What Your Headache Location Tells You

Written by Natalie Slivinski

Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Robinson, MD on March 17, 2023

• Common Headache Types by Location
• Consider the Type of Pain, Too
• Treatment

Where your head hurts isn’t a foolproof way to diagnose the cause, but the location of your headache can be a good starting point for figuring out the root of the problem.

Different types of headaches can show up in similar places though, so what it feels like will also help you narrow down a plan for how to deal with your pain and decide when to see a doctor.

The headaches people usually get are tension headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches. Cluster headaches don’t happen as often, but men are five times more likely to get them.

A dull, “tightening” feeling that doesn’t throb, or when your head is tender to the touch, is probably a tension headache. These are very common. Many things can set one off, including:

• Stress
• Lack of sleep
• Allergies
• Eyestrain
• Caffeine withdrawal
• Hormones related to your period
• After an injury or trauma
• Exercising hard or for a long time
• Hangover
• Hunger or dehydration
• Brain freeze
• Rebound, after stopping an anti-headache medication
• High altitude you’re not used to
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems, when your headache comes with a clicking sound or popping in your jaw

Pain that’s throbbing and lasts a while, or that comes with nausea or changes in your vision or other senses, probably means a migraine. Light and noise make it worse. A migraine could hurt on just one side, but not for everyone. It’s not very common, but a migraine might make your nose runny or stuffy and your eyes watery, so you mistake it for a sinus infection. When you get migraines, they’re typically triggered by the same things each time. Recognizing the pattern is key to avoiding them.

Other things that could cause migraine-like symptoms, but are much less likely, are:

• Autoimmune diseases such as arthritis or giant cell arteritis, an autoimmune disease that causes joint pain, facial pain (especially in the forehead) and sometimes difficulty with vision that can be permanent.
• Hemicrania continua, a one-sided headache that doesn’t go away
• Brain tumors

Sharp, searing, one-sided pain that comes on quickly but doesn’t last long is probably a cluster headache, especially if it happens over and over, about the same time for several days. This type tends to run in families. These headaches can also give you a stuffy, runny nose and make you sweat and tear up. You probably won’t be able to sit still.

If your headache comes with cold-like symptoms and pressure or tenderness in your face, you could have a sinus headache. They’re often confused with other types, and they’re not as common as you may think.

Attacks of brief, sharp, “electric shock” jolts that last only a few minutes or seconds could be occipital neuralgia. It’s a chronic disorder caused by pinched or damaged nerves that run from your spinal cord to your scalp.

A stroke, aneurysm, or hemorrhage will typically feel like an intensely painful “thunderclap” — the worst headache of your life. But unless the pain is sudden and very severe, it’s much more likely to be a common headache. If you think it’s a serious condition, you should call 911 right away.

Your doctor will have to help find out the cause of your headache to see what treatment will be best.

For tension headaches and migraines, over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief with ingredients such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen can help. Repeated or severe migraines and cluster headaches are harder to treat. If OTC medicines aren’t doing the trick, talk to your doctor about clarifying the diagnoses whether stronger prescription meds are needed as well as preventive treatments. Using OTC products on most days can set you up for overuse headaches, too.

Pain medicines, decongestants, and antihistamines may bring some relief from true sinus headaches, but you’ll need to deal with the infection that brought it on, too.

Your doctor should get involved for causes like nerve pain or autoimmune diseases.

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Headache Locations and What They Could Mean

We’ve all had a splitting headache at one time or another, whether it was due to the drinks you had the night before, stress or the tree blooming outside your bedroom window.

Headaches are common—it’s estimated that nearly 75% of people worldwide have at least one headache each year. “Headaches are also one of the most common reasons patients see a neurologist for care,” said Holly Yancy, DO, a headache medicine specialist with Banner Brain & Spine.

Although they are common, you may wonder why they don’t always occur in the same place. Why is it that you sometimes get them on one side, between your eyes or around your whole head? Could the location of your headache tell you the type of headache you’re experiencing?

Location alone isn’t a clear-cut way to diagnose but paying attention to the location of your pain could help tip you off to its cause and help you get the right treatment.

