Posts Tagged ‘cluster headaches’
Friday, February 8th, 2013
They’re not migraines; yet, cluster headaches cause excruciating head pain that can last from 15 minutes to three hours, debilitating to the point of earning the nickname “suicide headaches.”
What are cluster headaches?
There are several types of chronic headache disorders, and cluster headaches are in a league of their own, inflicting intense head pain in its sufferers, most often waking them from their sleep with sharp headaches on one side of the head.
A typical cluster headache attack can last minutes, or it can drag on for hours of uninterrupted torture. Most people who get cluster headaches spend about a quarter of their time battling strong headaches, while a smaller percentage, about 15%, suffer from chronic cluster headaches that occur almost every day.
How long will my Migraine Headache Last? A Migraine Symptom Chart
Cluster headache attacks are characterized by pain that begins at the side of the head, and slowly progresses towards the temples, causing intense burning pain and flushed face.
Similar to migraines?
Cluster headaches are in a separate category of chronic headache from migraines, although they do bear some similarities.
- Migraines and cluster headaches both cause pain on one side of the head.
- Both are debilitating enough to cause impairment and interfere with work.
- Cluster headaches, like migraines, are believed to occur in the brain.
- Cluster headaches and migraines both have no cure.
- Cluster headaches and migraines share common triggers, such as bright lights, high altitude, exertion, certain foods, and alcohol.
- Medications used to treat both migraines and cluster headaches include triptans and anti-inflammatory medications.
- Like migraines, cluster headaches are also being experimentally treated through the use of electronic nerve stimulation.
If your Headache is a Migraine…Are you sure?
Because of the lack of awareness of cluster headaches, many patients are misdiagnosed as sufferers of migraine disorder.
Your turn!
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.
Like this? Read more:
Migraines are Excruciating, Trigeminal Neuralgia is Suicide
Secondary Headache or Migraine- What’s the Difference?
6 Tests for Migraines and other Chronic Headaches
Sources:
Cluster headache
Image courtesy of SodanieChea/flickr
Tags: Chronic headache types, cluster headaches, Cluster headaches and migraine, migraine headache, Suicide headache
Posted in Chronic Pain | No Comments »
Thursday, February 7th, 2013
You’ve been looking for that “off” switch for your migraine headaches practically since the day you were born; now, a new remote-controlled device may give you the relief from migraine or cluster headaches that you’ve been dreaming about.
Technically, it’s pain relief
There’s no cure for migraines, and prescription drug treatments are often a gamble, causing debilitating side effects and sometimes, not even providing the anticipated relief from headaches.
Enter Autonomic Technologies Inc., a California-based biotech company that hopes to change the face of headache treatment as we know it.
Borrowing from research developed by the Cleveland Clinic in treating Parkinson’s disease, scientists were able to provide headache relief in 67% of European cluster headache patients who participated in the trial…
…within only 15 minutes.
“We could see almost immediately visual changes in the patients,” says Dr. Frank Papay, developer of the surgical implant procedure. “We could just see them relax.”
Migraine Neuro-Stim Procedure: What to Expect
What is it?
The device is tiny, about the size of an almond, and it’s placed among a group of nerve cells that reside behind your nasal passages, near the eyes. Upon activation, it delivers an electrical shock to your nerve cells that effectively stops headaches in their tracks.
Dr. Papay compares the procedure to getting your wisdom teeth pulled out, although it’s worth noting that the area requiring operation is decidedly much closer to the brain than to your jawline.
To initiate, simply press the provided remote control to your cheek whenever you feel a migraine attack coming on.
Where can I get it?
Right now, the headache-killing device is being used to treat cluster headaches in Europe. Developers hope to gain approval to use the device for treating migraines, as well, in the coming year.
Collaborations are being made with the FDA in the hope of bringing the device to the American market, hopefully within three years, but probably longer.
Your turn!
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.
