Lone Star Neurology provides accurate diagnosis of headaches using cutting-edge technologies and compassionate, evidence-based medical expertise.
How Common Are Headaches?
According to the World Health Organization “headache disorders are among the most common disorders of the nervous system”, and an estimated 50% of all adults experience at least one headache a year.
What Causes Headaches?
Headaches can be triggered by everything from the weather to hormonal changes, diet, exercise and stress. Compressed or slipped discs in the spinal cord, poor posture and excessive computer use can also bring on certain types of headaches, as can pollen, dust, and dander.
Other common headache triggers include fatigue, dehydration, sudden caffeine withdrawal, food allergies and alcohol use. Exposure to loud noise, bright lights and/or strong smells can also trigger headaches in some people.
Are There Different Types of Headaches?
Yes. There are a number of different headache types, and knowing which type of headache you have is key to finding the right headache treatment.
Tension-type headaches are the most common type of headache. Tension headaches cause steady pain throughout the head that is more intense in either the forehead or the back of the head. These headaches usually last for an hour or longer, and in severe cases, symptoms can persist for a number of days. Tension headaches are usually linked to stress, muscle strain and/or a mechanical problem, and they can also happen in conjunction with a migraine headache, which is characterized by moderate to severe prolonged pain often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
Cluster headaches are brief, intense headaches that strike suddenly, causing intense pain in a concentrated area behind one eye or on one side of the head. People who suffer from this type of headache may experience flare-ups where their symptoms occur frequently over a number of days or months followed by a remission period. Cluster headaches are quite rare and unlike other types of headaches, there are often no associated triggers.
Sinus headaches are characterized by steady pain throughout the nasal passages, under the eyes, and across the bridge of the nose. These headaches are often accompanied by nasal congestion, sneezing, watery eyes and other allergy symptoms.
Here at Lone Star Neurology, we take the time to learn about your headache symptoms, discuss potential triggers and perform comprehensive diagnostic testing to accurately diagnosis the specific type of headaches you have.
Is A Headache Dangerous?
In some situations, a sudden, intense headache can be a sign of a serious health condition that requires emergency care from a medical provider.
Anyone who experiences a headache that comes on suddenly and cause severe pain happens right after exercising, or develops following a head injury should seek medical attention immediately. People who have a history of cancer, experience a fever, have visual disturbances, and/or have a headache that gets progressively worse over a 24-hour period also need to see their doctor right away or visit an emergency room.
What Headache Treatments Are Available?
While over-the-counter headache remedies may provide sufficient symptom relief to adults who suffer from mild, occasional headaches, there are a number of new and highly effective headache treatment options available that can help reduce both the frequency and severity of headaches.
Here at Lone Star Neurology, we work to develop personalized headache treatments that may include prescription medications, dietary guidance and medical interventions.
To learn more about our comprehensive headache diagnostic and headache treatment services, contact us today.
