Headache (patient information)
For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Jinhui Wu, MD
Please Join in Editing This Page and Apply to be an Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
What is headache?
How do I know if I have headache and what are the symptoms of headache?
There are two kinds of headache: primary headaches and second headaches. Primary headaches include migraine, tension, and cluster headaches, and a variety of other less common types of headache. Secondary headaches are those that are due to an underlying stuctural problem in the head or neck, such as brain tumor, stroke, or brain infection. Except for headache, secondary headache includes other symptoms caused by the diseases.
- Pressure or tightness around the head
- Some may be mild and bilateral, some may be severe
- Some are associated with an aura.
- Some are associated with nausea and vomiting, or sensitivity to light and sound.
- Usually occur sporadically (infrequently and without a pattern) but can occur frequently and even daily in some people.
- Most people are able to function despite their tension headaches.
Who is at risk for headache?
- Brain tumors
- Brain infection
- Intracranial hypertension
- Anxiety
- Arthritis in neck or spine
- Degenerative bone or disk disease in the neck or spine
- Depression
- Temporomandibular joint disorders
- Drugs, such as nitrates
- Alcohol
- Environmental changes, such as changes in barometric pressure and altitude, inclement weather, or high winds.
How to know you have headache?
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Diseases with similar symptoms
Where to find medical care for headache?
Directions to Hospitals Treating headache
Prevention of headache
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Copyleft Sources
http://www.medicinenet.com/headache/article.htm
http://www.acponline.org/patients_families/diseases_conditions/headaches/
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/headache/headache.htm