If you're familiar with that tight throbbing, aching or pounding in your head, you're not alone. According to the Cleveland Clinic, 56 percent of boys and 74 percent of girls between 12 and 17 reported having at least one headache within the previous month.
If your headaches are so severe they prevent you from carrying out many daily activities, you may wonder if you have a terrible disease. Fear not. Most headaches--even the nasty ones--aren't dangerous, but indicate symptoms of stress and certain habits. However, getting checked out by your doctor can help you find an effective solution.
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches, the most common type of teen headache, may be brought upon by various physical or emotional stressors, according to the Nemours Foundation. The pain of a tension headache may feel dull, aching, constricting or like constant pressure at the front and sides of the head as though a rubber band has been stretched around it. Although tension headaches may sometimes be confused with migraine headaches, they differ in that they don't typically come with nausea or vomiting and aren't usually aggravated by physical activity, says the Nemours Foundation.
Migraines
At least 10 percent of teens get migraine headaches, which are recurrent headaches commonly triggered by circumstances such as lack of sleep, menstruation and stress, according to the Nemours Foundation. Migraines are typically accompanied by symptoms such as pounding head pain, dizziness, stomachaches, nausea, vomiting, seeing spots or light halos and sensitivity to light, sounds and smells. These headaches may last between 30 minutes and a couple of days.
Chronic Headaches
Approximately 1 to 2 percent of teens experience chronic daily headaches, which are headaches occurring more than 15 days of every month, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Chronic headaches may be classified as chronic nonprogressive headaches or chronic progressive headaches. Chronic nonprogressive headaches are frequent headaches that occur over a long period of time without ever causing neurological symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Chronic progressive headaches, on the other hand, are potentially fatal, but also the least common type of headache. When accompanied by neurological symptoms such as balance problems and visual disturbances, they may signal a brain condition such as fluid buildup, an infection or a tumor.
Headache Due to Head Trauma
Trauma that occurs after a blow to the head typically results in a headache. According to the Children, Youth and Women's Health Service, the most common head injury is a concussion, when the brain is shaken and functions such as memory, reflexes and balance and sometimes consciousness are temporarily affected. Other various head injuries include: a brain contusion, which is brain bruising that causes some swelling; a skull fracture, which may cause broken bones to enter the brain, and a hematoma, which is bleeding that collects and clots to form a bump, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
If a person with an injured head begins to develop a severe headache or a stiff neck, loses consciousness, vomits more than one time, behaves strangely or becomes abnormally drowsy, Medline Plus recommends seeking medical help as soon as possible.