“There are many aspects to the cause of headaches, and location is certainly one of them,” Dr. Yancy said. “However, it’s a combination of signs and symptoms that allow for a more accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.”

If you’re experiencing a headache, here’s a guide to what the location of your pain might mean and what to do with the information.

Types of headaches by location

One side of your head

Common reason: Migraine

Migraines are the second leading cause of disability and affect about 1.04 billion people worldwide.

Migraines are usually one-sided, although many people can experience them on both sides, and can worsen with movement and activity. “Other symptoms may include pounding or throbbing pain, sensitivity to light and sound, sometimes smells, nausea and vomiting,” Dr. Yancy said. “Many patients also have periods before and after a migraine where they experience symptoms.”

[Here are tips for coping with an unbearable migraine.]

A band around your head or entire head

Common reason: Tension-type headache

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache—and the most common kind of headache during pregnancy. They can range from mild to moderate and can happen either infrequently or, for some people, several times a week.

You may experience pressure or tightness, often like a band is squeezing around your head, and it may extend to your neck and shoulders. Unlike migraines, tension headaches don’t tend to cause nausea, vomiting or sensitivity to light.

One side of the head and in and around your eye

Common reason: Cluster headache

Cluster headaches are relatively uncommon but are one of the most severe types of headaches. They get their name because they tend to come in clusters, with one to eight headaches a day, and often happen every year or two during the same time of year.

You may experience pain in and around your eye that may also radiate down your neck, cheek, nose, temple or shoulder—usually just on one side. You may also experience tearing and redness in your eye, your nose may run or be blocked on the affected side as well.

Front of your head and face

Common reason: Sinus headache

A sinus headache, called sinusitis, occurs when the sinus passages behind your eyes, nose, cheeks and forehead are congested. It is rare and can often be confused with a tension headache or a migraine. It’s commonly thought that weather changes often cause sinus headaches, but in reality, weather changes are a common trigger for migraines.

Neck and back of the head

Common reason: Cervicogenic headache or occipital neuralgia

If you experience headaches that radiate from the neck to the back of your head, you may have a cervicogenic headache. A cervicogenic headache is a secondary headache, which means that it is caused by another illness or physical issue. You may find your headaches worsens with some neck movements or when pressure is applied to certain spots on your neck.

If you experience pain from the base of your skull that radiated upward, it could be due to a rare type of chronic headache called occipital neuralgia. Occipital neuralgia can be triggered quickly, lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes.

How to diagnose and treat your headaches

There are many aspects to a headache and location is only a piece of the puzzle. To get the right treatment for your headache, you need the right diagnosis. And that starts with an appointment with your health care provider.

“It’s always good to speak with your doctor if your headache starts to interfere with your everyday life, if the headaches you’ve had are suddenly different or if they seem to be progressing in severity or frequency,” Dr. Yancy said.

Your health care provider will want to know the quality of the pain, how often your headaches occur, how long they last, the severity, the patterns to time of onset and whether the pain worsens with changes in body position. “It’s also helpful to determine if the headaches are associated with other symptoms, such as sensitivity to lights and sounds, visual changes, dizziness, weakness and numbness,” Dr. Yancy advised.

When you should seek immediate medical care

Most headaches aren’t dangerous, but some can be. Dr. Yancy shared some red flag warning signs that should trigger a trip to the doctor:

• If your headache escalates to maximum severity over seconds to a few minutes.
• If your headache is associated with other symptoms, such as one-sided weakness or sensory loss, vision loss, trouble speaking or a loss of vision.
• If your headache is accompanied by fever, nausea or vomiting that’s not related to an illness or medical condition.
• If you have a headache following a head injury.

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms above, speak with your health care provider or schedule an appointment with one of our Banner Health specialists to develop a treatment plan. You can find a Banner Health specialist by visiting bannerhealth.com.

Related articles:

• What’s Up with My Morning Headaches?
• Drug-Free Ways to Fight Migraine Headaches
• Pregnancy and Headaches: When Should I Worry?
• Migraine Pain: When Should You Worry?

