\n
Headache is one of the most prevalent types of pain, and it is usually not a symptom of a serious underlying condition. The pain arises from tension in the meninges, which are the membranes surrounding the brain, as well as from the blood vessels and muscles of the scalp.<\/p>\n
\n
Headache can be experienced throughout the entire head or be limited to one side, the forehead, or the back of the neck. Occasionally, the pain might shift from one area to another. The nature of headache pain can vary, ranging from superficial, throbbing, to sharp, and it may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and visual or sensory disturbances.<\/p>\n
\n
Many headaches are merely a reaction to adverse stimuli, such as hunger, and they often resolve quickly. Tension headaches, caused by tightening of facial, neck, and scalp muscles due to stress or poor posture, are also prevalent and may persist for days or weeks. Migraine, on the other hand, can be a severe and incapacitating headache, preceded or accompanied by visual and\/or stomach disturbances. Cluster headaches result in intense pain behind one eye.<\/p>\n
\n
Headaches can result from various common causes, such as hangovers and exposure to noisy or stuffy environments. Overusing painkillers can also lead to headaches. Additionally, sinusitis, toothache, cervical osteoarthritis, and head injuries are potential triggers. Certain food additives may contribute to headaches as well. Among the less frequent causes are brain tumors, hypertension (high blood pressure), temporal arteritis (inflammation of arteries in the face, neck, and scalp), aneurysms (ballooning of blood vessels), and increased pressure within the skull.<\/p>\n
\n
For most headaches, painkillers and rest can provide relief. However, if there is a suspicion of a neurological cause, CT scanning or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be conducted to investigate further.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pain in the cranial region that may occur as an isolated and benign symptom or as a manifestation of a wide variety of conditions including subarachnoid hemorrhage; craniocerebral trauma; central nervous system infections; intracranial hypertension; and other disorders. In general, recurrent headaches that are not associated with a primary disease process are referred to as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-h"],"yoast_head":"\n
Headache - Definition of Headache<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pain in the cranial region that may occur as an isolated and benign symptom or as a manifestation of a wide variety of conditions including subarachnoid hemorrhage; craniocerebral trauma; central nervous system infections; intracranial hypertension; and other disorders. In general, recurrent headaches that are not associated with a primary disease process are referred to as headache disorders (e.g., migraine).A pain in the head, caused by changes in pressure in the blood vessels feeding the brain which act on the nerves.Pain, ranging from mild to severe, that occurs in the head. There are many causes of headache, and treatment depends on the cause. Also called cephalgia.Pain in the head. About 7 of 10 people get headaches. A headache may be located in any part of the head and may even extend to the neck. The problem can be acute (short and isolated) or chronic (persistent or long- lasting). Most headaches are painful and annoying but can be easily relieved with aspirin or acetaminophen. However, in some cases head pain becomes severe and debilitating, and on rare occasions a headache is a symptom of a serious underlying medical problem.Pain felt deep within the skull. Most headaches are caused by emotional stress or fatigue but some are symptoms of serious intracranial disease.A very common condition which may vary considerably in severity, type, significance and cause. Most headaches do not represent alarming disease and may merely indicate a common cold or tiredness. However, persistent or recurrent headaches should always be taken seriously. Although the brain itself is insensitive to pain, the surrounding membranes meninges are very sensitive, and changes in intracranial arteries, or spasm of the neck or scalp muscles, which may occur for various reasons, may cause considerable pain. In most cases a clinical diagnosis should be possible: further investigations should only be necessary following head injury; if headaches recur; or if neurological signs such as drowsiness, vomiting, confusion, seizures or focal signs develop.Pain felt in the forehead, eyes, jaws, temples, scalp, skull, occiput, or neck. Headache is exceptionally common; it affects almost every person at some time. From a clinical perspective, benign HA must be distinguished from HA that may be life threatening. Types of benign HA include tension, migraine, cluster, sinus, and environmentally induced (e.g., \u201cice cream\u201d HA or \u201ccaffeine-withdrawal\u201d HA). Life-threatening HA may becaused by rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemorrhagic stroke, cranial trauma, encephalitis, meningitis, brain tumors, or brain abscesses.Headache is one of the most prevalent types of pain, and it is usually not a symptom of a serious underlying condition. The