Headaches are the common aches which everyone complains every now and then. Head pain can be described as debilitating, humming, vague, rhythmic, throbbing, and steady. They can interfere with your ability to work and to play. Secondary effects can be caused by serious organic disorders, which are why one should not ignore them and get them treated as soon as possible.
Know your headache well and team up with your doctor to control and treat it.

There is a problem if
1. You have frequent headaches, where you were once an occasional sufferer.
2. Your mild headaches have become more intense.
3. You are awakened from your sleep by a headache.
4. There is a change in the pattern or nature of your headaches.
5. Your headaches are associated with fever, stiff neck, changes in sensation or vision, weakness, loss of co-ordination.

Depending on your condition your doctor might make you undergo a CT scan/MRI/blood tests/ spinal tap/kidney function test/ an eye examination/ X-ray of the sinuses, etc. There are various kinds and some are discussed as follows

1. MIGRAINE can be moderate to severe, lobbing and usually felt on one side of the head. It can last too many hours which is worsened by physical activity, light, sounds, and smells. It is often preceded by a sensation which includes mood changes, loss of appetite, nausea. Pain relievers such as paracetamol and anti-nausea medication helps. Follow doctor’s regimen faithfully. Try ultrasound physiotherapy, and Biofeedback.

2. CLUSTER HEADACHE or they are also called alarm clock or suicide headaches. It is accompanied by severe and piercing pain around a single eye which lasts for 15 minutes to 3 hours. One finds difficulty in lying down, and you pace with pain. It occur in clusters, separated by pain free periods and on the same side of the pain, the nostril runs, the eye waters, eyelid droops, lower eye area swells.

3. HYPERTENSION headaches occur with severe high blood pressure (over 160/110) that has been present for a long time. Throbbing occurs in spasms, felt at the back or top of head and is common in mornings. Do not self medicate with somebody else’s drugs.
Control with reduced intake of alcohol and salt.

4. EYE DISORDERS is also responsible for headaches. The pain is moderate to severe and is often worse after using the eyes. It is felt at the front of the head or in/over the both eyebrows. Treat with Steam inhalation. Hot towel over eyes to shrink and unblock sinuses may help.

5. BRAIN TUMOUR from mild to severe becomes progressively worse. It returns more and more often and becomes constant without relief. It becomes worse when lying down and can awaken you from sleep. A gradually growing tumor is more painful when you awaken. Treat with Drugs; surgery; radiation; chemotherapy.

6. BRAIN ABSCESS may be felt in one spot or over the whole head and the symptoms similar to brain tumor, except if it ruptures when meningitis occurs. Treat with antibiotics; surgery to drain abscess.