Headache is one of the most common health-related conditions, with around 15 per cent of us taking pain-relieving medication at any given time. It is likely that nearly all of us will experience this during our lifetime. It can affect people of all ages, but those between 25 and 44 years old are more likely to report experiencing them.

There are different types of headaches and many different causes, which explains why the condition is so common. There can be more than one contributing factor. Common headache triggers are often lifestyle-related, including poor diet, stress, muscle tension, and lack of exercise.

While serious underlying conditions, such as brain tumors, are rarely the cause, persistent headaches should always be evaluated by a doctor.

Types of Headache:

It can be categorized into two main types: primary and secondary .

Primary include cluster and tension headaches, while secondary are caused by an underlying condition, such as an infection, injury, or tumor, and are a symptom of the primary illness.

PAIN RECEPTORS AND HEADACHE

Pain occurs when different structures in your head become inflamed or irritated. These structures include:

• The muscles and skin of the head
• The nerves of the head and neck
• The arteries leading to the brain
• The membranes of the ear, nose and throat
• The sinuses, which are air-filled cavities inside the head that form part of the respiratory system.
• The sensation of pain can also be ‘referred’, which means that pain occurring in one area can transmit the feeling of pain to an area nearby. An example is the referred pain of headache arising from a sore neck.

CAUSES:

Anything that stimulates the pain receptors in a person’s head or neck can cause a headache, including:

1. Stress
2. Muscular tension
3. Dental or jaw problems
4. Infections
5. Diet
6. Eye problems
7. Hormonal influences
8. Medications
9. Disorders of the ear, nose or throat
10. Disorders of the nervous system
11. Injury to the head, neck or spine
12. High blood pressure
13. Poor posture – puts unnecessary strain on the muscles of the back and neck
14. The hangover from abuse of alcohol or drugs
15. Temperature – extremes of heat or cold
16. Dehydration – affects blood pressure
17. Noise – especially loud noises
18. Temporal arteritis – inflammation of the artery at the temple, most common in elderly people
19. Arthritis
20. Meningitis.