Then comes stress, a change of the environment, physical exertion, illness, menstrual cycles in women, and diet and alcohol. Most times, says Dr Ho, there is no need to panic. And that's the right thing to do most times. It provides cheap and reasonably effective relief for two-thirds of headache sufferers.'' Still, he believes that headaches are something that the medical community and people in general should pay more attention to. Headaches may be common and not life-threatening, but they result in considerable consumption of health resources and loss in quality of life for the headache patient,'' he says.
Tension headaches The most common.
Either episodic or chronic, these can last anything from a few minutes to forever. Usually associated with tightness in muscles of the head or neck with a steady, non-throbbing pain on both sides of the head. Usually not accompanied by other symptoms and can be treated with painkillers and muscle relaxants. Migraine headaches More common among women, they last from four to 72 hours, usually on one side of the head, with throbbing or pounding pain that worsens with exertion. They may be accompanied by nausea, vomitting and sensitivity to light and sound.