How To Cure A Headache: Headache Causes, Types and Treatment

How many times have we simply shrugged off headache as something that will simply pass? Or regarded it as a minor discomfort that can easily be addressed by knocking down a pill of aspirin?

We often fail to consider what the headache cause is until it becomes chronic and debilitating, and during those times we find it difficult to pin point even which part of our head radiates the pain. Headache is not centered on the brain, as oppose to what most people believe. As a matter of fact, the brain is not sensitive to pain because it does not have nociceptors. Nociceptors are sensory receptors that identify potentially damaging stimuli, which then causes the perception of pain.

So what causes headache if not our brains?

Our head, more than just being the encasement of our brain, has various bones, muscles, tissues, blood vessels, nerves and organs like the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. These components of the brain are pain-sensitive and can be categorized as within the cranium (inside the skull) or outside the cranium (outside the skull). These pain-sensitive components, under certain conditions, are the ones that initiate the pain sensation we commonly refer to as headaches.

Headaches are commonly classified by its causes, symptoms and treatment.

Tension headache, migraine headache, cluster headache are classified as primary types of headache. Tension headache, being the most common type of headache, can be found in 90% of adults. This is caused by the build up of tension, due to stress and other factors, in the muscles surrounding our head.

Migraine headache is caused by the enlargement of the blood vessels constricting nerves that are coiled around these vessels. These nerves then release chemicals causes inflammation, pain and further enlargement of blood vessels. This type of headache is affecting 12% of the people of the United States.

Cluster headache, on the other hand is a rare type of headache which affects about 0.1% of the population. This type of headache is more painful compared to migraine and tension headaches. The cause of this type of headache is not yet identified.

There are other types of headache which may be brought by structural problems in areas of the neck or the head. These types of headaches are referred to as Secondary headaches. On the other hand, headaches caused by the inflammation of the nerves in the head and upper neck, as well as facial pains, are considered as the third type of headaches.

How to cure a headache

The easiest approach on how to cure a headache is by addressing the pain. Most of the available over the counter (OTC) medication suppresses pain hormones but does not deal with the primary headache cause.

Headache treatment depends variably on the diagnosis of the type of headache that one is having. For instance, tension headaches can be relieved through proper stretching or massaging of the affected muscle region usually found in the upper neck, or by simply drinking water. OTC drug such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen are the common prescribed medication for tension headaches. Other types of headache treatment may encompass corrective surgery for structural problems that may be found in the head or the neck.

Acupuncture also has been found effective in relieving chronic migraine and tension type headaches. Other alternative methods of relieving tension headaches include undergoing chiropractic or massage therapies.