Like this? Read more:
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Helps Migraines
Source:
A remote-controlled device to stop severe headache pain
Image(s) courtesy of imagerymajestic/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: cluster headaches, migraine headaches, migraine prevention, nerve stimulation migraine
Posted in Migraine Prevention | No Comments »
Thursday, September 20th, 2012
Do you know for certain if your headache is a migraine, or one of other types of chronic headache? If none of the medications you’ve tried to get rid of headaches have worked, then perhaps you’re going about it the wrong way. Here are some tips to help you determine if your headache is a migraine.
What’s your headache behavior?
Different headache types behave different ways. By keeping track of migraine headache patterns in a headache diary, for instance, you will be better able to tell if your headaches are symptoms of migraines, cluster headaches, or sinus headaches.
Where do your headaches live?
This may seem obvious- the head, of course. But certain headaches occur in specific locations on the skull, while others may be more erratic. Do your headaches always strike one side of the head? Do they stay in place, or do they crawl towards the middle of your face? These are all important clues in helping your doctor determine if your headache is a migraine.
How long do your headaches last?
Migraine headaches can last for hours or days, and be resistant to medication, while sinus headaches may respond well to treatment and be relatively short-lived. Other types of headaches, cluster headaches for example, may strike quickly and disappear just as rapidly, and recur throughout the day. Knowing how long head pain lasts on a regular basis is instrumental in telling if your headache is a migraine headache.
Migraine headaches
Migraine headaches are a neurological disorder, often set off by triggers in food, weather, scents, or our own behavior, like eating or sleeping habits. Migraine headaches characteristically strike one side of the head only, but variations may sometimes occur.
Most likely, your headache is a migraine if it also includes nausea, vomiting, fatigue, eye sensitivity, and neck stiffness. Chronic migraines occur more than 14 times per month, and require a day of recuperation afterwards.
Some migraines occur after an aura phase, which includes vertigo, visual distortions, and stroke-like symptoms like temporary paralysis and loss of speech abilities; these are likewise called “migraines with aura.”
Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches are rare, but excruciatingly painful. They occur in sets, or “clusters,” that may happen repeatedly for weeks or months, or just a few weeks out of a year. Each headache is brief and severe, coming and going quickly like a lightning strike. Usually, one side of the head is affected. Unlike migraines, which often occur after a warning sign (aura or prodrome phase), cluster headaches attack out of the blue.
Sinus headaches
Sinus headaches sometimes trigger migraines, but only if you are already diagnosed as a patient of migraine trigger. For others, a sinus headache is not a migraine- even if it occurs chronically and causes intense head pain. Sinus headache symptoms are crushing pressure and pain in the sinus areas- cheeks, temples, nose, forehead, and sometimes, between the eyes. Other symptoms of sinus congestion besides headache may include runny nose, coughing, phlegm, earaches, and fever.
Please tell us…
Do you have any questions or suggestions? Please leave your comments below.
Share with your friends!
If you found this article helpful, then please share with your friends, family, and coworkers by email, Facebook, or Google+.
Like this? Read more:
Migraine Aura and Prodrome- What’s the Difference?
Migraine Pop Quiz: How Well do you Understand your Headaches?
Source:
29.5 Million Americans Suffer from Migraines, but is Your Headache Really A Migraine?
Images courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: Are your headaches migraine, cluster headaches, Headache is a Migraine, migraine headaches, migraines with aura, sinus headaches, types of headaches
Posted in Types of Migraines | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011
If you suffer from headaches everyday, then you need to see a doctor for migraines immediately- you might be having migraine attacks, or another form of chronic headaches, like cluster headaches or rebound headaches. If you’ve already seen a primary physician and are not happy with the results, it might be time to find a neurologist for migraine headaches.
What is a neurologist?
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in disorders of the brain, particularly the nervous system. A competent neurologist treats patients who suffer from a wide range of conditions, including dementia, epilepsy, brain tumors, amnesia, and migraine disorder.
