Headaches

Trigeminal Neuralgia (Facial Pain)

Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as “tic douloureux”, causes sudden, severe facial pain attacks. The pain lasts a few seconds and is often triggered by touch, cold, or daily actions such as eating and talking. The cause is usually a blood vessel that presses against the trigeminal nerve (microvascular compression). Treatment is often surgical.

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Trigeminal Neuropathy

This condition occurs due to damage or dysfunction of the trigeminal nerve, leading to a constant burning pain in the face, sometimes with flare-ups.

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Cluster headache (Horton's Neuralgia)

Cluster headache comes in periods (“clusters”) and causes extreme, burning pain on one side of the head, around the eye. The attacks can last from a few weeks to months and often recur annually. During a seizure, patients often show trembling hands, blood pressure fluctuations, and nausea. Medication usually does not work, but in 75% of patients, oxygen therapy can shorten the attack. The exact cause is unknown, but dysfunction in the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems is thought to play a role.

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Tension headache

This is the most common type of headache and is often associated with neck tension and stress. Patients describe it as a tight band around the head, but the pain rarely interferes with daily activities. Possible causes include jaw joint dysfunction (TMD), stress, or impaired processing of sensory stimuli.

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Headaches due to vascular problems

Some types of headache are caused by problems with the blood vessels in or around the brain. This may be due to vasculitis, arterial dissection, bleeding, thrombosis, or high blood pressure. The pain may be felt elsewhere than where the underlying cause is.

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Cervical Syndrome

Headaches caused by neck problems, often with pain in the back and front of the head and sometimes in the eyes. The pain worsens with neck movements or taking the same position for a long time, such as working at the computer. This is often caused by problems with the C2 vertebra, neck osteoarthritis, or whiplash.

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Medication-dependent headache (“Rebound Headache”)

Prolonged use of pain relievers such as acetaminophen or aspirin can lead to chronic headaches that no longer respond well to medication. The pain feels oppressive and pulsating and may be accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, mood changes, and sleep disorders.

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These different forms of headache and facial pain can have various causes and require targeted treatment.