Headache: Causes,Types,Treatments, and eye-strain

Headache is one of our most common health complaints.  The multimillion dollar sales of over-the-counter pain relievers is proof of how many people suffer from headaches.

Most people know headaches are not usually serious, and are often caused by tension.  Most people also believe that many headaches are caused by improper eyeglasses causing eyestrain.

This is not true; eyestrain and vision problems are not major causes of headaches.

What causes most headaches?

Almost all headaches can be divided into the following groups: 

• Muscle Contraction;
• Migraine;
• Diseases of the head, eyes, ears, teeth, etc.

Muscle contraction headaches are by far the most common type.  The pain comes from the pulling of muscles in the neck and at the base of the head.

The pain is not felt in the place3 where the muscles are contracting.  Instead, it may be felt in areas such as the forehead, temples or around the eye.

This can lead to confusion about the cause of the pain, since the pain is located in the head, or even in the eyes.  However, the trouble usually originates in the neck muscles.

Muscles contraction headaches can result from temporary increases in tension in everyday life, such as stress at work or at home.  They may be a result of sleeping or working in a strange position, or a long period of close work.

Headache from muscle contractions is usually temporary and is often relieved by a simple over-the-counter pain reliever.

Some muscle contraction headaches occur because of arthritis in the neck.  Others may result from depression, or a chronic state of high tension or anxiety.

Migraine headaches are the next most common cause of headache.  Migraine headaches are caused by stretching of the blood vessels in the head.

About one person in ten suffers from migraine.  Some people seem to have a tendency to have migraine headaches, and migraine headaches can run in families.  Even young children may have migraine headaches.

Migraine can produce different symptoms in different people.  Migraine can cause:

• Several very brief, severe headaches occurring close together;
• A visual display without headache;
• A severe headache without other symptoms.

However, there are some common features of migraine headache:

• The pain is not usually continuous;
• It is often more severe on one side of the head;
• It is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting;
• It is not often associated with serious complications.

Migraine may occur with a sudden increase or decrease in stress level.  For example, a person entertaining an unwelcome guest, or a hardworking executive who begins an overdue vacation, may experience a migraine.

Diseases are the least common cause of headache.

Headaches caused by eye disease are usually felt in the eye or in the brow on the side where the disease occurs.  These headaches are often associated with some other symptom, such as: 

• blurred vision;
• Haloes around lights;
• Extreme sensitivity to light.

Headaches may also be caused by high blood pressure.  A blood pressure measurement is helpful in evaluating any lasting or recurring headache.  However, there are many people with high blood pressure who do not have headaches.

Headache caused by brain tumor or disease is rare, and the pain may have several unique characteristics:

• It may appear quite suddenly, or as an increasingly severe headache pattern over weeks or months;
• The intensity of the headache may change depending on body position, sometimes becoming unusually severe when the head is down;
• It is often associated with other symptoms such as numbness, dizziness, weakness or seizures;
• Such headaches tend to become dramatically worse with the passage of time.

How is the cause of a headache diagnosed?

Because headache is such a common problem, a thorough medical examination by your family physician is advisable for any chronic or recurring headache.  An eye exam may be helpful in some cases.

You can help your physician determine whether your headache is a symptom of disease by describing your symptoms, noting when the headaches occur and providing a complete medical history, including any family history of recurring headaches.

How are headaches treated?

Headache treatment depends on its cause.  If serious medical disease is found, it needs to be treated.  If depression or anxiety is the cause, a referral may be made to a family physician or psychiatrist.

If migraine or tension is responsible, an accurate diagnosis can be reassuring, and your physician's suggestions for medication, self-help and assistance are the best solutions.

If your physician determines that your headache is not a symptom of a disease, what you tell your physician about your headaches can help your physician design a treatment program that is right for you.

Are headaches ever caused by eyestrain?

Almost all headaches are made worse by lengthy use of the eyes, but those that are caused by eyestrain appear only when you have used your eyes for a long period of time.

Because headaches often produce symptoms which suggest that the eyes are at fault, many people who suffer from chronic headaches feel the need to have their eyes examined.  Our Doctors can be of help in diagnosing the cause of headache, even though headaches are infrequently caused by eye disease or the need for glasses.

If eye disease is present, our Doctors will be able to diagnose and treat the problem.  If there is an indication of an unusual medical cause for the headache, further testing or referral to another medical specialist may be advisable.