Symptoms

Headache
Sensitive to light
Pain that throbs or pulses
Pain in the affected area
Pain around temples and forehead
Pain
Dizziness
Blurred vision

What To Expect

Headaches do not always feel the same and are also experienced differently from person to person: for example, as dull and pressing or also stabbing, drilling or pulsating. Sometimes the whole head hurts, sometimes only one half of the skull or the temples. The headache may also change during an attack, for example from dull to throbbing. Depending on the type of headache, additional symptoms are possible: a migraine, for example, can be accompanied by nausea and temporary visual disturbances. Typical of cluster headaches are a runny nose on one side and a red, watery eye.

Made Worse By

People with primary headaches can try to track down possible triggers with the help of a pain diary. If you know them, you can try to avoid them in the future. It is also useful to write down when one takes painkillers to find out if this happens too often. This is because using painkillers too often can make headaches worse. Some people are also helped by endurance sports or relaxation exercises. In some circumstances, preventive medication may also be useful for severe symptoms - for example, beta blockers for migraines. Headaches can also be the result of dehydration. Thus, drinking water alone can relieve headaches.

How Common

Headaches are very common - in young and old people alike, in women and men. Depending on the type of headache, however, there are some differences in frequency. The gender ratio is also not always the same: for example, women get migraines more often than men, but cluster headaches are more common in men.

Diagnosed By

A detailed discussion with a doctor (anamnesis) is usually sufficient to obtain a diagnosis. The conversation is usually followed by a thorough physical examination. If questions remain unanswered after this, further measures may rarely be appropriate, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head.