Causes

Headache pain results when nerves of the blood vessels and head muscles are activated and send pain signals to the brain, though it's not clear why these signals are activated in the first place. People often attribute headaches to stress, and stress certainly can play a role. During stressful events, certain chemicals in the brain are released to ready the body for combat (the "flight or fight" response). The release of these chemicals can provoke vascular changes that can trigger headaches or make them worse. Stress can also contribute to the muscle tension that underlies tension headaches.

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Primary headaches are those headaches that are not the result of another medical condition. This section contains information on the various types of primary headaches:

• Tension (muscle contraction) headaches
• Migraines
• Cluster headaches
• Other primary headaches

Tension headaches are the most common kind, followed by migraines.

Secondary headaches are headaches that result from another medical condition. Although headache can be a symptom of brain tumor, it far more commonly has less dramatic causes. This section also includes more on:

• Sinus headaches
• Headaches caused by temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
• Post-traumatic headaches
• Underlying diseases that can cause headaches

Finally, you'll find more information in this section on

• Common headache triggers