[100-Year Life Health] Headaches Experienced at Least Once by 8 out of 10 People

Tension Headache and Migraine Are Common
Consultation Recommended for Chronic Headaches Lasting Over 3 Months

Professor Son Ki-young, Department of Family Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul.

Headache, which means pain in the head, is a very common symptom. In clinical practice, there are often patients who confuse headache with dizziness or a heavy, dull feeling and say they have a headache even though they do not feel pain. A headache means pain in the head, that is, there is actual pain. Although it varies by survey, according to some studies, 8 out of 10 people experience a headache at least once in their lifetime, and about 2 to 3 out of 10 people have recurring headaches. Severe headaches can make it difficult to carry out normal daily activities. While it may not be a matter of life and death, headaches are certainly an important issue in our lives.

Headaches can be broadly categorized into two common types and others. The two common types are tension headaches and migraines. These two types account for most headaches people experience. Not everyone who suffers from recurrent headaches visits a doctor. However, many of these individuals learn how to manage their headaches even if they do not know the exact cause. These headaches are one of the two common types.

Among them, tension headaches are the most common. If the characteristics of migraine are absent, it is usually a tension headache. Migraines are generally known to cause pain on one side of the head. A precise diagnosis considers not only unilateral head pain but also how long the headache lasts, whether normal activities like walking or climbing stairs worsen the pain, and whether symptoms like nausea or vomiting accompany the headache. Migraines, like tension headaches, often respond somewhat to common painkillers, but sometimes they do not respond well to general medication. In such cases, it is advisable to consult a doctor about using specific medications for migraines.

When headaches persist, patients often worry that there might be a problem inside the brain and visit doctors to get brain imaging tests like MRI. However, most of these patients are diagnosed with one of the two common types of headaches. These headaches are unrelated to brain diseases detectable by tests, so detailed examinations like brain MRI are unnecessary.

However, although rare, there are cases where the headache may not be one of the common types and requires consultation with a doctor. There are symptoms that headache sufferers can check themselves. These include sudden severe headaches, new headaches appearing after age 50, headaches that have become more frequent or severe than before, neurological symptoms such as difficulties in seeing, hearing, or speaking accompanying the headache, or abnormal movement or sensation in the limbs. In such cases, it is essential to see a doctor to find the exact cause beyond common headaches.

Some commonly used headache medications contain caffeine. Caffeine helps the main ingredients of headache medicine work faster. Occasionally using such headache medicine when you have a headache can be effective. However, frequent and repeated use of these medications can cause headaches to occur more often when the medication is stopped. This is similar to a person who drinks a cup of coffee every morning experiencing headaches when they cannot have coffee. This is a headache caused by caffeine withdrawal.

If headaches occur frequently for more than three months, it may be chronic headache. Chronic headaches often require different treatment than occasional headaches, so it is recommended to discuss treatment thoroughly with your attending physician.

Son Gi-yeong, Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul