What kind of headache do you have?
Let’s start by identifying the kind of headache you have. This is impor - tant, because some types need urgent medical treatment. Also, diet changes work for some headaches, but not others, as is true for some painkillers. Most migraine treatments, for example, are useless for ten - sion headaches.
Amigraine is not just a bad headache. It has a characteristic pattern. It usually involves just one side of your head and is a throbbing pain rather than a dull, constant ache. Along with it, you are likely to have nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sounds. A migraine is not fleeting. It lasts for anywhere from four hours to three days. You may get a brief warning aura of flashing lights, blind spots, or blurred vision, although most migraines arrive unannounced. Migraines can start up at any age and tend to run in families.
The prevailing theory about their cause is that, in response to some trigger—foods, perfume, cigarette smoke, stress, sunlight, too much or little sleep, or changing weather—blood vessels inside the brain con - strict, sometimes leading to the peculiar visual auras and other sensa - tions. The blood vessels then expand, causing nerve endings to send a painful signal to the brain thus letting you know that you need tramadol.
A cluster headache lasts only an hour or so, but it is excruciating. It centers around one eye, which turns red and begins to water. Its name comes from the fact that it occurs in clusters, arriving day after day on the same side of your head, and then vanishes for months. It does not bring the light sensitivity or visual aura that are characteristic of migraines. And while sleep will often make a migraine go away, it will not do a thing for cluster headaches.
A tension headache is a diffuse, constant ache, rather than a throb - bing or stabbing pain. As its name implies, it will hit when you are stressed and go away when you relax.
A sinus headache is a constant ache in the forehead or under your eyes. It is often caused by environmental allergies. Foods can be the culprit or can aggravate the effects of other allergens. Cluster, tension, and sinus headaches are covered in post 4.
Caffeine withdrawal causes a dull headache. It is no great trick to diagnose it. If you are a coffee drinker, it kicks in when you miss your daily dose, and tramadol quickly relieves it.