What are the advantages to seeing a neurologist for migraines?
For many migraine sufferers, visiting a neurologist that specializes in chronic headaches is an effective way to stay on top of their migraine symptoms and find out about new advances in migraine treatments.
- By limiting his practice to the treatment of migraines, your neurologist has an in depth understanding of the neurological factors involved in migraine illness.
- A migraine neurologist has the most up-to-date news in migraine treatments, coping mechanisms, and other resources.
- Your neurologist is better able to diagnose migraine symptoms and comorbid conditions.
- By establishing a patient-doctor bond with your neurologist, you will be in a good position to control your migraine triggers, learn how to manage your migraines on your own, make better lifestyle choices, and develop a strategy for preventing migraines that works.
- In addition to prescribing migraine medications, your neurologist might suggest natural migraine ingredients, such as vitamins, and herbs like butterbur, magnesium, riboflavin, and coenzyme Q10.
Are there any disadvantages to choosing a neurologist?
Choosing the right doctor is always hit or miss; you might find an excellent neurologist that understands your feelings and addresses your needs on the first visit, but it’s more likely that you will have to shop around.
- First, ask up front if your neurologist treats migraine patients. Many neurologists reserve their time for individuals with other brain disorders, but not migraine disorder.
- It’s possible that after the first visit, your doctor will tell you that your symptoms are not severe enough, and that he only treats migraine patients who experience migraine attacks on a more regular basis- assuming you get an initial appointment at all.
- There are millions of migraine patients in the US, but only a handful of neurologists specializing in the field of chronic headaches and facial pain. This is likely because there is very little government funding devoted to migraine research; as a result, there is little incentive for a doctor wishing to advance himself in medicine to choose migraine illness as his specialty.
Where can I find a headache specialist or neurologist in my area?
The internet is a great place to connect with other migraine sufferers and migraine advocacy groups. Here are a few sites that have search engines for locating a doctor to treat your migraines:
U.S. Regional Migraine & Headache Clinics
Find a Healthcare Professional
National Headache Foundation
Patient Recommended Migraine and Headache Specialists
Read more about migraine treatments:
What kind of Doctor should I see for Migraines? Headache Specialists
What kind of Doctor should I see for Migraines? Primary Care Physicians
Avoiding Migraine Triggers- Here, There and Everywhere
Sources:
Johns Hopkins Neurology/Neurosurgery- Headache Center- Migraine Headache
Which Doctors Provide Migraine Treatment?
Image credits, from top:
jepoirrier, ShutterMoth
Tags: butterbur, chronic headaches, cluster headaches, coenzyme q10, Doctor for migraines, Headaches everyday, magnesium, migraine disorder, migraine headaches, natural migraine treatments, neurologist migraines, neurology, rebound headaches, riboflavin
Posted in Migraine Treatments | No Comments »
Monday, November 21st, 2011
If you suffer from frequent headaches, then you need to see a doctor for migraines right away- You might be having migraine attacks, or other chronic headaches. Knowing which kind of doctor to see for migraines and headaches depends on your pain symptoms and specific needs for migraine treatment.
What kind of Doctor should I see for Migraines?
Part II: Headache Specialists
 Migraine headaches strike millions of Americans with debilitating symptoms like sharp head pain, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and visual disturbances. Literally hundreds of migraine triggers exist that may set off chronic headaches and the only way to prevent migraine attacks is to determine what those triggers are. Unfortunately, many primary care physicians are at a loss to determine the exact cause of migraines, and may refer you to a migraine headache specialist.
Avoiding Migraine Triggers- Here, There and Everywhere
What is a headache specialist?
A headache specialist is any doctor that specializes in diagnosing and treating chronic headaches, including migraine headaches, cluster headaches, rebound headaches, sinus headaches, and tension headaches. The term “headache specialist” is not a medically accredited category, but refers to a physician who has dedicated his practice to curing patients of migraine illness.
