Understanding the Different Types of Common Headaches in Greenwich CT

It’s easy to assume that all headaches in Greenwich CT are one and the same. After all, they all cause head pain, right? But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, headaches occur for numerous reasons, and even their shared “headache” symptoms can vary significantly depending on their cause.

Adam C. Massoud at Greenwich Wellness in Greenwich CT knows that headaches are not only painful conditions, but each has unique symptoms and causes. At his practice, Dr. Massoud takes the time to identify your headache condition, so he can make the most effective recommendations to keep your symptoms under control.

Most people will experience a headache at some point during their lifetime, and up to 4% of adults worldwide have 15 or more headaches each month. While there are more than 150 different headache conditions, here are the most common types that Dr. Massoud treats.

Tension-type headaches in Greenwich CT

This headache is the most prevalent form of headache disorder. They often occur because of tight muscles and stress, and they cause telltale symptoms, such as:

• Slow onset of symptoms
• Dull to moderate pain on both sides of the head
• The sensation of a band or vice wrapped around the head

It’s also common for tension headaches to cause discomfort in the neck or back of the head.

In most cases, tension headaches can last a few hours, but some can also persist for days.

Migraine headaches

Unlike tension headaches, migraines typically have distinct phases as well as unique symptoms beyond the head pain.

Common signs of a migraine include:

• Visual, sensory, or other motor symptoms preceding the headache
• Pain on one — or both — sides of the head
• Nausea and vomiting
• Lightheadedness
• Sensitivity to light
• Depression, anxiety, and fatigue

Migraines can also cause changes in behavior or mood for hours or days before the headache begins. Once symptoms start, they can last for hours or days.

Cervicogenic headaches

Cervicogenic headaches often get confused with migraines because of their symptoms. However, they are very different conditions.

First, a migraine headache is a primary headache, meaning it’s rooted in the brain and not a symptom of another problem. A cervicogenic headache is a secondary headache. This distinction means that it occurs because of another issue — in this case, a problem within the neck, or cervical spine.

Your cervical spine, or neck, contains several structural components, such as discs, bones, and soft tissue. It also has numerous pain-sensitive structures and nerves. When you have a cervicogenic headache, you may feel pain in your head.

In reality, it’s starting in your neck. This can be due to something as small as poor posture to something more serious, such as a whiplash injury, osteoarthritis, or a prolapsed disc in your neck.

Signs of a cervicogenic headache include:

• Pain on one side of the face or head
• Pain around the eyes
• Pain while sneezing or coughing
• Stiffness in the neck
• Head pain from certain neck movements or postures

Cervicogenic headaches can also cause vision changes, light and noise sensitivity, and nausea.

Treating headache conditions

After diagnosing your headache condition, Dr. Massoud can outline a personalized treatment strategy to manage your symptoms. This could include a variety of therapies, ranging from chiropractic care to align your spine and joints to acupuncture and nutrition therapy.

With Dr. Massoud’s skill and expertise, you can rest easy knowing that he’ll get to the bottom of your headache symptoms in no time, so you can find relief once and for all.

If you suffer from chronic headaches and want to learn more about your condition and treatment options, call (203) 637-1111 or book an appointment online with Greenwich Wellness today.