Neurosciences
Brain and Spine

Headache: causes, types, treatment

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About health

Headache

Headache

12.07.23

For many of us, a headache is not a problem, as it is easily resolved after taking pain medication. And when the pill stops helping, we do not go to the doctor, but switch to stronger drugs and even injections.

Unfortunately, the consequences are lost time. The time when you could, but did not want to discover the problem that your body is signaling persistently. After all, a headache is not an independent disease, it can be a symptom of serious diseases. Only a doctor should diagnose and treat them.

Why headaches occur

As a rule, not the whole head hurts, but some part of it. Causes of headache depending on its location:

• the temple area can hurt with sudden changes in blood pressure, poisoning the body with toxins or infectious diseases;
• headache in the back of the head occurs with high blood pressure, problems with the cervical spine (osteochondrosis, spondylosis) or hypertonicity of the muscles of the neck and collar zone;
• if the forehead hurts, it may be an inflammatory disease of the paranasal sinuses – frontal sinusitis. It can also be a sign of increased intracranial pressure or occipital nerve entrapment. Such pain accompanies very serious diseases – meningitis, pneumonia, malaria, typhoid;
• if painful sensations occur around the eyes, these are signs of migraine, vegetative-vascular dystonia. This is how eye diseases, including glaucoma, can manifest themselves.

Be careful if your head hurts regularly, with a certain cyclicity. This is a clear and specific signal – you have chronic diseases, or the level of stress and hard work is very high.

Different headache intensity

Headache in a particular area can be of varying intensity: from sharp and sudden attacks to prolonged debilitating. This is also valuable diagnostic information.

The intensity of the pain in the head can be:

• Strong, sometimes unbearable. The causes of such pain are migraines, pressure drops, sinusitis, traumatic brain injuries or infections. If the pain does not subside with time, but grows, it means that the painful process is progressing.
• Long lasting. This is a very serious SOS signal that our body can only give. It can indicate lesions of the nervous system of an infectious nature, meningitis, tuberculosis, parasitic diseases, and even a brain tumor. Particularly worrisome frequent headache.
• Pulsating. Most often this is how migraine manifests itself. However, it can also be vascular diseases – brain damage, impaired outflow of cerebrospinal fluid or venous outflow. Pulsating pain is caused by some types of infectious lesions, otitis, glaucoma. A severe and prolonged throbbing headache is especially dangerous.
• Sudden. P As a rule, it is caused by spasm of cerebral vessels. This happens in case of nerve infringement with cervical osteochondrosis, with a vascular crisis. An aneurysm rupture, intracranial hemorrhage is very dangerous. But a sharp headache often occurs as a result of stress, if a person is nervous or poisoned by low-quality products.

Be careful if your head hurts regularly, with a certain cyclicity. This is a clear and specific signal – you have chronic diseases, or the level of stress and hard work is very high.

Which diseases are accompanied by headaches

Only a doctor can establish a diagnosis, after several stages of examination. After all, with similar symptoms, the causes of headaches are different. Here is a list of the main diseases accompanied by pain in the head:

• Migraine. Severe headache , often throbbing, the person is sick, irritated by light, odors. There is a general weakness, a desire to lie down. Often the pain is on one side of the face. A migraine attack can last a few hours, or maybe 2-3 days.
• Tension headache. The most common type of disease. Usually the head hurts slightly, but the pain returns again and again. It can last 6-7 days. The pain compresses the skull, is localized in the back of the head, frontal part, crown, or spreads to all departments. This type of pain occurs in people who are engaged in sedentary work, driving for a long time, or constantly in a state of stress. Their shoulder girdle is so constrained that it does not relax even during sleep. The patency of muscles, nerve impulses, and tissue nutrition are impaired.
• Cluster disease. Very difficult to tolerate by patients, sometimes goes into a continuous form. The pain pulsates on one side of the head, compresses the eye or part of the forehead. The eye begins to water and swell. The peak of the attack lasts from half an hour to an hour and a half. Cluster pain is more common in men.
• Pain caused by infections. She is accompanied by chills, fever. The pain presses on the temples, eyes, forehead. With SARS, cough and runny nose join the symptoms. With meningitis, the pain is severe, throbbing, accompanied by vomiting.
• Pain resulting from trauma. Their nature and intensity depends on the nature of the injury. Characteristic for concussion, skull damage, displacement of the vertebrae in the cervical spine. Moreover, unpleasant sensations can occur immediately, or they can occur after some time.
• Sinus pain. It accompanies inflammation of the sinuses, therefore it is localized in the frontal part of the head or near the nose. The patient has a runny nose, nasal congestion. You can get rid of it only by curing the underlying disease.
• Pain provoked by intracranial pressure. These are massive, intense pain sensations covering the entire surface of the head and the area around the eyes. Patients describe them as pressing or bursting. Often a person is sick and he can hardly tolerate bright light.
• Pain arising from damage to the trigeminal nerve. Sharp, short (from 2 to 5 seconds), but very painful. Occurs suddenly in any part of the face. Most often, inflammation of the trigeminal nerve occurs in people with unhealthy teeth and oral problems.