pain arises from tension in the meninges, which are the membranes surrounding the brain, as well as from the blood vessels and muscles of the scalp.Headache can be experienced throughout the entire head or be limited to one side, the forehead, or the back of the neck. Occasionally, the pain might shift from one area to another. The nature of headache pain can vary, ranging from superficial, throbbing, to sharp, and it may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and visual or sensory disturbances.Many headaches are merely a reaction to adverse stimuli, such as hunger, and they often resolve quickly. Tension headaches, caused by tightening of facial, neck, and scalp muscles due to stress or poor posture, are also prevalent and may persist for days or weeks. Migraine, on the other hand, can be a severe and incapacitating headache, preceded or accompanied by visual and\/or stomach disturbances. Cluster headaches result in intense pain behind one eye.Headaches can result from various common causes, such as hangovers and exposure to noisy or stuffy environments. Overusing painkillers can also lead to headaches. Additionally, sinusitis, toothache, cervical osteoarthritis, and head injuries are potential triggers. Certain food additives may contribute to headaches as well. Among the less frequent causes are brain tumors, hypertension (high blood pressure), temporal arteritis (inflammation of arteries in the face, neck, and scalp), aneurysms (ballooning of blood vessels), and increased pressure within the skull.For most headaches, painkillers and rest can provide relief. However, if there is a suspicion of a neurological cause, CT scanning or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be conducted to investigate further.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Headache - Definition of Headache\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pain in the cranial region that may occur as an isolated and benign symptom or as a manifestation of a wide variety of conditions including subarachnoid hemorrhage; craniocerebral trauma; central nervous system infections; intracranial hypertension; and other disorders. In general, recurrent headaches that are not associated with a primary disease process are referred to as headache disorders (e.g., migraine).A pain in the head, caused by changes in pressure in the blood vessels feeding the brain which act on the nerves.Pain, ranging from mild to severe, that occurs in the head. There are many causes of headache, and treatment depends on the cause. Also called cephalgia.Pain in the head. About 7 of 10 people get headaches. A headache may be located in any part of the head and may even extend to the neck. The problem can be acute (short and isolated) or chronic (persistent or long- lasting). Most headaches are painful and annoying but can be easily relieved with aspirin or acetaminophen. However, in some cases head pain becomes severe and debilitating, and on rare occasions a headache is a symptom of a serious underlying medical problem.Pain felt deep within the skull. Most headaches are caused by emotional stress or fatigue but some are symptoms of serious intracranial disease.A very common condition which may vary considerably in severity, type, significance and cause. Most headaches do not represent alarming disease and may merely indicate a common cold or tiredness. However, persistent or recurrent headaches should always be taken seriously. Although the brain itself is insensitive to pain, the surrounding membranes meninges are very sensitive, and changes in intracranial arteries, or spasm of the neck or scalp muscles, which may occur for various reasons, may cause considerable pain. In most cases a clinical diagnosis should be possible: further investigations should only be necessary following head injury; if headaches recur; or if neurological signs such as drowsiness, vomiting, confusion, seizures or focal signs develop.Pain felt in the forehead, eyes, jaws, temples, scalp, skull, occiput, or neck. Headache is exceptionally common; it affects almost every person at some time. From a clinical perspective, benign HA must be distinguished from HA that may be life threatening. Types of benign HA include tension, migraine, cluster, sinus, and environmentally induced (e.g., \u201cice cream\u201d HA or \u201ccaffeine-withdrawal\u201d HA). Life-threatening HA may becaused by rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemorrhagic stroke, cranial trauma, encephalitis, meningitis, brain tumors, or brain abscesses.Headache is one of the most prevalent types of pain, and it is usually not a symptom of a serious underlying condition. The pain arises from tension in the meninges, which are the membranes surrounding the brain, as well as from the blood vessels and muscles of the scalp.Headache can be experienced throughout the entire head or be limited to one side, the forehead, or the back of the neck. Occasionally, the pain might shift from one area to another. The nature of headache pain can vary, ranging from superficial, throbbing, to sharp, and it may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and visual or sensory disturbances.Many headaches are merely a reaction to adverse stimuli, such as hunger, and they often resolve