. There are healthy ways to talk about your anxiety and stress, but make sure these topics aren’t the sole focus of your conversations with others.

Plan – Finally, although try to plan ahead for what’s to come. You can’t prepare for every scenario, but try to think ahead so you aren’t caught off guard. Planning for potential outcomes can help reduce stress and anxiety when those possibilities occur. Control what you can control, and you’ll notice your stress levels decreasing.

For more tips on how to manage stress and prevent tension headaches, or for help with your headache-related issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

How to Identify & Treat Tension Headaches

November 25, 2013June 24, 2014 / Thomas Cohn, MD

Muscle tension headaches are the most common type of headaches in adults. They have a tight “band-like” quality on both sides of the head. The headaches are not affected by routine physical activity and they can last from 30 minutes to several days. Pain intensity is mild to moderate.

The frequency is variable, from occasional to chronic daily. Up to 80% of adults have tension headaches occasionally, and approximately 3% are chronic daily sufferers. Women tend to have headaches twice as frequently as men. Most people have only one or two of these headaches a month.

Causes of Tension Headaches

Muscle tension headaches have no single cause. They involve the muscles in the back of the neck or elsewhere in the head tightening up. The most common cause is mental or emotional stress, or depression with anxiety. Other common causes include:

Poor posture
Lack of sleep
Overexertion

Understanding the cause of the muscle tension helps determine the possible solutions. Muscle tension headaches are not caused by significant problems in the brain. Tumors, bleeding in the brain, and brain injuries have different symptoms. Tension headaches do not require brain scans or sophisticated imaging of the head. Sometimes fairly routine blood analysis may be helpful to determine if there are any chemical imbalances in the body contributing to the problem. Most important to the diagnosis is a good history and physical exam.

Treatment for Tension Headaches

Treatment of muscle tension headaches is multifaceted. Tension and stress most often have physical, mental, and emotional components. Recognizing and having insight into the factors causing the headaches may be difficult. Professional help may be necessary to deal with emotional and mental factors contributing to symptoms. Here are some common treatment options for tension headaches:

Medications to deal with stress and anxiety
Physical therapy to help with physical components of muscle tension
Massage, acupuncture, and manipulations
Injections to muscles, joints, and nerves as well as Botox injections

Most people can be treated by their primary physician with good control of symptoms. When headaches become frequent and are not controlled, Neurologists and Pain physicians can determine a logical more complex and comprehensive treatment and management strategy.

A medical specialist should treat chronic daily muscle tension headaches. The medications used for occasional headaches may make daily headaches worse. Pain medications, some anxiety drugs and muscle relaxers can cause rebound headaches and worsening of symptoms. A specialist can determine different treatment strategies that may be more effective for the individual.

Read more about other types of headaches in our previous blogs: