Headache, cluster
A distinctive episodic syndrome of headaches. The most common cluster headache pattern, acute cluster headache, is characterized by one to three short attacks of pain each day around the eyes, clustered over a stretch of 1 to 2 months, and followed by a pain-free period that averages 1 year. The other main pattern of cluster headache, chronic or episodic cluster headache, is characterized by the absence of sustained periods of remission, with pain occurring out of the blue or emerging several years after an episodic pattern. Cluster headache is different and distinct from migraine, although the underlying mechanisms are similar. For example, propranolol is effective in treating migraine but not in treating cluster headache, whereas lithium is beneficial for cluster headache but not migraine. Also known as ciliary neuralgia, erythroprosopalgia, histamine cephalgia, migrainous neuralgia, Raeder syndrome, sphenopalatine neuralgia, and vidian neuralgia.
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A headache associated with fever. Because febrile headache can sometimes indicate serious conditions such as inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), a person who is suffering from a febrile headache should immediately seek medical attention.
- Headache, rebound
A headache experienced by someone who has taken pain relievers for migraines or other health conditions and has built up a tolerance for these medications. Often a rebound headache occurs right after the medication wears off. Treatment involves using the medication less frequently or switching to a different pain reliever.
- Headache, sinus
A headache caused by pressure within the sinus cavities of the head, usually in connection with sinus infection. The sufferer has pain and tenderness in the sinus area, discharge from the nose, and sometimes a swollen face. Treatment involves treating the underlying condition, which is often an allergy, and using nasal vasoconstrictors and analgesic medications.
- Headache, tension
A headache caused by contracting of the muscles in the back of the neck, on the scalp, and sometimes in the jaw. Tension headaches are usually related to stress. Treatment is via stress reduction, massage, and analgesic medication, such as aspirin (in adults only), acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium. Analgesics containing caffeine may be stronger. […]
- Headache, vascular
A group of headaches felt to involve abnormal sensitivity of the blood vessels (arteries) in the brain to various triggers, resulting in rapid changes in the artery size due to spasm (constriction). Other arteries in the brain and scalp then open (dilate), and throbbing pain is perceived in the head. Migraine headaches are the most […]