What are the advantages of seeing a headache specialist?
It can be difficult to find the right doctor for migraines; since funding for migraine research is lacking, there is little incentive for physicians to commit themselves to finding a cure for migraines. As a result, migraine specialists are few and far between. Still, there are many advantages to seeking a skilled migraine specialist:
- Migraine specialists are privy to the latest developments in migraine research and potential treatments.
- Headache specialists have a deeper understanding of migraine headache disorder than primary care doctors do.
- Because a headache specialist treats patients with different kinds of chronic headaches, he is more familiar with various headache symptoms, and thus more likely to diagnose your headache type correctly and suggest proper medication.
- Migraine headache specialists tend to understand the specific personal needs of their patients than physicians who are not specialists in the field of migraine headache disorder.
- A headache specialist is more likely to extend after-hours care for severe migraine attacks.
How can I find a good headache specialist?
Ask a trusted physician or any friends with migraines to refer you to a headache specialist, preferably one who is a member of the American Association for the Study of Headache (AASH). Alternatively, some excellent web sites for migraine patients can recommend a headache doctor in your area. Here are a few:
Read more about migraine treatments:
Sources:
Image credits, from top:
m_bartosch, Grant Cochrane, Ambro , vongvanvi
Tags: chronic headaches, cluster headaches, Doctor for migraines, Headache Specialists, migraine attacks, migraine headaches, migraine treatment, migraine triggers, Migraines cause, rebound headaches, sinus headaches, tension headaches
Posted in Migraine Treatments | No Comments »
Friday, November 11th, 2011
Not all chronic headaches are migraine headaches- many types of headaches require special care beyond Excedrin for migraine headaches. With cluster headaches, specific treatment is required in order to avoid suffering rebound headaches.
Even if you suspect your headaches are not symptoms of migraines, it is still crucial to see a doctor before attempting to treat your head pain. Taking the wrong type of pain medication could make your headache symptoms worse.
Parts 1 and 2 dealt with migraine headaches and other headache types, including sinus headaches, and tension headaches. Part 3 addresses cluster headaches and rebound headaches, including symptoms and treatment.
Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches are recurring headaches that come in a set, or “cluster.” Cluster headache periods may be sporadic- you might go weeks, months, or even years without suffering even one episode of cluster headaches. When they do strike, cluster headaches are excruciatingly painful and disabling. Cluster headache patients often describe them as “the worst headaches of their life.” One cluster headache phase can last for approximately one month.
 Symptoms of cluster headaches are:
- Sharp, burning pain on one side of the head
- Pain that emanates from the temple or eye region on either side of the head
- Pain that strikes suddenly and intensifies quickly in a few minutes’ time
- Pain that happens at a consistent time of day
- Puffy, reddened watery eyes
- Droopy, sagging eyelid
- Nasal congestion
Treatments for cluster headaches are:
- Oxygen inhalation therapy
- Triptan medications
- Octreotide
- Lidocaine
- Ergotamine preparations
- Preventative medications include anti-seizure drugs, corticosteroids (short-term), verapamil, and lithium.
Rebound headaches
If your first reaction to headache symptoms is to reach for a bottle of OTC analgesic pain relievers, then you increase your chances of becoming addicted and experiencing rebound headaches. Particularly at risk are headache sufferers who take more pills than recommended on the package label or by their physician. You might feel temporary pain relief, but the withdrawal symptoms you experience later will include recurring headache pain, creating a cycle of addiction that is difficult to break. Prolonged usage of analgesic pain relievers causes a neurological malfunction that interrupts pain signals in the brain.
