Dr Meher Thej AIIMS - Types of Headache and Trigger factors
                     
Headaches are a very common condition that most 
people will experience many times in their lives. 
Sometimes taking painkillers doesn't work, and your 
headache worsens. You feel sick, nauseous, and as if 
you are light or noisy and painful as a result of this 
headache. Most people underestimate the complexity 
of headaches. Different types of headaches have 
different symptoms, different causes, and require 
different treatments. Some common types of 
headache and their triggering factors by Dr. Meher 
Thej of AIIMS.
Types of Headaches:
According to Dr. Meher Thej of AIIMS, There are over 150 different 
types of headaches, but the most common are as follows:
Common Type of Headaches:
Dr. Meher Thej of AIIMS says the most common types of headaches 
that cause people to seek medical care are tension headaches, 
migraine headaches, and cluster headaches.
1) Tension Headache
Tension-type headache is the most common type of headache. A 
tension headache is a dull ache, tightness, moderate, or intense pain 
behind your eyes and in your head and neck. It is often described as 
feeling like a tight band around the head: episodic tension headaches 
and chronic tension headaches. Episodic tension headaches happen 
less than 15 days per month. Chronic tension headaches happen 
more than 15 days a month. According to Dr. Meher Thej of AIIMS, 
Tension headaches occur at any age but are most common in adults 
and older adolescents. It is slightly more common in women and 
tends to run in families. It occurs when the muscles of the neck and 
scalp become tense or contract. Muscle contractions can be a 
response to stress, depression, a head injury, or anxiety.
2) Migraine Headache
Migraine headaches cause moderate to severe pain. The 
pain is often described as throbbing or trembling and 
usually starts on one side of the head. Migraine headaches 
are aggravated by physical activity, light, sound, or physical 
activity. Migraines are related to the dilation, or widening, 
of the blood vessels that supply blood to your brain and 
face, and they are often triggered by environmental or 
weather changes, stress, or lack of sleep. They can last as 
little as 30 minutes or as long as several days.
Trigger factors for Migraine Headache by Dr. Meher 
Thej of AIIMS
Cigarettes – Both smoking and secondhand smoke can trigger 
headaches. Nicotine is a vasoactive substance in cigarettes. This 
means it changes the shape of the blood vessels in your brain, 
and this can lead to headaches.
Weather – Changes in the weather can cause an imbalance in 
brain chemicals, including serotonin, which can lead to 
headaches.
Odour - Strong or unusual smells trigger their headaches. Clinical 
studies suggest that anywhere between 25 and 50 percent of 
sufferers have an increased sensitivity to smell during their 
headache.
Eye strain - When your eyes work too hard, your eye muscles can 
contract significantly. These contractions can trigger an eye tension 
headache. Often these headaches cause pain and discomfort behind 
your eyes. After concentrating on something for a long time, you may 
have a headache.
Not eating – Fasting, eating high-sugar foods, eating too much, and 
skipping meals can all be trigger factors, or make people more likely to 
get headaches.
Noise - Very loud or long sounds can trigger a headache. Any loud 
sound such as rock concerts, parties can relieve headaches.
Sleep - Lack of sleep, too much sleep can cause headache. Insufficient 
sleep is often cited as a trigger for acute headache attacks. Excessive 
sleepiness is also an often reported trigger. Researchers have reported 
that 20 percent of people say that stress triggers their headaches.
Less Common Headache:
1) Hemicrania Continua
Hemicrania continua is also a kind of Trigeminal Autonomic 
Cephalgias(TAC). It causes pain on one side of your face or head and 
occurs more often in women than in men. People with hemicrania 
continua describe a dull ache or throbbing that is interrupted by pain 
that is jerking, sharp and stabbing..
2) Hormone Headache
Hormone headaches or Menstrual Migraine or PMS Headache are 
caused by fluctuating hormone levels. They can happen due to 
changes in estrogen levels. Menstrual Migraine occurs 2 -3 days 
before to 3 days after the start of menstruation. PMS headaches 
happen before the period begins. To relieve headaches, a variety of 
medications and other treatments are used. 
Rare Headache:
1) Ice Pick Headache
Ice pick headache, also called Primary Stabbing Headache/ 
Ophthalmodynia Periodica, is a unique headache type characterized 
by ultra-brief stabbing pain( like from an ice-pick), most usually in 
the frontal or temporal region. Ice pick headaches can occur at any 
time during the day. They can occur several times a day and affect 
different parts of your head.
2) Post Spinal / Low CSF pressure Headache
Post Spinal headache is a very intense headache. This occurs when 
cerebrospinal fluid leaks out of the meninges. Post Spinal headaches 
usually last from a few hours to a few days. These headaches get 
better when a person is lying down and get worse when sitting or 
standing.
About Dr Meher Thej AIIMS
Dr. Meher Thej of AIIMS is a neurosurgeon. He trained 
at AIIMS, New Delhi. He has experience in Neuro 
Oncology, Skull-Based Vascular Neurosurgery, Pediatric 
Neurosurgery, Functional-Epileptic Surgery, Spine 
Surgery, and Neurotrauma. The mission of Dr. Meher 
Tej AIIMS in life is to build a successful neurosurgical 
career encompassing all aspects of neurosurgery, 
serving people, and growing himself.