Migraine & Headache Specialist Centre

Migraines

If you feel throbbing that begins on one side and causes nausea or sound/light sensitivity, you may have a migraine. Visual disturbances, such as flickering points of light, may precede this type of headache. You may also notice:

• Moderate to severe pain (often described as pounding, throbbing pain) that can affect the whole head, or can shift from one side of the head to the other
• Sensitivity to light, noise or odors
• Blurred vision
• Nausea or vomiting, stomach upset, abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• Sensations of being very warm or cold
• Paleness
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Fever (rare)
• Bright flashing dots or lights, blind spots, wavy or jagged lines (aura)

Sinus Headaches

If you feel a steady pain in the area behind your face that gets worse if you bend forward and if you also have nasal congestion; you may have a sinus headache. This type can lead to:

• Deep and constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose
• Pain that gets worse with sudden head movement or straining
• Pain along with other sinus symptoms, like nasal discharge, a feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and facial swelling.

Tension Headaches

If you feel a dull, steady pain that feels like a band tightening around your head, you may have a tension headache. There are different types:

Episodic Tension Headaches (occur less than 15 days per month)

• Pain is mild to moderate, constant band-like pain or pressure
• Pain affects the front, top or sides of the head.
• Pain usually begins gradually, and often occurs in the middle of the day
• Pain may last from 30 minutes to several days

Chronic Tension Headaches (occur more than 15 days per month)

• Pain may vary in intensity throughout the day, but the pain is almost always present
• Pain comes and goes over a prolonged period of time

Associated Symptoms of Tension Headaches include:

• Headache upon awakening
• Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
• Chronic fatigue
• Irritability
• Disturbed concentration
• Mild sensitivity to light or noise
• General muscle aching

Cluster Headaches

With this type of headache, you’ll probably notice:

• Intense pain on one side of your head. People often describe it asburning, piercing, throbbing, or constant
• Pain behind or around one eye  that doesn’t change sides.
• Pain lasts a short time, generally 30 to 90 minutes (but can last for three hours); the headache will disappear, only to recur later that day (most sufferers get one to three headaches and some up to eight per day during a cluster period).
• Headaches occur very regularly, generally at the same time each day, and they often awaken the person at the same time during the night.