Facts about headaches in various parts of your head.

A common complaint is "Ow, my head hurts." Did you realize, though, that the location of your headache might vary?

You probably haven't given it much thought, but if you did, you'd discover it's true. There are various sorts of headaches, each of which can affect your head and body in different ways.

Because your head will pain differently depending on the type, you'll need to treat the headache differently. That is why the first step in treating a headache is to pay close attention to your symptoms.

The Unsolved Mysteries of Headaches

What causes headaches in the first place? It's quite intriguing! While you may believe that your head hurts because your brain is in agony, the brain does not have any pain-sensitive nerves. Instead, a headache occurs when nerve endings outside the brain known as "nociceptors" respond to certain triggers.

When triggered, nociceptors convey instructions to the thalamus, which governs pain and the body's response to it, via the trigeminal nerve at the base of the brain.

Does that sound complicated? It is! To have a headache, various elements of your body must function in unison to respond to a trigger. It's similar to a symphony with many musical instruments performing, but far less enjoyable.

Almost everyone, regardless of age, has had a headache or two. Some people get headaches on a regular basis, while others do not. Headaches can also range in intensity from tolerable to disruptive and even incapacitating.

Why Does Location Matter in Headaches?

We tend to group all headaches into one category, although there are many different forms of headaches. In fact, there are over 150 different kinds!

Headaches are classified into two types: main and secondary. Primary headaches occur on their own, but secondary headaches are caused by a medical condition.

For the sake of this article, we'll concentrate on main headaches and one sort of secondary headache. As we look at different forms of headaches, you'll find that each affects a different portion of the head and causes different symptoms.

You most certainly have a tension headache if you have discomfort that wraps around your head like a headband. This is the most frequent type of headache, and it is caused (you guessed it) by tension. Tension headaches are caused by stress or tense muscles and often generate a dull, aching sensation around the head.

Do you have severe discomfort on one side of your head? It might be a migraine. Migraine is a neurological illness that generates pulsing pains deep within the brain, usually on one side of the head or the other. Aside from discomfort, you may also have nausea and vomiting, light or sound sensitivity, or an aura.

If your headache appears to be centered on one eye, it is most likely a cluster headache. This form of headache is uncommon, although it can be very severe. As the name implies, a person suffering from this form of headache will have a cluster of migraines, with one to eight headaches in a single day. Pain around the eye may also spread to other parts of the body, such as the neck, cheek, nose, temple, or even the shoulder, while still affecting only one side of the body.

Is your entire head bothering you? You may have a sinus headache if you have discomfort and pressure in your cheeks and most of your face. This is a secondary headache, which means it comes as a result of an underlying condition—in this case, a sinus infection. Sinus headaches occur when the sinus passageways behind the eyes, nose, cheeks, and forehead get clogged.

Treatment for a headache varies depending on where the discomfort is, so keep an eye on what's causing your pain. Keeping a record of when you get headaches, how severe they are, and which portion of your head they impact might help your primary care provider make a diagnosis and offer treatment options.