Medications that cause rebound headaches are:
- Aspirin
- Acetaminophen
- Sinus medicine
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)
- Sleeping pills
- Prescription narcotics
- Codeine
- OTC pain relievers that contain caffeine
- Ergotamine medications
- Triptan medications for migraines, if taken more than twice per week
Treatments for rebound headaches include:
- Quitting “cold turkey”
- Weaning off medication through supervised detoxification in a hospital setting
- For prevention of rebound headache, heeding package labels on medications, limiting OTC pain relievers to the smallest possible dose, and no more than twice in one week, unless advised otherwise by your physician
Read more about different types of headaches:
Migraines and other Types of Headaches- How many are there? Part 1
Migraines and other Types of Headaches- How many are there? Part 2
Is it a Cluster Headache or a Migraine?
Are You on the Rebound with Your Headache?
Rebound Headaches, Anyone?
Sources:
Is It a Cluster Headache and What Can Ease the Pain? – Headaches and Migraines – Health.com
Medicines for Cluster Headaches- Health.com
Rebound Headaches- Cleveland Clinic
Image credits, from top:
ToastyKen, aerodesign.pl, Maggie Smith
Tags: chronic headaches, chronic migraines, cluster headaches, constant headaches, Daily headaches, Excedrin headaches, Excedrin migraines, Frequent headaches, headache causes, headache relief, Headaches everyday, migraine headache, migraine headaches, Neck pain and headaches, rebound headaches, severe headache, Shoulder and neck pain, sinus headaches, symptoms of migraines, tension headaches, types of headaches
Posted in Types of Migraines | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
Not all chronic headaches were created equal- there are many types of headaches besides migraine headaches, such as sinus headaches, tension headaches, and rare cluster headaches. How many types of headaches are there? Learn more about constant rebound headaches, common migraine triggers, and headache relief remedies.
This is part one, which discusses migraine headaches.
Migraines- Could a headache by any other name be just as severe?
Millions of people suffer from excruciating symptoms of migraines, such as debilitating, severe headaches, extreme nausea and gagging, hypersensitivity to lights, noises, and scents, and unusual visual and olfactory hallucinations. But migraine sufferers aren’t alone in their frequent headache pain; other chronic headache patients experience everyday headaches that don’t classify as “migraine headaches.”
How long will my Migraine Headache Last? A Migraine Symptom Chart
What causes migraines?
It is unproven exactly what causes migraine attacks, but scientists understand that it has to do with blood vessel contractions, various fluctuations in the brain, and inherited brain defects. With migraine headaches, pain occurs on one side of the head, and is often so agonizing that sufferers are unable to work, drive a car, or do much of anything until the pain subsides, which could take anywhere from a couple of hours…to a couple of days.
What are the Signs of Migraine Attack? 30 Migraine Symptoms
How many types of migraines are there?
There are many kinds of migraine headaches, but most generally fall into two categories- migraines with aura, and migraines without aura. An aura is a phenomenon that occurs minutes before a migraine attacks. It serves as a 15-minute warning of an approaching migraine, but doesn’t allow much time to prepare. Occasionally, an aura may occur 24 hours in advance, but that much rarer.
4 Headaches that Require Emergency Intervention
What is a migraine aura?
Symptoms of migraine aura include visual hallucinations described as bright fairy lights, zigzag rainbow squiggles, sparkly “fireflies,” crescent-shaped glowing figures, tunnel vision, and voids- dark blind spots on the edge of one’s field of vision, sometimes causing temporary partial blindness. Other signs of a migraine aura are stroke-like in nature- muscular feebleness, sudden garbled speech behavior, loss of consciousness, and numbness or paralysis on one side of the body. It is important to note that migraines with auras don’t always lead to head pain.
Go Ask Alice: Migraine Auras in Wonderland
Migraine treatments- prescription and natural remedies
Currently, medications for migraine headaches include a variety of treatment types, sometimes prescribed in combinations. Migraine remedies include triptans, which halt an attack, abortive drugs that prevent migraine attacks, narcotic pain relievers, and anti-nausea medications. However, many of these prescription migraine drugs come with adverse side effects.
