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Types Of Headache: Vascular Headaches |
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Dilation of the blood vessels and consequent
throbbing are thus the essential features present in any kind of
vascular headache. There are basically three types of vascular headache,
which include:
•Cluster-type
•Migraine-type
•Toxic-type
Cluster
headaches
As the name itself suggests, cluster headache takes
place in specific clusters in the head. They occur over a period of 6-12
weeks and then go into remission for months or probably years,
altogether. The pain may occur at night or at regular intervals
throughout the day. The pain is non-throbbing and may survive for
anything between a half an hour and an hour. It starts around one eye
and then intensifies quite quickly.
No
conclusive answers have been found as to what causes cluster headaches,
but there can be a number of underlying causes including chronic high
blood pressure, hyperlacrimation, Horner's syndrome and/or rhinorrhoea.
The
symptoms of cluster headache are a stuffed and runny nose, droopy
eyelids, sweatiness, restlessness and nausea.
Smoking and alcohol
aggravate, and in some cases, also cause cluster headaches. This is
because nicotine constricts the arteries whereas alcohol dilates them.
Although the exact connection between these substances is not known, yet
these two factors are thought to be the precipitating factors for a
cluster headache.
The treatment for cluster headache includes
medications, oxygen inhalation and facial nerve surgery.
Migraine
headaches
A migraine pain can be said to be an intense throbbing
or intense pulsating pain in one side of the head. It is about three
times more prevalent in women than in men.
It might or might not
be preceded by an ‘aura’. People having migraine have extremely
sensitive constitutions and their migraine attacks can be triggered by
trivial factors as lack of food or sleep, exposure to light, anxiety,
stress, and in women, even by hormonal irregularities.
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