What examinations are required

With complaints of headache, you should consult a therapist. First, the doctor collects an anamnesis – clarifies the nature, localization, duration of the headache. Remember when it first appeared and how often it recurs. In order to exclude additional factors that can provoke attacks, you need to undergo an examination by a neurologist, an ENT doctor, an ophthalmologist and visit a dental office. They will be able to accurately identify the causes and types of headaches and prescribe treatment.

Your doctor may recommend the following tests for you:

• electroencephalography – a study of the state of the brain. This is how vascular and tumor pathologies, hematomas are detected;
• x-ray – will show if there are signs of hydrocephalus, if there was a head injury or sinusitis;
• magnetic resonance imaging – this is how you can detect a tumor, problems of cerebral circulation, diseases of the nasal sinuses, the consequences of a stroke.
• computed tomography – this way you can determine if there are hemorrhages in the brain, what is the structure of the brain tissue and blood vessels;
• electromyography – determines the damage to neural connections and nerves;
• Ultrasound of the vessels of the neck with Doppler – a popular procedure reveals atherosclerosis, vascular and blood flow pathologies, aneurysms;
• laboratory tests – tests will help detect inflammation, the presence of infection, cholesterol metabolism problems and autoimmune processes.

Headache treatment

The consequences of headache can be very serious. The more often and stronger the headaches become, the brighter their consequences will manifest themselves – up to muscle spasm and brain hypoxia. And besides, the underlying disease will inevitably begin to progress.

Headache treatment is not limited to the use of drugs – although the use of anti-inflammatory, painkillers and local analgesics is an important part of the treatment. For example, a course of drug blockades greatly facilitates the patient’s condition.

Good help in the treatment of headaches will be:

• manual therapy is a method of applying manual massage techniques to the spine. Especially effective for migraine and tension pain;
• massage techniques. Effective for recovery from injuries and chronic migraines;
• acupuncture – the impact of medical needles through special points on the body. So you can activate the work of organs associated with certain nerve endings and start the process of self-healing;
• osteopathy – in this case, muscle clamps and changes in the joints and organs are worked out using special massage techniques on points on the patient’s body;
• physiotherapy – treatment with ultrasound, alternating or constant weak electric and magnetic fields, exposure to heat. Effective for different types of headaches;
• physiotherapy exercises – moderate physical activity, especially good in the treatment of post-traumatic conditions and overexertion pain;
• Botox injections – if the muscles are in spasm, an injection of Botox will relax the area of ​​​​the body and relieve headaches;
• extracorporeal hemocorrection is a method based on blood purification from excess cholesterol and toxic substances. It has proven itself in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and pathologies of the immune system;
• folk remedies. For the most part, grandmother’s lotions and conspiracies can not be recommended in every case, and only as a method of complacency. Preparing decoctions and compresses, you can miss precious time and miss the early stage of the disease. Therefore, in any case, the first thing to do is consult a doctor.

How to prevent headaches

The best prevention of headaches is a healthy lifestyle and the ability to avoid stress.

