Headache is one of the most common symptoms that we face in everyday life and the reason why we turn to a medical help from our doctor or pharmacist. Headache includes any pain in the head, that can be permanent or occasional, rare or common, localized or diffuse, and which affects the entire head.  It is also accompanying symptom of many diseases. Most people accept the occasional headache as an integral part of life, but a sudden and severe headache with a thunderous beginning can be a sign of serious illness.
It is believed that15 to 20percent of people suffer from permanent or occasional headaches, and in90 percent of cases symptoms are mild disorders that are relatively easy to cure. They are more frequent in people aged between 25and65 years, and the most vulnerable are women, urban populations, and persons whose occupation requires staying indoors, sitting for a long period of time, mental effort and concentration.

Types of headaches in terms of duration:

• permanent - with fluctuations in intensity
• periodic - with more or less regular attacks, typically of one type
• progressive – intensifies over time
• occasional – attacks that appear periodically are followed by a long period without pain

What actually hurts in your head?
Pain or headache may occur only in those tissues or structures heads that have sensory (sensitive) endings for pain such as:

• skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, aponeuroses
• periosteum, eye, teeth, mucous membranes of the nasal and oral cavities
• large arteries
• large veins and venous sinuses
• parts of the dura mater, sinuses and dural sheath duplicature, sensory cerebral nerves and roots, and their associated ganglia

When does the pain occur?
Factors that cause pain or irritation of nerve structures sensitive to pain may be mechanical (pressure, stretching), physical (temperature change, electricity) or, most often, chemical (external or internal).

Headaches are often caused by the change in weather. Most people are prone to headaches due to being sensitive to change in weather and air pressure, especially if the pressure lowers. The change in weather can also cause mood swings, irritability, and depression.

Headaches can be accompanying symptoms of certain disorders in organs located in the head. One of the causes of headaches are visual disorders, such as disorder of refraction (refraction of light), when the patient is recommended to wear glasses due to farsightedness, nearsightedness or amblyopia. Headache can also be caused by wearing contact lenses or due to some inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the eyes and increased eye pressure. In this case it is necessary to seek the advice of an eye specialist. These headaches usually occur in the area of ​​the forehead or eyes, but they can sometimes occur deep within the head, and may or may not be caused by prolonged reading or exposure to strong light.

Headaches can also be caused by various changes and diseases of the ear, nose and throat, e.g. sinusitis, nasal mucosa and different disturbances in nasal patency caused by the deformation of the nasal septum. Pain can be "transferred" from the ear in case of acute or chronic inflammation. Treatment of such conditions falls within the domain of specialist doctors for ear, nose and throat.
Facial pain can sometimes be caused by problems in the gums and teeth, such as inflammation of the teeth or gums or various disturbances that occur during chewing and biting.
Neuralgic pain or the so-called neuralgia appears in the face and in the head due to the irritation of the nerve responsible for the transmission of stimuli in these areas. It is often caused by viral inflammation, various toxic disorders, but in some cases the real cause of the pain cannot be determined. The pain is very strong, it occurs in attacks, and always in the same place. The treatment is long and requires persistence.
Disorders related to cerebral circulation are also one of the common causes of headaches, and may be associated with degenerative changes in the cervical spine. Headaches that occur suddenly and are accompanied by other neurological symptoms can also be one of the first signs of diseases such as stroke or aneurysm rupture.
Headaches can often be caused by changes in blood pressure. It should be noted that the increased and decreased blood pressure can cause headaches.

Sudden headache, accompanied by vomiting, that makes patients sensitive to light is usually the sign of meningitis or inflammation of the meninges, while intense headache, accompanied by neurological disturbances such as vision problems, tingling, weakness in arms or legs, speech disturbances, may be the first sign of encephalitis or the inflammation brain. In such cases it is urgent to seek treatment in hospital.
Headaches may be associated with an earlier head trauma, and such headaches are called post-traumatic headaches.
Headaches that occur as the result of tension caused by stress and lifestyle are accompanied by muscle tension and pain.

