Headaches can be referred to as one of the most common affliction that people of all ages have suffered from, at some point or the other, during their lives. There are some people who experience a headache as a one off experience, especially if it is caused by factors such as fatigue, stress, lack of proper sleep, hunger, and so on. However, there are several people who experience these headaches on a more regular basis; some people may also suffer from daily headaches.


When a person experiences this problem on most days, it is known as a chronic headache. The intensity of the headache may also vary, based on the cause, as well as a few other factors. Even though headaches are so common in people all over the world, there are not many individuals who know that there are several different types of headaches.


In fact, medical experts claim to have established around 150 diagnostic headache categories. Some of the types of headaches are more common, as compared to the others. Medical experts divide headaches into two main categories, primary headaches and secondary headaches.

Primary Headaches

Primary headaches are those headaches for which there is no underlying disease that is responsible. Given below are some of the most common types of headaches that have been classified as primary headaches:

• Tension headaches (also known as chronic non progressive headaches or chronic daily headaches, which are the most common cause of headaches in most adolescents and adults. The main causes of tension headaches are factors like stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, leading a hectic lifestyle, and so on. The intensity of this type of a headache may vary, from person to person.

• Migraine headaches, which are related to contractions in the blood vessels that are present in the brain. The severity of a migraine headache can vary, from mild to moderate or severe. This type of headache is also usually accompanied by other symptoms, like nausea, sensitivity to light and sounds & visual disturbances, to name a few.

• Cluster headaches are the least common, but the most severe form of headaches, characterized by a piercing, throbbing or a burning sensation.

Secondary Headaches

Secondary headaches are generally experienced as a symptom for other underlying causes. Therefore, they can be regarded as a warning or an indication, for a serious medical condition. One of the most common illnesses that can lead to severe headaches include meningitis and sinuses. However, there could be several other causes and types of secondary headaches, such as:

• Strokes and mini strokes
• Seizures 
• Hypertension and high blood pressure 
• Tumor in the brain 
• An abscess or a pocket of pus, present in the brain
• Internal bleeding within the brain, due to conditions like subdural hematoma 
• Encephalitis 
• Glaucoma 
• Pseudotumor cerebri, which is the build up of pressure in the skull, due to an increase in fluid 
• Postherapetic neuralgia 
• Acute irisitis 
• Temporal arteritis 
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage
  

In several instances, a person could suffer from a secondary headache, due to the factors given below:

• Suffering from a head injury or a concussion, which is a very common cause for post-concussion headaches

• Spinal headaches, which are usually experienced by people who have recently undergone a lumber puncture process, or have taken spinal anesthesia in the recent past.

• Orgasm headaches, also known as coital headaches, which could occur soon after sexual intercourse

• A reaction to infections occurring in other parts of the body, like the ear or the tooth.

Most people tend to deal with the common types of headaches, through over the counter pain relievers, massages, rest and so on. However, in case these headaches become a regular occurrence, it is best to consult a doctor.