quickly. Tension headaches, caused by tightening of facial, neck, and scalp muscles due to stress or poor posture, are also prevalent and may persist for days or weeks. Migraine, on the other hand, can be a severe and incapacitating headache, preceded or accompanied by visual and\/or stomach disturbances. Cluster headaches result in intense pain behind one eye.Headaches can result from various common causes, such as hangovers and exposure to noisy or stuffy environments. Overusing painkillers can also lead to headaches. Additionally, sinusitis, toothache, cervical osteoarthritis, and head injuries are potential triggers. Certain food additives may contribute to headaches as well. Among the less frequent causes are brain tumors, hypertension (high blood pressure), temporal arteritis (inflammation of arteries in the face, neck, and scalp), aneurysms (ballooning of blood vessels), and increased pressure within the skull.For most headaches, painkillers and rest can provide relief. However, if there is a suspicion of a neurological cause, CT scanning or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be conducted to investigate further.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Glossary\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-06-24T05:12:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-08-01T10:57:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Glossary\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Glossary\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/\",\"name\":\"Headache - Definition of Headache\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-06-24T05:12:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-01T10:57:14+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/#\/schema\/person\/ccfef987a4882e6356ae6d77d33e74c5\"},\"description\":\"Pain in the cranial region that may occur as an isolated and benign symptom or as a manifestation of a wide variety of conditions including subarachnoid hemorrhage; craniocerebral trauma; central nervous system infections; intracranial hypertension; and other disorders. In general, recurrent headaches that are not associated with a primary disease process are referred to as headache disorders (e.g., migraine).A pain in the head, caused by changes in pressure in the blood vessels feeding the brain which act on the nerves.Pain, ranging from mild to severe, that occurs in the head. There are many causes of headache, and treatment depends on the cause. Also called cephalgia.Pain in the head. About 7 of 10 people get headaches. A headache may be located in any part of the head and may even extend to the neck. The problem can be acute (short and isolated) or chronic (persistent or long- lasting). Most headaches are painful and annoying but can be easily relieved with aspirin or acetaminophen. However, in some cases head pain becomes severe and debilitating, and on rare occasions a headache is a symptom of a serious underlying medical problem.Pain felt deep within the skull. Most headaches are caused by emotional stress or fatigue but some are symptoms of serious intracranial disease.A very common condition which may vary considerably in severity, type, significance and cause. Most headaches do not represent alarming disease and may merely indicate a common cold or tiredness. However, persistent or recurrent headaches should always be taken seriously. Although the brain itself is insensitive to pain, the surrounding membranes meninges are very sensitive, and changes in intracranial arteries, or spasm of the neck or scalp muscles, which may occur for various reasons, may cause considerable pain. In most cases a clinical diagnosis should be possible: further investigations should only be necessary following head injury; if headaches recur; or if neurological signs such as drowsiness, vomiting, confusion, seizures or focal signs develop.Pain felt in the forehead, eyes, jaws, temples, scalp, skull, occiput, or neck. Headache is exceptionally common; it affects almost every person at some time. From a clinical perspective, benign HA must be distinguished from HA that may be life threatening. Types of benign HA include tension, migraine, cluster, sinus, and environmentally induced (e.g., \u201cice cream\u201d HA or \u201ccaffeine-withdrawal\u201d HA). Life-threatening HA may becaused by rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemorrhagic stroke, cranial trauma, encephalitis, meningitis, brain tumors, or brain abscesses.Headache is one of the most prevalent types of pain, and it is usually not a symptom of a serious underlying condition. The pain arises from tension in the meninges, which are the membranes surrounding the brain, as well as from the blood vessels and muscles of the scalp.Headache can be experienced throughout the entire head or be limited to one side, the forehead, or the back of the neck. Occasionally, the pain might shift from one area to another. The nature of headache pain can vary, ranging from superficial, throbbing, to sharp, and it may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and visual or sensory disturbances.Many headaches are merely a reaction to adverse stimuli, such as hunger, and they often resolve quickly. Tension headaches, caused by tightening of facial, neck, and scalp