[...]... patients, feel The headaches, he explains, “led to a buildup of pain and tightness in his forehead and the back of his head and neck Sometimes the pain felt like a tight band around his head.“ Juan told Paulino: “It feels like my head is held in a vise.” 5 Migraine Headaches Migraine headaches are the second most common form of primary headaches, affecting 23 million Americans Migraine headaches are usually... throat, mouth, and esophagus, and has been linked to cancer in these areas Emotional Effects of Headaches Besides having a physical effect, headaches also have an emotional effect Because headaches can be so painful and disruptive, many What Is a Headache? 21 Effects of Headaches Besides pain, people with headaches may experience: • Nausea • Dizziness • Fatigue • Sensitivity to light, sound, and smell •... of punches, and my right nostril was starting to leak I got out of bed, and went downstairs, all the while, this pressure in the right side of my brain kept building and building My right eyelid was beginning to swell shut I was squinting and it was tearing I was pacing from room to room and I suffered.” 16 Symptoms of Migraine Headaches Unlike tension and cluster headaches, migraine headaches occur... throbbing pain in the head—a headache Different Types of Headaches There are over 150 different types of headaches The most common are tension, migraine, and cluster headaches, all of which are primary headaches Of these, tension headaches affect the most people In fact, according to headache expert and doctor of internal medicine Joel Paulino, tension headaches are the cause of 90 percent of all chronic,... on both sides of the forehead, the neck, and the back of the head Symptoms of Cluster Headaches Like tension headaches, cluster headaches rarely are accompanied by nausea or vomiting But unlike tension headaches, cluster headaches usually strike while a person is asleep, and the piercing pain wakes the victim up Accompanying symptoms include swelling, redness, and tearing of the eye on the affected side... Throwing up makes it worse, makes my head hurt more It’s horrible.” 7 Cluster Headaches The third type of primary headaches is cluster headaches Less common than tension or migraine headaches, cluster headaches affect about 2 million Americans Said by both patients and doctors to be among the most painful of all headaches, cluster headaches typically appear in cycles or clusters They usually strike five... causes or predisposes people to headaches However, based on statistics of multiple family members with headaches, scientists theorize that some people inherit a sensitivity to headache triggers, which makes them more susceptible to headaches Cindy describes how headaches affect her husband’s family: “My husband’s brother has migraines, so does his sister, her daughter, and now her son Recently, our son... and a teeth-grinding condition known as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome Ninety percent of all headaches, however, are unrelated to any other medical condition These headaches are called primary headaches Primary headaches may be episodic, which means they occur occasionally, or they may be chronic Chronic headaches strike at least four times a month and usually affect a person for most or all of... begin Testing Both an MRI and a CAT scan can reveal brain tumors, stroke, blood clots, sinus problems, and head injury that can cause secondary headaches Unlike traditional X rays that take pictures of bone, a CAT scan and an MRI take pictures of soft tissue These tests are very similar and both are painless However, an MRI is more sensitive and can detect small brain tumors and blood clots that a CAT... secondary headaches If this is the case, the doctor then treats the underlying condition causing the headaches If, however, there are no abnormalities, secondary headaches are ruled out and primary headaches are indicated Once primary headaches are diagnosed, before they can be treated, the doctor must ascertain which type of primary headache a patient has This is because treatment for different Diagnosis and . toll headaches have on soci- ety, it is important that people learn more about headaches. By learning what triggers headaches, how they are treated, and Headaches 8 Forty-five. of Headaches There are over 150 different types of headaches. The most com- mon are tension, migraine, and cluster headaches, all of which are primary headaches.