Improve your Memory while taking Topamax for Migraines
Natural ingredients and exercises for migraines include magnesium, butterbur herbs, riboflavin, acupuncture, aromatherapy, biofeedback, and exercises such as yoga and tai chi. These alternative approaches cause no side effects, and treat the body as a whole.
Read more about migraines and other types of headaches:
6 Migraine Myth-conceptions
Can Anxiety Attacks cause Migraines?
Relieve Your Headaches With Yoga: Try These Moves!
Sources:
5 Types of Headaches- Health.com
Headaches – different types of headaches – WebMD
Migraine: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
Image credits, from top:
Alex E. Proimos, mislav-m, dream designs, Salvatore Vuono, en:Peter Newell, Ambro
Tags: Bad headache, chronic headaches, cluster headaches, constant headaches, Daily migraines, Frequent headaches, headache causes, headache relief, Headaches everyday, Magnesium migraine, migraine headache, Migraine Headache Causes, migraine headache triggers, migraine headaches, migraine remedies, migraine triggers, migraines with aura, Natural remedies for migraines, Neck pain and headaches, Persistent headache, Rebound headaches Chronic migraines, severe headache, sinus headaches, symptoms of migraines, tension headaches, types of headaches, What causes migraines, what is a migraine headache
Posted in Types of Migraines | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 25th, 2011
Migraine Symptoms caused by Allodynia: Migraine headaches caused by long hair? It’s no joke- your neurologist might diagnose allodynia, a type of neuralgia that contributes to migraine symptoms such as cluster headaches or tension headaches. Allodynia strikes fibromyalgia patients and migraineurs, causing throbbing head pain at key pressure points for headaches.
The symptoms of allodynia
Chronic pain sufferers with allodynia experience extreme physical pain from things that don’t hurt others- a light touch, a passing breeze, or even the gentlest amount of pressure. Cutaneous allodynia (CA) refers to an oncoming migraine attack resulting from overactive neurotransmitters. There is a high correlation between migraine headaches and allodynia.
Fluorescent Lights, Migraines, and Incandescent Bulb Mania
Migraine sufferers are more sensitive
When your neurons become overly responsive to certain conditions, we call that “central sensitization.” Like a broken record, your nervous system becomes “sensitized” to frequent migraine attacks, and strives to make it easier to deliver those pain signals every time. Hypersensitive neurotransmitters send messages to the brain, communicating pain signals, constantly becoming more efficient at perceiving pain from the tiniest of stimuli- a pinprick, the scratching of heavy fabric, or even the delicate pull of an earring.
10 Golden Food Rules for Chronic Pain Sufferers
Heavy hair hurts
For many migraine patients, the beginning of a migraine attack brings debilitating symptoms, including sharp head pain, eye pain, nausea, vomiting, and hypersensitivity to light, noise, and scents. For many females, who account for an overwhelming majority of all migraineurs, migraine attacks are preceded by allodynia pain on the scalp, neck, or cheeks.
Brushing your hair, wearing a ponytail or braid, or even tossing your hair over your shoulders could result in excruciating head pain. Although not cited as a cure for ponytail headache, cutting the hair to a shorter, less weighty length is a common recommendation by neurologists.
Only your neurologist or other headache specialist can recommend the proper treatment for your migraine headaches. For natural headache nutrients, such as magnesium and butterbur, you may also seek advice from anybody who specializes in neuropathy.
