Types of Headaches
A comparison of different types of headaches: cluster, tension, and migraine; their trigger points; and their symptoms.
Video transcript
Headaches are common at any age. There are three basic types: tension, cluster, and migraine headaches.
Tension headaches brought on by stress and emotional strain are the most common. Pain is usually felt on both sides of the head, at the temples or back of the head and neck.
Less common are cluster headaches, which are marked by severe, one-sided pain that comes back in episodes or clusters over weeks or months. They start in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, which is more active during the headache. These debilitating headaches run in families.
Migraine headaches also run in families. They are often confused with sinus headaches but differ in the following ways. Migraines often start quickly, sometimes with visual disturbances called auras before the headache. The pain worsens rapidly and usually resolves within 72 hours. Migraines often occur more than once a month.
Tension headaches brought on by stress and emotional strain are the most common. Pain is usually felt on both sides of the head, at the temples or back of the head and neck.
Less common are cluster headaches, which are marked by severe, one-sided pain that comes back in episodes or clusters over weeks or months. They start in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, which is more active during the headache. These debilitating headaches run in families.
Migraine headaches also run in families. They are often confused with sinus headaches but differ in the following ways. Migraines often start quickly, sometimes with visual disturbances called auras before the headache. The pain worsens rapidly and usually resolves within 72 hours. Migraines often occur more than once a month.
Recommended videos
Balloon angioplasty - short segment
This animation shows the use of balloon angioplasty to open a narrowed coronary artery lumen caused by deposits of plaque.
Endoscopic mucosal resection
Endoscopic mucosal resection is used to remove suspicious tissue from your digestive tract.
Carpal tunnel symptoms - nonsurgical treatment
Nonsurgical treatments can help improve carpal tunnel syndrome, a Mayo Clinic surgeon explains.
Epinephrine and exercise
This animation shows the release of epinephrine and its effect of the heart.
Breztri Aerosphere: Uses, How It Works, and Common Side Effects
Breztri Aerosphere is a triple therapy inhaler used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
Browse by category
- ADHD
- Allergy
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Asthma
- Back Pain
- Beauty
- Birth Control
- Cancer
- Children's Health
- Diabetes
- Exercise & Fitness
- Fibromyalgia
- Foot Health
- Gout
- Headache
- Hearing
- Heart Disease
- Hypertension
- Injury
- Joint Pain
- Men's Health
- Pain
- Parkinson's Disease
- Pregnancy
- Psoriasis
- Sleep Disorders
- Stroke
- UTI
- Vision
- Women's Health
By medication
- Aimovig
- Ambien
- Amoxicillin
- Austedo
- Biktarvy
- Botox
- Breztri Aerosphere
- Caplyta
- Celebrex
- Dovato
- Ella
- Emgality
- Entyvio
- Evenity
- Gemtesa
- Humira
- Ibuprofen
- Intuniv
- Kesimpta
- Keytruda
- Leqvio
- Lisinopril
- Lyrica
- Mounjaro
- Narcan
- Next Choice One Dose
- Nurtec ODT
- Olumiant
- Opdivo
- Otezla
- Ozempic
- Plan B One-Step
- Prednisone
- Qulipta
- Quviviq
- Repatha
- Rexulti
- Skyrizi
- Syfovre
- Taltz
- Tramadol
- Trelegy Ellipta
- Trintellix
- Ubrelvy
- Ultomiris
- Victoza
- Vraylar
- Vyepti
- Vyvanse
- Xcopri
- Zepbound
- Zoloft