muscles due to stress or poor posture, are also prevalent and may persist for days or weeks. Migraine, on the other hand, can be a severe and incapacitating headache, preceded or accompanied by visual and\/or stomach disturbances. Cluster headaches result in intense pain behind one eye.Headaches can result from various common causes, such as hangovers and exposure to noisy or stuffy environments. Overusing painkillers can also lead to headaches. Additionally, sinusitis, toothache, cervical osteoarthritis, and head injuries are potential triggers. Certain food additives may contribute to headaches as well. Among the less frequent causes are brain tumors, hypertension (high blood pressure), temporal arteritis (inflammation of arteries in the face, neck, and scalp), aneurysms (ballooning of blood vessels), and increased pressure within the skull.For most headaches, painkillers and rest can provide relief. 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In general, recurrent headaches that are not associated with a primary disease process are referred to as headache disorders (e.g., migraine).A pain in the head, caused by changes in pressure in the blood vessels feeding the brain which act on the nerves.Pain, ranging from mild to severe, that occurs in the head. There are many causes of headache, and treatment depends on the cause. Also called cephalgia.Pain in the head. About 7 of 10 people get headaches. A headache may be located in any part of the head and may even extend to the neck. The problem can be acute (short and isolated) or chronic (persistent or long- lasting). Most headaches are painful and annoying but can be easily relieved with aspirin or acetaminophen. However, in some cases head pain becomes severe and debilitating, and on rare occasions a headache is a symptom of a serious underlying medical problem.Pain felt deep within the skull. Most headaches are caused by emotional stress or fatigue but some are symptoms of serious intracranial disease.A very common condition which may vary considerably in severity, type, significance and cause. Most headaches do not represent alarming disease and may merely indicate a common cold or tiredness. However, persistent or recurrent headaches should always be taken seriously. Although the brain itself is insensitive to pain, the surrounding membranes meninges are very sensitive, and changes in intracranial arteries, or spasm of the neck or scalp muscles, which may occur for various reasons, may cause considerable pain. In most cases a clinical diagnosis should be possible: further investigations should only be necessary following head injury; if headaches recur; or if neurological signs such as drowsiness, vomiting, confusion, seizures or focal signs develop.Pain felt in the forehead, eyes, jaws, temples, scalp, skull, occiput, or neck. Headache is exceptionally common; it affects almost every person at some time. From a clinical perspective, benign HA must be distinguished from HA that may be life threatening. Types of benign HA include tension, migraine, cluster, sinus, and environmentally induced (e.g., \u201cice cream\u201d HA or \u201ccaffeine-withdrawal\u201d HA). Life-threatening HA may becaused by rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemorrhagic stroke, cranial trauma, encephalitis, meningitis, brain tumors, or brain abscesses.Headache is one of the most prevalent types of pain, and it is usually not a symptom of a serious underlying condition. The pain arises from tension in the meninges, which are the membranes surrounding the brain, as well as from the blood vessels and muscles of the scalp.Headache can be experienced throughout the entire head or be limited to one side, the forehead, or the back of the neck. Occasionally, the pain might shift from one area to another. The nature of headache pain can vary, ranging from superficial, throbbing, to sharp, and it may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and visual or sensory disturbances.Many headaches are merely a reaction to adverse stimuli, such as hunger, and they often resolve quickly. Tension headaches, caused by tightening of facial, neck, and scalp muscles due to stress or poor posture, are also prevalent and may persist for days or weeks. Migraine, on the other hand, can be a severe and incapacitating headache, preceded or accompanied by visual and\/or stomach disturbances. Cluster headaches result in intense pain behind one eye.Headaches can result from various common causes, such as hangovers and exposure to noisy or stuffy environments. Overusing painkillers can also lead to headaches. Additionally, sinusitis, toothache, cervical osteoarthritis, and head injuries are potential triggers. Certain food additives may contribute to headaches as well. Among the less frequent causes are brain tumors, hypertension (high blood pressure), temporal arteritis (inflammation of arteries in the face, neck, and scalp), aneurysms (ballooning of blood vessels), and increased pressure within the skull.For most headaches, painkillers and rest can provide relief. However, if there is a suspicion of a neurological cause, CT scanning or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be conducted to investigate further.