The main conditions for this:

• proper nutrition. Food should not contain toxins, not provoke the appearance of excess weight and supply the body with the necessary vitamins and amino acids;
• physical activity. Feasible and moderate physical education, warm-ups during the working day, swimming, running, hippotherapy will keep the muscles in good shape and prevent the occurrence of muscle clamps;
• no bad habits. Alcohol, smoking, abuse of coffee and energy drinks are the first harbingers of imminent headaches. Take care of yourself.
• a full night’s sleep. Only in this way will the body be able to have a good rest and restore its strength.

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Read 4 minutes 26.11.22

Headache

Types of headache. Types, localization and what pain in the head means.

Types of headache. Types, localization and what pain in the head means.

Gimranov Rinat Fazylzhanovich
Neurologist, neurophysiologist, experience – 33 years;
Professor of Neurology, MD;
Clinic for Rehabilitation Neurology. About the Author

Publication date: November 7, 2020

Updated: January 31, 2023

Headache is a common problem that almost everyone has experienced. This is one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor when compared with other symptoms and complaints.

Headache attacks may be the first symptoms of a dangerous pathology. A professional examination helps to identify the disease in the early stages. Or to exclude a serious trouble [1].

There are people who try to cope with this problem on their own by taking painkillers (analgesics). And they turn for help when the attacks become frequent or are not removed by the usual medicines. Such patients sometimes find out that they have lost precious time.

Therefore, you need to know all types of headaches and the causes of their occurrence in order to protect yourself from the possible consequences of inaction, or not to worry about situations that are easy to handle on your own. Moreover, the types of headaches and the causes of occurrence can be determined not only by the description, but also by examining the diagrams in the pictures, in the photo.

Article content:

• 1 Types of pain in the head
  • 1.1 Cluster cephalgia
  • 1.2 Tension headache
  • 1.3 Migraine
  • 1.4 Post-traumatic syndrome
• 2 Other headaches
• 3 Symptoms of severe cephalalgia
• 4 Prevention

9002 5 5 References

Types of pain in the head

Feelings of cephalalgia change due to factors provoking its development. Doctors have developed a classification that describes most of the cases.

There are a number of common types of headaches, localized in certain places and areas of the head, depending on the cause that provoked them, which is marked in the picture as hatched spots.

Cluster cephalalgia

Protracted debilitating attacks that can last for days with short breaks, then subside for a while. This type of disease is typical for men of mature age.

Cluster pain has the following features:

1. Always one-sided localization, without capturing another part.
2. Seizures can start at any age.
3. It is often a hereditary chronic disease.
4. Painful sensations are extremely strong, often pulsating at the beginning of an attack.
5. Concentrates in the area of ​​the eyes and temples, without spreading over the entire skull.
6. Periodically accompanied by redness of the eyes, possible lacrimation, nasal congestion on the affected side.

Pain often occurs in the form of neuralgia (for example, trigeminal nerve). It is combined with autonomic regulation disorders, which is why lacrimation, skin redness, and increased skin sensitivity appear [2].

Tension headache

A common type of symptom familiar to almost everyone.

An attack is provoked by physical, psychological or mental overexertion. Often becomes a companion and manifestation of regular, chronic stress.

With a general similarity in intensity to migraine, changes in pain syndrome from exposure to light and sounds are not recorded.

Typical symptoms:

1. Feelings are light, not strong, but monotonous. There is no pulsation or sharp, paroxysmal character.
2. Physical movements, hard work of the mind do not intensify unpleasant sensations, do not change their character.
3. If the cause is physical fatigue, additional numbness of the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle is felt.

These seizures do not interfere with work, carry out the necessary social functions, although labor productivity is reduced.

Migraine

Severe chronic disease, more typical for women. Although, men also suffer from her attacks.

Pain syndrome of moderate or severe intensity, sometimes pulsating, always localized in a specific part of the head (there is an epicenter). Although localization can be noted in different parts of the skull due to the nature of the course of the disease.

The onset of an attack causes a personal trigger that is specific to the individual. It can be a strong psychological fatigue, some kind of smell or bright light, a sharp sound.

There are diagrams of types of migraine headache in different parts of the head in pictures, depending on the causes that led to the onset of the disease.

A characteristic feature is complete social helplessness due to the acute perception of light and sounds. A person loses the ability to think clearly during seizures, the quality of his life worsens [3].

