The 11 types of headache and their characteristics

The different types of headache are a common ailment. We explain and classify them.

Headaches are one of the most frequent causes of medical visits, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, they are not all the same. There are headaches caused by disease, others that arise from stress, and those of a genetic type, better known as migraine.

In this article we will review the different types of headache and their characteristics.

Primary and secondary headache

Headaches cause great suffering to the sufferer, but they are not all the same and can be classified into two categories. It is possible to differentiate two main types of headache: primary and secondary headaches..

When we speak of primary headaches we are referring to the fact that the headache itself is the disease. This is not the case with secondary headaches, in which the headache is the consequence of another disease, for example, the flu or a brain tumor.

Types of headache

But, going into detail, what types of headache are there and what are their characteristics? According to the classification of the International Headache Society (ICHD-3), the types of headache are:

Primary headaches

There are several types of primary headaches; they are the following:

1. tension headache

Tension headache is a very common type of headache, in which a person has oppressive pain, i.e., pressure in the head. Unlike other types of headache, the pain usually affects both halves of the head. usually affects both halves of the head..

Its causes can be varied: stress, fatigue, anxiety, excess of coffee or tobacco. It can occur at any age, but is more common in adolescents and adults.

Migraine

Migraine and tension headache account for 95% of primary headaches.So if you are in doubt about what is happening to you, this is most likely the phenomenon taking place in your body, unless the symptoms are very different from what is listed here. It usually appears as recurrent attacks of headache on one side of the head, which can vary in frequency, intensity and duration. In addition, they usually occur together with nausea, vomiting and discomfort towards light and noise. Migraine is genetic in origin and is both a chronic and episodic condition.

• There are different types of migraine. If you are interested, you can learn about them in this article: "The 7 types of migraine (characteristics and causes)".

3. Primary migraine headache

This type of headache appears as a consequence of coughing, although it can also occur by other valsalva maneuvers, i.e., by exhaling air with the glottis closed or with the mouth and nose closed.. Thus, it is the product of an action that is repeated over and over again, without us realizing it, in the case of a bad habit, or occasionally due to a sudden alteration in our condition.

For example, by sneezing, laughing, bending over, crying, strength training with weights, etc. It usually comes on suddenly just after the coughing spell and may affect one or both parts of the head. The pain may be oppressive or stabbing and the duration and intensity may vary from case to case.

4. Primary exertional headache

This type of headache is caused by prolonged physical exertion.. It seems to be more frequent in men and neither the type of exercise nor the physical condition of the subject influences its onset.

The sufferer usually presents bilateral and throbbing pain that sometimes appears together with nausea and vomiting. It usually begins at the time of maximum physical exertion and partially improves at the same time that physical activity ceases.

5. Headache associated with sexual activity

This type of headache has its origin in intimate relations.. The symptomatology appears bilaterally and the pain may vary in form: oppressive, throbbing, pulsating. It may be accompanied by tachycardia, hot flashes, nausea, facial flushing and even dizziness. It usually lasts 30 to 60 minutes and may occur before orgasm, during orgasm or after orgasm.

6. Primary thunderclap headache

Like the two previous ones, it can begin after high intensity physical exertion or intimate relations. However, it is a type of headache, it is a type of explosive headache, which has an abrupt onset and reaches its maximum intensity in the first few minutes after the onset of the headache.. Its intensity is moderate-severe and although it can occur anywhere in the head, it is usually located occipitally. Occasionally, it occurs together with sensitivity to light and sound and together with nausea and vomiting.

7. Cryostimulus headache

The cause of this type of headache is coming into contact with something cold, either inhaled, inhalation, ingestion or ingestion.either inhaled, ingested or placed on the external part of the head. Therefore, it can appear, for example, after exposure to a cold environment or when getting into water with a very low temperature. The pain is localized in the forehead, specifically in the middle area, is throbbing and of short duration. It is usually common in patients suffering from migraine.

8. External pressure headache

This headache appears due to the compression of the head in an uninterrupted way, specifically in the soft parts of the head.specifically in the pericranial soft tissues. For example, by wearing a helmet, a cap or glasses.

The pain appears at the point where the external compression occurs. It usually subsides within 60 minutes after release of the compression that caused it.

9. Primary throbbing headache

The primary throbbing headache, as its name indicates, presents a pain of a stabbing type, generally intense and of specific localization (frontal or temporal). (frontal or temporal), although they can also change location. It appears spontaneously when performing certain maneuvers, for example, head movements, changes in posture, etc.

10. Nummular headache

This type of headache is localized only on the scalp and is chronic in nature.. Its duration can be variable, and the pain appears with a number of characteristics: coin-shaped, with a perfect contour, a round, fixed size and 1-6 cm in diameter.

10 Hypnic headache

Appears during sleep (nocturnal and naps) and interrupts sleep. It usually appears in people over 50 years of age, although occasionally younger people may suffer from it. It lasts approximately half an hour to 3 hours and the pain can be of many types.

11. De novo persistent daily headache

This type of headache is also is also known as chronic daily headache of recent onset and is quite unusual. The symptoms may be similar to those of migraine or tension headache, although the symptoms often resemble tension headache. It comes on suddenly, with symptoms occurring daily and uninterrupted.

Secondary headaches

As has been said, these headaches are secondary to another pathology. There are several types:

• Headache attributed to cranial or cervical trauma.These are the most common, and may appear after a trauma or whiplash to the neck. It occurs alone with the headache or together with other symptoms: dizziness, lack of concentration or motor slowing.
• Headache attributed to cranial and/or cervical vascular disorder.It usually appears together with vascular or cervical disorders, for example, a stroke.
• Headache attributed to non-vascular intracranial disorder.The cause is other intracranial disorders that do not belong to the previous group.
• Headache attributed to the administration or suppression of a substance.Due to the use of drugs or withdrawal of these.
• Headache attributed to infectionThe cause is an infection, for example, the flu.
• Headache attributed to homeostasis disorder.This type of headache occurs in conjunction with a homeostasis disorder, e.g., high-altitude headache, immersion headache or sleep apnea headache.
• Headache or facial pain attributed to a skull disorder.headache, neck, eyes, ears, nose, sinuses, teeth, mouth or other facial or cranial structures.
• Headache attributed to psychiatric disorderPsychiatric disorders may be, for example, depression or anxiety.

What to do to cope with the headache?

Since there are many types of headache, there is no universal solution to alleviate its symptoms and, in particular, the discomfort it causes. On the other hand, there is no "cure" for these situations, since the headache is a manifestation of an underlying problem.

Once it has appeared, there is little that can be done to make the pain go away automatically. What can be done is to intervene on the underlying problem and make it less likely that the headache will recur; for example, by improving diet, getting more rest, resting your eyesight, etc. In any case it is necessary to have medical supervision and diagnosis of what is happening in order to attack the root cause..