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Headache - Definition of Headache","og_description":"Pain in the cranial region that may occur as an isolated and benign symptom or as a manifestation of a wide variety of conditions including subarachnoid hemorrhage; craniocerebral trauma; central nervous system infections; intracranial hypertension; and other disorders. In general, recurrent headaches that are not associated with a primary disease process are referred to as headache disorders (e.g., migraine).A pain in the head, caused by changes in pressure in the blood vessels feeding the brain which act on the nerves.Pain, ranging from mild to severe, that occurs in the head. There are many causes of headache, and treatment depends on the cause. Also called cephalgia.Pain in the head. About 7 of 10 people get headaches. A headache may be located in any part of the head and may even extend to the neck. The problem can be acute (short and isolated) or chronic (persistent or long- lasting). Most headaches are painful and annoying but can be easily relieved with aspirin or acetaminophen. However, in some cases head pain becomes severe and debilitating, and on rare occasions a headache is a symptom of a serious underlying medical problem.Pain felt deep within the skull. Most headaches are caused by emotional stress or fatigue but some are symptoms of serious intracranial disease.A very common condition which may vary considerably in severity, type, significance and cause. Most headaches do not represent alarming disease and may merely indicate a common cold or tiredness. However, persistent or recurrent headaches should always be taken seriously. Although the brain itself is insensitive to pain, the surrounding membranes meninges are very sensitive, and changes in intracranial arteries, or spasm of the neck or scalp muscles, which may occur for various reasons, may cause considerable pain. In most cases a clinical diagnosis should be possible: further investigations should only be necessary following head injury; if headaches recur; or if neurological signs such as drowsiness, vomiting, confusion, seizures or focal signs develop.Pain felt in the forehead, eyes, jaws, temples, scalp, skull, occiput, or neck. Headache is exceptionally common; it affects almost every person at some time. From a clinical perspective, benign HA must be distinguished from HA that may be life threatening. Types of benign HA include tension, migraine, cluster, sinus, and environmentally induced (e.g., \u201cice cream\u201d HA or \u201ccaffeine-withdrawal\u201d HA). Life-threatening HA may becaused by rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemorrhagic stroke, cranial trauma, encephalitis, meningitis, brain tumors, or brain abscesses.Headache is one of the most prevalent types of pain, and it is usually not a symptom of a serious underlying condition. The pain arises from tension in the meninges, which are the membranes surrounding the brain, as well as from the blood vessels and muscles of the scalp.Headache can be experienced throughout the entire head or be limited to one side, the forehead, or the back of the neck. Occasionally, the pain might shift from one area to another. The nature of headache pain can vary, ranging from superficial, throbbing, to sharp, and it may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and visual or sensory disturbances.Many headaches are merely a reaction to adverse stimuli, such as hunger, and they often resolve quickly. Tension headaches, caused by tightening of facial, neck, and scalp muscles due to stress or poor posture, are also prevalent and may persist for days or weeks. Migraine, on the other hand, can be a severe and incapacitating headache, preceded or accompanied by visual and\/or stomach disturbances. Cluster headaches result in intense pain behind one eye.Headaches can result from various common causes, such as hangovers and exposure to noisy or stuffy environments. Overusing painkillers can also lead to headaches. Additionally, sinusitis, toothache, cervical osteoarthritis, and head injuries are potential triggers. Certain food additives may contribute to headaches as well. Among the less frequent causes are brain tumors, hypertension (high blood pressure), temporal arteritis (inflammation of arteries in the face, neck, and scalp), aneurysms (ballooning of blood vessels), and increased pressure within the skull.For most headaches, painkillers and rest can provide relief. However, if there is a suspicion of a neurological cause, CT scanning or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be conducted to investigate further.