Flickr
Related reading:
Wear a Medical Emergency ID- Save your Breath and your Sanity
Best Twitter Pages to Follow for Migraine Sufferers- Top 40
Sources:
Allodynia in Migraine: Association with Comorbid Pain Conditions
Allodynia Prevalent in Migraine Patients
My Hair Hurts! Migraine and Allodynia
Suffer from Ponytail Headaches? How to Avoid These Nasty Pains in Your Head and on Your Scalp
Ponytail Headache: A Pure Extracranial Headache
Migraine, Allodynia, and Central Sensitization- Migraine.com
Flickr
Tags: allodynia, cluster headaches, Headaches, Migraine, migraine symptoms, Neuralgia, neurologist, Pressure points for headaches, tension headaches
Posted in Migraine Prevention | No Comments »
Monday, October 17th, 2011
Night terrors often result from sleep apnea, stress, post-concussion syndrome, cluster headaches, or migraine headaches. Frequent sleep terrors cause insomnia, stress, and anxiety, leading to more migraine headache symptoms.
What are night terrors?
Have you ever woken up in the middle of a night and felt an odd sensation of falling backwards? Some people wake up suddenly in the middle of the night, jerked awake by a frightening dream, feeling of impending doom, or a migraine headache. Mostly, night terrors happen to children, but a small percentage of adults also suffer from frequent- and disconcerting- sleep terrors.
What causes night terrors?
Children may experience night terrors from nightmares, anxiety, fever, noise, or bedwetting. However, when adults experience night terrors, it is usually a result of some influencing factor. Some causes of night terrors in adults include the following:
- Lack of sleep
- Sleep apnea
- Stress, anxiety, or panic disorder
- Head injuries
- Drug interaction, including alcohol, street drugs, antihistamines, sleeping pills, and beta-blockers
- Migraine headaches
Flickr
1) Migraine headaches
Characterized by throbbing head pain on one side of the head, other migraine symptoms include nausea, stomach cramping, visual distortions (migraine with aura), light sensitivity, and partial paralysis. Migraine attacks last for several hours, and possibly days. A night terror migraine may occur during the sleep stage 3 or sleep stage 4, or during REM sleep.
2) Cluster headaches
Nighttime cluster headaches cause intense pain on one side of the head, often felt behind the eye, temple, or cheekbone. Other symptoms of cluster headache include tearing at the eyes, stuffy nose, and profuse sweating at the hairline. A cluster headache attack strikes suddenly and vanishes suddenly, and generally lasts no longer than a few hours. Cluster headaches occur repeatedly in one 24-hour period, often striking consistently at the same time of day or evening. Cluster headache sufferers who experience nighttime attacks awaken with night terrors, causing them to feel fatigued and stressed during the day.
Is it a Cluster Headache or a Migraine?
3) Hypnic headaches
If you wake up early in the morning to a rude headache, then you might be suffering from hypnic headaches. Hypnic headaches are painful, but not symptomatic of any physical damage. Hypnic headaches usually last about one hour, and might occur because of a bad dream or early morning sleep terror.
7 Headache Symptoms you definitely shouldn’t ignore
4) Hypnic jerks
Hypnic jerks, or exploding head syndrome , are night terrors that often occur just as you’re drifting off to sleep, though they can also occur during any other sleep stage, including REM. Symptoms of exploding head syndrome include strong involuntary muscular twitches, unusual head sounds (cracking, popping, gunshot or explosions), sensation of “falling,” and brief lightning flashes, or aura. Unlike with hypnic headaches, hypnic jerks are not associated with head pain.
Flickr
5) Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania (CPH)
Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania is similar to migraine headache, and causes a series of sharp, intense jabs of head pain in a row. Unlike cluster headaches, which may last hours, CPH head pain is shorter in duration. Like cluster headaches, chronic paroxysmal hemicrania occurs at the same time each day, usually in the night hours, causing night terrors.
6) Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder headaches
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder headaches are associated with bruxism; symptoms include involuntary teeth clenching and grinding, during both the day and night, resulting in jaw pain, headache, and muscular tension. TMJ disorder usually results from stress, but may also signify a misshapen jaw line. Nighttime teeth grinding occurs during stages 1 and stage 2 of sleep. People who suffer from chronic bruxism might awaken in the middle of the night with severe headache, disorientation, and anxiety.