Post-traumatic syndrome

Develops immediately after a traumatic brain injury or some time after it. It is felt as a constant discomfort, in the head, a dull, aching form is common.

Without treatment, problems can continue for months and progress to post-traumatic epilepsy. While, after being examined by a doctor and prescribing the necessary drugs, the symptoms disappear after a week.

Other types of headaches

There are also situations when unpleasant sensations in the head with varying localization and intensity are caused by external factors affecting the body or a third-party illness.

In this case, pain in the head is not considered the main process, it is considered as one of the manifested symptoms of another pathology. Sometimes, as a dangerous symptom.

Pain can signal:

1. Serious intoxication of the body, for example, after drinking alcohol or drugs.
2. A side effect of taking medications.
3. Inflammatory and infectious diseases of the respiratory organs (sinusitis), nasopharynx.
4. Violation of venous outflow from the brain.
5. Manifestation of developed problems in the cervical spine.
6. Cardiovascular diseases.
7. Benign and malignant tumors of the brain, its membranes.
8. Infectious lesions of the cortex and substance of the brain.
9. Vegetovascular dystonia.

Only an experienced doctor can determine the cause of recurring seizures after a thorough examination. You should also contact the clinic if the nature of your usual, long-familiar sensations has changed, the cause of which you know.

Symptoms of dangerous cephalalgia

Suspect that a person has a dangerous health condition requiring immediate hospitalization will be helped by additional symptoms characteristic of serious diseases:

1. Cephalgia appears suddenly, like a blow to the head and immediately becomes extremely strong, almost unbearable . May increase progressively. Where in the head such sensations arose does not matter.

1. The temperature rises to a fever, above 38 degrees.
2. There is a change in consciousness, a person ceases to adequately perceive the world around him.
3. Loss of consciousness a short time after the onset of the attack.
4. The appearance of previously uncharacteristic convulsions throughout the body.
5. Cephalgia aggravated after minor injuries, active physical activities, with sudden movements of the head.

1. There is a feeling of severe stiffness in the neck, the inability to move it freely.
2. With the appearance of cephalalgia, vision is sharply reduced, severe weakness appears, inability to perform any physical action. Part of the body, skin, begins to go numb, not felt when touched [4].
3. Increased frequency of attacks of head cephalalgia, increase in the intensity of pain.

A doctor can determine how to recognize a headache syndrome in a particular place, understand the name of a manifested disease or pathology. And then – after diagnostics using professional equipment.

Attempts to self-diagnose and start treatment with folk home remedies are fraught with the danger of aggravating the situation.

Prevention

To prevent some of the causes that cause headaches in different areas of the head and understand in advance what they mean, you need to practice preventive measures.

To stay healthy:

• Eat right. You can not drive yourself to starvation or eat too much food. Both extremes lead to the development of a whole group of diseases. You should also avoid eating a large amount of sweets, fatty and fried foods, flour products. Avoid high-calorie foods in the evening before bed.

• Keep a regular sleep schedule. Going to sleep and waking up should be at the same time, preferably not too late. The norm of sleep for a healthy person, allowing you to fully relax – 7-9 hours. Sleeping too much is just as bad as not getting enough sleep.

• Organize daily physical activity, especially important for sedentary work. Daily walks in the fresh air, feasible sports improve shape, train the regulatory mechanisms of the body. At the same time, they strengthen muscles, normalize their tone and relieve muscle spasms. Thus, they prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases, problems with the cervical spine.

• Give up bad habits. Any addiction causes harm to mental and physical health, increases the chance of developing pathology. Refusal of alcohol, smoking, abuse of sweets and excessive use of gadgets will help maintain health for a long time.

• Stabilize your psychological state. Constant stress, depression, depression is one of the common causes of recurrent headaches of various types. The use of drugs based on natural sedatives, as well as the elimination of reasons for being nervous from life, will significantly strengthen the immune system.

You need to understand: if there are cases of cephalalgia, you need to find out the name of the disease when the head hurts in one area or another, in the office of an experienced doctor. Since it can be a symptom of a serious pathology.

References

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