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Rebound headaches Cause Overuse of overthecounter pain relievers for headaches overuse of aspirin and prescription drugs It is believed that overmedication causes the brain to shift into an excited state which triggers more headaches These could also be a symptom of withdrawal as the level of medicine drops in the bloodstream Signs They occur early in the morning improve with pain relief medication but return when the effect wears off and worsen with mental exertion It can be accompanied by anxiety and depressionu00a0 Treatment The headaches often get worse before they get better You have to therefore first withdraw the offending medication Doctors often prescribe treatments to reduce headache pain and the side effects of drug withdrawal Tension headaches Cause Considered as the most common type of headache in the population itrsquos triggers can be emotional stress anxiety bad posture and jaw clenching Experts believe it is due to altered brain chemicals or mixed signals in the nerves that lead to the brain It is believed that seven out of 10 people will face this type of headache in their life source New England Center for Headache Signs People feel a constant ache or pressure on both sides of the head at the back of the head and neck There are no accompaniments to this headache Treatment Destressing can help opt for a massage It can also be treated with overthecounter pain medicine such as aspirin Sinus headaches Cause Migraine headaches are often mistaken for sinus headaches Sinuses are cavities in the skull that are filled with air Sinuses get inflamed when the drainage system gets filled up giving a runny nose fever and pain Signs Like a migraine headache it has symptoms such as pressure on the sinus nasal congestion and watery eyes A sinus headache is accompanied with nasal discharge There is also a constant pain in the cheekbones and forehead It often intensifies due to sudden movement Treatment They can heal with time and antibiotics can help as well if itrsquos caused by infection You can also use a saline nasal spray Cluster headaches Cause They are termed as cluster as they occur together at a stretch weeks and months and can disappear as well for months and years It affects more men than women The exact cause is unknown but it worsens with alcohol cigarettes and high altitudes During an attack the hypothalamus is believed to stimulate a nerve pathway along the base of the brain to cause pain in the eyes and blood vessels on the surface of the brain to swell Signs It is an intense but shortlived headache also called Suicidal Headache where a person feels a throbbing and constant piercing sensation The pain is felt behind the eyes there can be watery eyes and nasal congestion as well Treatment Specific medication can relieve the duration of the pain and frequency of the headache Cut out drinking and smoking Migraine headaches Cause These are usually more common among women than men Genetic factors are often at play and brain cell activity can also affect blood vessel and nerve cell function A common trigger could be a hormonal imbalance stress change in sleeping and eating patterns The drop in estrogen before the menstrual period can also trigger migraines It is caused by an inflammation of blood vessels and arteries around the brain Signs People experience nausea high blood pressure heightened sensitivity slow digestion throbbing pain around the temple and flashes of light Treatment While there arenrsquot fixed treatments there are antiinflammatory drugs as well as longterm preventive drugs that reduce the swelling of blood vessels on the brain and help you cope with the attacks and reduce the symptoms The quirky headaches Orgasm headaches are rare and are experienced by men after intercourse Early Morning headaches are experienced by people who wake up early Ice Cream headaches are felt when consuming a cold drink The cold sensation on the roof of the mouth leads to a spurt in blood flow to one of the brainrsquos arteries causing the headache Weekend headaches are caused by oversleeping on weekend mornings going to sleep late at night or being stressed all week Acidity headaches are caused due to absorption of toxic elements from the colon or overeating of oily food Expert speak Dr K Ravishankar Specialist in Headache Medicine at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre and the Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre has been one of the pioneers in headache research He also runs The Headache and Migraine Clinic at Sion He states that migraines are the most common cause of headaches and itrsquos often misdiagnosed as a refractive eye disorder or sinusitis ldquoThe reason behind headaches is a hyperexcitable brain under the influence of triggers which sends signals to the pain pathways that pass through the fifth cranial nerve When the nerve terminals get stimulated there is a release of neuropeptides which dilate the blood vessels The pain signal is then sent to the thalamus or the pain area of the brain thus causing a headacherdquo Dr Ravishankar adds that lifestyle plays an important role in triggering headaches ldquoPeople can have a genetic vulnerability to migraine headaches but itrsquos also the environment mdash factors such as not eating on time exposure to the sun change in weather exposure to the airconditioner blast fasting certain food items like cheese chocolate or colas emotional stress or stressful travel all mostly experienced in metros can trigger headachesrdquo Log on to wwwindianheadachecliniccom u00a0