Headaches range in severity from a mild, passing pain to acute or chronic and severe. Many diseases and conditions cause headache pain, and a clinical diagnosis with the proper treatment is important to identify serious conditions. Types of headaches include migraine, cluster, vascular, exertional, sexual, tension and post-traumatic. Some headaches are localized, while others involve the entire head.
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is inflammation of the air-filled spaces behind the nasal bones, forehead, eyes and cheeks. Normally, the sinuses allow air to circulate and mucus to drain. When blockage occurs, germs grow and bacteria develop into sinusitis.
Symptoms of acute sinusitis include headache with pressure-like pain, facial tenderness over the sinuses, fatigue and fever. Chronic sinusitis symptoms, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, include acute sinusitis symptoms that last more than 12 weeks.
Head Injury
Head injuries occur from automobile accidents, falls and sports activities. Head injuries that cause headaches include a bruising of the brain, which is bleeding within the brain, or an intracranial hematoma, which is bleeding that collects in the brain or between the brain and skull. Headaches may develop days after the injury.
Normal symptoms following a head injury that may last a year or longer include dizziness, neck pain, nausea, headache and difficulty concentrating, reports FamilyDoctor.org. Treatment depends on the extent of the injury and may require hospitalization.
Transient Ischemic Attack
A transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is also known as a mini-stroke with stroke-like symptoms. The American Heart Association reports that of people who have experienced one or more TIAs, over one-third will eventually have a stroke.
The warning signs of a TIA include a sudden, severe headache and sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body. TIA symptoms are of short duration. Only a qualified health care provide can determine if the symptoms are from a TIA or if a more serious medical problem has occurred.
Influenza
Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads easily from person to person. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases reports that most cases of influenza reported occur between December and March affecting from 15 to 60 million people in the United States every year.
Symptoms of influenza that usually last two to five days include a high fever, headache, muscle aches, runny nose and cough. Other symptoms, such as fatigue and depression may last for weeks. The two types of vaccines available to prevent influenza infection are inactivated vaccine, which is injected, and live vaccine, which is a nasal spray.
