A headache can be dull and throbbing, sharp and pinpointed, and last for a few minutes or a few days.1,2 There are three main types of headaches: tension, migraine and cluster headaches.1-3 Each may have its own causes and different symptoms. Working out which one you have can help when it comes to treating the symptoms and preventing future headaches. Talk to your doctor to be sure about what type of headache you are suffering from.
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are one of the most common types of headache.3 They can be caused by a tightening of the muscles of the neck and scalp.3 This muscle constriction may be triggered by a number of different physical or environmental factors, including stiffness in the muscles of the shoulders and neck as a result of stress or a poor posture.4
Tension headaches result in mild-to-moderate head pain and they can feel like a tight band of pressure around the head.1-3 These headaches are felt equally on both sides of the head, and are normally short lived.1,2 While uncomfortable and annoying, tension headaches are generally not severe enough to prevent daily activities such as walking.2
Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches differ from tension headaches in that the pain is usually restricted to one side of the head and may be described as throbbing, moderate to severe pain.1,2 Many migraine sufferers may become temporarily become sensitive to light and noise, and may also experience nausea and vomiting.1-3
Some migraine attacks are preceded by a visual aura that may include seeing flashes of light or blurred vision.1,2 Migraine headaches can last from a few hours to a few days, and attacks can be reoccurring.1 Migraines are also more common in women than men.1,3
Known triggers for migraine headaches are numerous and vary from person to person.3 Fortunately, identifying and managing these triggers can substantially reduce the number of migraines that a person will experience.2
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches are the least common type of headache, but arguably the most intense, and men are more likely to suffer from them than women.2,3 While their true cause is unknown, for some people they can be triggered by alcohol and cigarettes.3
The “cluster” of cluster headaches refers not to the location of the head pain, but rather to the grouping of the attacks in time.2 This is the main difference between cluster headaches and tension or migraine headaches—cluster headaches regularly recur over a certain period of time.2 People may have one to eight cluster headaches per day for several weeks or months (the “cluster” period).2 Attacks may then stop altogether, only to return at some later time.2
Cluster headaches bring intense pain, which is usually described as excruciating and localised to one eye.1,3 The pain comes on quickly on one side of the head, around and behind the eye, then worsens and may last from 15 minutes to three hours.1,2 Other symptoms include eye swelling, tearing and redness and blocked or runny nose only on the side of the head that is affected.1,2