Is it Migraine or TMJ Headache? Temporomandibular Disorder
7) Post-Concussion Syndrome
Somebody who has suffered a head injury, such as a concussion, is often prone to night terrors caused by memory loss, anxiety, depression, nervousness, or other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Also read:
Are Sleep Seizures, Exploding Head Noises Causing Insomnia?
Sources:
Night terrors- CNN.com
Sleep and Headaches
Sleep terrors (night terrors): Causes – MayoClinic.com
Causes Of Night Terrors- LIVESTRONG.COM
MorgueFile
Tags: Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania (CPH), cluster headaches, exploding head syndrome, Hypnic headaches, insomnia, migraine headaches, migraine symptoms, Night terror, night terrors, Post-concussion syndrome, sleep apnea, Sleep terrors, Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder, Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder headaches, TMJ Symptoms, types of headaches
Posted in Types of Migraines | No Comments »
Thursday, May 5th, 2011
Almost everybody gets a headache at one point or another, but not all headache symptoms are alike. Recognizing and diagnosing chronic headaches can be complicated, as causes, headache pain symptoms and headache treatments differ.
According to the National Headache Foundation, over 45 million US citizens suffer from chronic headaches, 28 million of which are diagnosed as migraine headaches. There are so many different classifications of headaches that it can get confusing for the headache sufferer, making it difficult to identify possible headache triggers or to find headache relief. Some headache sufferers feel pain only on one side of the head, some experience additional side effects such as nausea, and some find that only certain foods trigger headaches.
There are over 150 types of headaches. Here is a listing of the top 7 basic headache types:
- 1) Tension headaches: Tension headaches are among the most common type of headaches, the type typically referred to as chronic daily headaches. Pain is described as mild to moderate, and can continue over a long period of time. Tension headaches are caused by tightening of the muscles. Relieve Your Headaches With Yoga: Try These Moves!
- 2) Migraine headaches: It’s widely accepted that migraines are caused by contracted blood vessels, although the exact cause of migraine headaches is unknown. Migraines are heredity, and there is a correlation between migraine symptoms and brain chemistry. Migraine pain is described as severe, pounding pain. Migraine patients have heightened sensitivity to strong lights, sounds and scents. Nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps are common side effects of migraines. Women who get Migraines are also Likely to get This
- 3) Cluster headaches: Cluster headaches are rare,
 but their symptoms are severe and often debilitating. Cluster headache patients experience sharp, throbbing, burning pain behind one eye. Symptoms tend to appear punctually, according to an innate time frame, and can occur three times a day; cluster headaches occur during phases, or time “clusters,” which can last for weeks or sometimes months. When under an attack, cluster headache sufferers are unable to concentrate on anything else, and may feel restlessness and anxiety. Is it a Cluster Headache or a Migraine?
- 4) Sinus headaches: Sinus headaches are characterized by deep pain in the upper-head area, such as cheeks, forehead, and bridge of nose between the eyes. Sinus headaches are accompanied by sinus conditions, including runny nose, allergies, upper-head congestion, fever, swelling and sensation of fullness or pressure in the ears. Is Gluten Sensitivity Giving You a Headache?
- 5) Acute headaches: Acute headaches are brief and not usually related to any neurological disorder. Children may suffer acute headaches as a result of an ear infection or doctor’s visit. Acute headaches are most common in children and teenagers. Migraine Pop Quiz: How Well do you Understand your Headaches?
- 6) Hormone headaches: Fluctuating hormone levels may cause hormone headaches in women. Factors which cause hormone headaches are pregnancy, PMS, menstruation, menopause and birth control pills.Symptoms of a Menstrual Migraine
- 7) Chronic progressive headaches: Chronic progressive headaches are uncommon; they are classified as headaches which increase in frequency and severity over time, and are generally associated with brain disorders. 4 Headaches that Require Emergency Intervention
Sources:
WebMD, Mayo Clinic, MedicineNet
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