Sometimes the causes of headaches can be metabolic disorders or the use of certain substances and drugs, or termination of their use.
Brain tumors, benign or malignant, can cause headaches that result from pressure or stretching the structures sensitive to pain. They occur earlier in the tumors in the posterior cranial pit. Headache, that is often pulsating and gradually increases, is the strongest early in the morning, but it can sometimes occur at night as well. It usually increases during the activities that increase pressure inside the skull, such as physical exertion, coughing, sneezing, straining while defecating, and intercourse. In addition to headaches, the distinctive character of brain tumors is also vomiting and changes to the back of the eye also known as stagnation papilla, that can be determined by fundus examination.
Headaches can also occur as the result of a specific diet or certain eating habits of people who do not eat regularly, skip meals, and are dieting. They can also occur as the result of eating certain foods that can make people susceptible to headaches. This is often the case with migraine that is associated with intake of a particular food or drink. It is a benign, repetitive, pulsating pain felt in the half of the head that occurs periodically. 8-20% of the population suffers from migraine. Other causes of migraine are stress, fatigue, lifestyle, hormones and meteorological conditions.
Drinking alcohol can also cause headache, as well as smoking, since the nicotine in cigarette smoke causes spasm (compression) of the blood vessels supplying the brain.

Migraine

Migraine is best - known and one of the most common types of headaches which occurres periodically. The frequency of migraine is dependent on climatic conditions, age, gender and lifestyle. It is more common in urban areas and in women (two to three times more often than men). In fact, most studies find connections between the hormone activity and the occurrence of migraine attacks (migraine attack is usually associated with menstruation, either at the beginning, middle, or at end of the cycle).

Migraine is a benign, recurring headache and it is not a symptom of any other disease. Patients experience no symptoms between the attacks.

Characteristics: In the beginning there is pain throbbing which later may become permanent.

Localization: In most cases it is limited to one half of the head in the temporal, occipital eye area.

Appearance: Gradually or suddenly, early in the morning, and often over the weekend. Frequency is not specific, while free intervals can be long lasting: it usually takes hours, and alleviates in the evening.

Alarming symptoms: Visual disturbances.

Associated symptoms: Weakness, nausea, vomiting, photo-phobia, red and watery eyes, depression, irritability, soreness of the scalp.

Most people who suffer from migraines experience a first attack before their twentieth year, and approximately one out of eight experience it before they turn ten years. First attacks during later years are rare.

What Causes Migraines?

• migraines are more frequent in a certain type of person - particularly intelligent, ambitious, temperamental, sensitive, with too many obligations to do in a short a period of time  -thought this is not a rule. Stress is an important factor, and it is not uncommon to experience migraines during the weekends, when people can relax, but their subconscious mechanism does not allow it.
• Changes in weather fronts (especially south and wet weather)
• Excessive exposure to heat and sun, and cold
• Hormonal effect in women
• Certain types of food can cause migraine attacks. For example; mature cheeses, chocolate, coffee, various alcohol drinks (red wine), fluctuations in blood sugar (especially during diets for weight loss),
• Smoking
• Insufficient rest, sleepless nights, watching TV for too long or experiencing other light stimuli (computers, light show)

Furthermore, any factor that leads to disharmony in life balance can be a trigger for the attack, but there are no rules. In some people, causes can be determined by a combination of different factors, while in others they cannot be determined at all. However, people who are experiencing migraine attacks are recommended to stay away from that which harms them and to try to lead a healthy lifestyle in harmony with nature and with them.

Lots of reasons - many treatment guidelines

Most varying conditions inside the body and outside of it can cause headaches; but fortunately, more than 90% headaches ARE NOT due to organic disorders, but are caused for example by lack of sleep, professional difficulties, fear of failure and many conflicts in the family or in the workplace. Given the type and countless causes, treatment of headache varies from case to case. Most are transient and spontaneously resolved, sometimes without specific therapy. In any case, one should, if possible, first try to establish the cause and remove it. Various pain medications, lifestyle changes, psychotherapy or psycho pharmaceuticals, physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medicines are most common medicine against the attack. Surgical treatment (by a specialist in ear-nose-throat, maxillofacial surgeons, ophthalmologists, neurosurgeons) or dental treatment are needed as well. If the cause is of specific neurological nature, the treatment is in the domain of neurology and also depends on the type and the cause of the headache. In addition to analgesics, one can use sedatives, drugs for muscle relaxation, drugs that reduce brain swelling, antiepileptic, drugs that act on blood pressure or different drugs that act on the cerebral circulation, while in some cases acupuncture and aromatherapy help as well.