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/","og_site_name":"Glossary","article_published_time":"2020-06-24T05:12:34+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-08-01T10:57:14+00:00","author":"Glossary","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Glossary","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/","url":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/","name":"Headache - Definition of Headache","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/#website"},"datePublished":"2020-06-24T05:12:34+00:00","dateModified":"2023-08-01T10:57:14+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/#\/schema\/person\/ccfef987a4882e6356ae6d77d33e74c5"},"description":"Pain in the cranial region that may occur as an isolated and benign symptom or as a manifestation of a wide variety of conditions including subarachnoid hemorrhage; craniocerebral trauma; central nervous system infections; intracranial hypertension; and other disorders. In general, recurrent headaches that are not associated with a primary disease process are referred to as headache disorders (e.g., migraine).A pain in the head, caused by changes in pressure in the blood vessels feeding the brain which act on the nerves.Pain, ranging from mild to severe, that occurs in the head. There are many causes of headache, and treatment depends on the cause. Also called cephalgia.Pain in the head. About 7 of 10 people get headaches. A headache may be located in any part of the head and may even extend to the neck. The problem can be acute (short and isolated) or chronic (persistent or long- lasting). Most headaches are painful and annoying but can be easily relieved with aspirin or acetaminophen. However, in some cases head pain becomes severe and debilitating, and on rare occasions a headache is a symptom of a serious underlying medical problem.Pain felt deep within the skull. Most headaches are caused by emotional stress or fatigue but some are symptoms of serious intracranial disease.A very common condition which may vary considerably in severity, type, significance and cause. Most headaches do not represent alarming disease and may merely indicate a common cold or tiredness. However, persistent or recurrent headaches should always be taken seriously. Although the brain itself is insensitive to pain, the surrounding membranes meninges are very sensitive, and changes in intracranial arteries, or spasm of the neck or scalp muscles, which may occur for various reasons, may cause considerable pain. In most cases a clinical diagnosis should be possible: further investigations should only be necessary following head injury; if headaches recur; or if neurological signs such as drowsiness, vomiting, confusion, seizures or focal signs develop.Pain felt in the forehead, eyes, jaws, temples, scalp, skull, occiput, or neck. Headache is exceptionally common; it affects almost every person at some time. From a clinical perspective, benign HA must be distinguished from HA that may be life threatening. Types of benign HA include tension, migraine, cluster, sinus, and environmentally induced (e.g., \u201cice cream\u201d HA or \u201ccaffeine-withdrawal\u201d HA). Life-threatening HA may becaused by rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemorrhagic stroke, cranial trauma, encephalitis, meningitis, brain tumors, or brain abscesses.Headache is one of the most prevalent types of pain, and it is usually not a symptom of a serious underlying condition. The pain arises from tension in the meninges, which are the membranes surrounding the brain, as well as from the blood vessels and muscles of the scalp.Headache can be experienced throughout the entire head or be limited to one side, the forehead, or the back of the neck. Occasionally, the pain might shift from one area to another. The nature of headache pain can vary, ranging from superficial, throbbing, to sharp, and it may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and visual or sensory disturbances.Many headaches are merely a reaction to adverse stimuli, such as hunger, and they often resolve quickly. Tension headaches, caused by tightening of facial, neck, and scalp muscles due to stress or poor posture, are also prevalent and may persist for days or weeks. Migraine, on the other hand, can be a severe and incapacitating headache, preceded or accompanied by visual and\/or stomach disturbances. Cluster headaches result in intense pain behind one eye.Headaches can result from various common causes, such as hangovers and exposure to noisy or stuffy environments. Overusing painkillers can also lead to headaches. Additionally, sinusitis, toothache, cervical osteoarthritis, and head injuries are potential triggers. Certain food additives may contribute to headaches as well. Among the less frequent causes are brain tumors, hypertension (high blood pressure), temporal arteritis (inflammation of arteries in the face, neck, and scalp), aneurysms (ballooning of blood vessels), and increased pressure within the skull.For most headaches, painkillers and rest can provide relief. However, if there is a suspicion of a neurological cause, CT scanning or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be conducted to investigate further.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/headache\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Headache"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/","name":"Glossary","description":"Difinitions","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/#\/schema\/person\/ccfef987a4882e6356ae6d77d33e74c5","name":"Glossary","url":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/author\/adminglossary\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22262"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22262\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":235507,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22262\/revisions\/235507"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}