Headaches

What causes headaches?

There are two main categories that define headaches:

Primary headaches

Primary headaches are those that don’t relate to underlying medical conditions. In many cases, these headaches develop due to dysfunction in your brain and include migraines and cluster headaches.

Secondary headaches

In secondary headaches, pain results due to underlying medical issues, such as a brain aneurysm, trauma-related headache, and allergy and sinus headaches. You can also develop recurrent headaches while using or withdrawing from certain types of medications.

What are the symptoms of headaches?

In addition to persistent pain on one or both sides of your head, you can experience a variety of other symptoms based on the type of headache you have. Common symptoms associated with headaches include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Restlessness
• Neck stiffness
• Difficulty concentrating

Migraines can also increase your sensitivity to light and sounds and make it difficult for you to work or be active.

In a specific type of headache, known as a thunderclap headache, pain develops very quickly and becomes intense. This type of headache can indicate a serious underlying problem with the blood vessels in your brain and requires immediate medical evaluation.

How are headaches treated?

Once Dr. Tien determines the type and cause of your headache, she can recommend one or more treatments to help you find pain relief and prevent headaches in the future.

Typically, initial treatments involve over-the-counter or prescription medications. You may also benefit from massage therapy and using relaxation techniques to alleviate tension in your muscles that trigger headaches.

If you have frequent migraines, Dr. Tien may recommend specific medications to target migraine pain. Botox® injections are also effective at easing existing migraine pain and preventing new episodes. Botox temporarily paralyzes muscle contractions involved in migraines. Dr. Tien creates a timeline for you for additional injections to reduce the frequency of migraines.

Dr. Tien also works with you on lifestyle modifications and dietary changes that can prevent the frequency of headaches. She may suggest avoiding caffeine and certain food additives that can trigger headache pain.

If persistent headaches or migraines are interfering with your quality of life, schedule a consultation at Newhope Joint and Spine today using the convenient online booking tool or by calling the office.