| So you have plenty of headaches, but how do | | | | responsible for the migraine cascade. Once this |
| you find out what causes headaches? There is so | | | | starts up, the migraine may be only minutes to |
| much information available on the internet, but | | | | hours away. |
| unfortunately, if it hasn't been written by a | | | | Secondary Headache |
| headache specialist or reviewed by a doctor, it | | | | Secondary headache is a group that is more |
| probably has some misleading ideas. Headaches in | | | | easily definable. These are headaches that are |
| general are divided into two categories: primary | | | | caused by an underlying medical condition such as |
| and secondary. | | | | diabetes (hypoglycemic headache), hypertension, |
| Primary Headache | | | | lupus, anemia and hypothyroidism. Headache |
| Primary headaches are those where the | | | | associated with brain tumor or meningitis is also in |
| headache itself is the cause of the pain not some | | | | this group. With secondary headaches, the head |
| underlying medical condition. The majority (90%) | | | | pain is not the main problem, but presents as part |
| of all headaches that come into a doctor's office | | | | of a constellation of symptoms. The underlying |
| are from primary causes such as migraine, cluster | | | | diagnosis is considered the true problem. Lab work |
| and tension headaches. Tension headache may be | | | | and other studies do show an abnormality here |
| episodic or chronic. Usually, these headaches are | | | | and the physical exam may also be abnormal. |
| not associated with structural brain problems | | | | Diabetes, tumors and meningitis may have what |
| although numbness, tingling, and dizziness may | | | | we call 'neurological signs' such as loss of feeling, |
| occur with these headaches. Imaging studies, such | | | | weakness, slurring of speech, neck pain and |
| as CT scans and MRIs of the brain, and blood | | | | cognitive difficulties. |
| work are usually also normal. | | | | It is vital for practitioners to listen to you the |
| When I examine a patient with one of these | | | | patient when headaches are part of the complaint. |
| types of headaches, the exam is also usually | | | | Be sure to tell your doctor about the nature, |
| normal. Tension headache patients may, however, | | | | timing and severity of your headaches. Let them |
| have cervical spasming which can also cause | | | | know too, what makes them better or worse. |
| headaches such as migraine. In this case, the | | | | Treatment of the underlying condition will not only |
| spasming of the neck muscles causes a feedback | | | | relieve the headaches, but in some cases may |
| system through the cervical spine to activate. | | | | also save your life. |
| This sends signals to the central part of the brain | | | | |