frequent and sudden. Ice pick headaches may be single or many stabs migrating about the head. If in the same location, this may indicate an underlying problem.
Thunderclap headache
Thunderclap headaches are intense headaches that peak in under a minute. It might be innocuous or indicate a severe disease needing medical treatment. Thunderclap headaches may signal:
- blood vessel tears, ruptures, or blockages
- stroke
- brain injury
- reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS)
- vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels)
- pituitary apoplexy (bleeding into or loss of blood from an organ)
First-time thunderclap headache sufferers should seek medical help. If another ailment doesn’t cause your headache, you may consider therapy for future thunderclap headaches.
RELATED: Headache Locations: What Do They Mean?
Most Common Secondary Headaches
Another condition causes secondary headaches. Chronic headaches might result from a recurring secondary headache cause. Treating the source relieves headaches.
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Allergy or sinus headache
An allergy may cause headaches. These headaches generally cause nasal and frontal discomfort. American Migraine Foundation says 90% of “sinus headaches” are migraine. Chronic allergies or sinusitis might cause these headaches.
Hormone headache
Women often get hormonal headaches. Menstruation, birth control medications, and pregnancy influence estrogen levels, causing headaches. Menstrual migraines are headaches that may happen before, during, and after your menstruation and ovulation.
Caffeine headache
Caffeine impacts cerebral blood flow. Too much caffeine may cause headaches, as does stopping “cold turkey.” When your brain is habituated to coffee, a stimulant, you may develop a headache without it. Caffeine may affect brain chemistry, causing withdrawal headaches.
Exertion headache
After strenuous exercise, headaches develop quickly. Weightlifting, running, and sexual activity cause exertion headaches. These activities may increase blood flow to your skull, causing throbbing headaches on both sides. A headache from strenuous activity shouldn’t linger. This headache generally lasts minutes or hours.
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Hypertension headache
Hypertension causes headaches, and this is serious. Dangerously high blood pressure commonly affects both sides of the head, worsening with exercise and causing a pulsation.
Rebound headache
Rebound headaches, sometimes called pharmaceutical overuse, may be dull, tension-type, or migraine-like. If you routinely use OTC pain medicines, you may be more vulnerable. Overusing these drugs increases headaches. When OTC drugs are taken more than 15 days per month, rebound headaches are likely. These over-the-counter medications:
- acetaminophen
- ibuprofen
- aspirin
- naproxen
Post-traumatic headache
Head injuries may cause post-traumatic headaches. These headaches feel similar to a migraine or stress headaches. They last
