Types of Headaches

A tension headache is the most common type of headache, generally a mild to moderate pain that can feel like tightness or a band of pressure around the head.

Cluster Headache is a primary headache disorder characterized by severe pain that occurs in a group or pattern, known as a cluster period. This type of headache is relatively rare compared to other types of headaches, affecting about .1% of the population. 

Sometimes referred to as rebound headaches, medication overuse headaches (MOH) can be triggered when a person takes medication to treat headaches for an extended period. Even taking medication for more than a couple of days a week may cause MOH.

Sinus cavities are hollow passageways within the cheekbones and forehead and behind the bridge of your nose, allowing passage of air and mucus. Pressure or pain in these areas may indicate a sinus headache (or potentially a migraine). A headache specialist can help provide a path to relief from sinus pain, whether occasional or chronic. 

One in 4 people infected with a strain of the COVID-19 virus commonly experience headache as part of their illness. Most COVID headaches last a week or two, although headache may linger for some people, particularly with long COVID.

An ice pick headache is a sudden, stabbing head pain or series of pains that may feel like being stabbed in the head or eye by a sharp object like an ice pick. A fairly rare effect, it seems to develop out of nowhere and lasts a few seconds.

A cervicogenic headache is actually “referred” pain — head pain caused by a physical or neurological condition in the cervical spine region at the top of the spine and neck. Cervicogenic headaches are relatively common: about 47% of the global population suffers from headaches, and it’s estimated that 15-20% of those headaches are essentially cervicogenic in nature. These headaches can cause debilitating and limited range of motion in the neck, as well as severe head pain. 

Occipital neuralgia occurs when the occipital nerves, which run from the top of the spinal cord up through the scalp, become injured or inflamed. A fairly uncommon condition, it affects an estimated 3 out of every 100,000 people each year. Certain symptoms, especially the feeling of pain at the back of the head or base of the skull, can resemble those of migraine. However, treatment of occipital neuralgia is different from that of migraine, so clear diagnosis and guidance are essential. ‍

A rare primary headache disorder, hypnic headache is known as alarm-clock headache due to its tendency to wake people from sleep in the middle of the night. Pain can last about 15 minutes and sometimes longer, and can occur a few times a week.

Although rare, a thunderclap headache is a severe head pain that seemingly appears out of nowhere — striking like a clap of thunder. It can be an important warning signal from the brain that something is wrong. It is important to seek prompt medical attention for a thunderclap headache to rule out a potentially life-threatening cause.