5 Different Kinds of Headaches…and How to Help Them

Jan 12

2 min read

Updated: Oct 19

Tension headache, migraine, sinus-related pain, medication-overuse headache, and caffeine-withdrawal headache can overlap. A clinician can help distinguish them from your symptom pattern and medication history; sudden or unusual symptoms need medical attention before routine treatment.

Woman viewed from behind with both hands on the back of her neck.

Recognizing Common Headache Patterns

Managing headaches starts with an accurate assessment. Treatment may include changes to routines, appropriate medicines, and care directed at the type of headache; no single approach suits every headache.

These five examples are a starting point, not a self-diagnosis checklist. Keep a record of headache days, associated symptoms, medicines, sleep, and caffeine intake.

Medication-overuse headaches. Frequent use of acute headache medicines can contribute to recurring headaches in some people. A headache returning after one dose is not enough to diagnose this. Ask your prescriber or pharmacist about a safe plan; do not abruptly stop prescribed medicines on your own.

Sinus-related headaches. Sinus inflammation can cause facial pressure and pain with nasal symptoms. Migraine can also cause facial pressure, so repeated “sinus headaches” deserve assessment rather than repeated self-treatment.

Migraine headaches. These types of headaches are typically intense and can last for up to three days at a time. Migraines may be one-sided and be so severe that they interfere with your daily activities, bringing associated symptoms like vomiting, light sensitivity and sound sensitivity. Triggers like poor sleep or diet and hormonal changes may cause them to occur.

Caffeine-withdrawal headaches. Reducing or skipping habitual caffeine can trigger a headache; this is not limited to people who drink five cups of coffee daily. A gradual reduction may be easier to tolerate. Record caffeine from coffee, tea, energy drinks, and medicines.

Tension headaches. These kinds of headaches are the most common type of headache experienced today, and typically feel like a constant ache in the head. Some people describe it as a pressure in the neck or back of the head. Unlike migraines, they typically do not have nausea or vomiting. Tension headaches may be caused by stress response and chemical changes in the brain.

If headaches recur, change pattern, or disrupt your life, speak with a medical clinician. Chiropractic evaluation may be relevant when neck pain accompanies headaches, but evidence for spinal manipulation in migraine is limited and it should not replace headache diagnosis or indicated treatment.

Seek emergency care for a sudden severe headache, headache with weakness, confusion, speech or vision changes, fever with a stiff neck, or symptoms after a significant head injury. These should not wait for a routine chiropractic appointment.

For non-emergency symptoms, bring a headache diary and a medication list to your appointment.

Ask which headache type is suspected, what treatment options fit it, and how benefit and risk will be assessed.

How to use this information

A headache diary can help your clinician see patterns. Record when symptoms start, how long they last, associated nausea or light sensitivity, and all medicines or supplements taken. Seek advice sooner if headaches are new, increasingly frequent, or different from your usual pattern.

Next steps in Virginia Beach

Our headache information describes the clinic’s services. For questions about accompanying neck discomfort, contact the Virginia Beach office at (757) 424-2626, 810 Kempsville Road, Suite 1.