Headache is one of the most common ailments of human beings. The multimillion dollar sales of over-the-counter headache remedies is proof of that. Most people know that headache is usually not serious, and is often caused by tension. Most people also believe incorrectly that eyestrain and the need for glasses are very common causes of headaches. Eyestrain and the need for glasses are not major causes of headaches.

Causes And Symptoms
contracting. Instead, it may be "referred" to and felt in areas such as the forehead or the temples or the eye sockets. This can lead to confusion about the cause of the pain, since the pain is located in the head, or even in the eyes. However, the trouble usually originates in the neck muscles.

Muscle contraction headaches can result from temporary increases in tension in everyday life, such as stress at work or at home. They may be a result of sleeping or working in a strange position, or of an unusually long period of close-up work. In these cases, however, the headache is usually temporary and is often relieved by a simple over-the-counter pain reliever.

Almost all headaches can be divided into the following groups:
    1. Muscle contraction
    2. Migraine
    3. Diseases of the head, eyes, ears,teeth, etc.
2
Headaches caused by eye strain feel like muscle contraction headaches, but are clearly related to use of the eyes. Almost all headaches are made worse by extensive use of the eyes, but those which are caused by eye strain appear only when the eyes have been used heavily.
3
Some muscle contraction headaches are longer-lasting and related to emotional feelings of depression. At other times, they may occur because of arthritis in the neck, or a chronic state of high tension or anxiety.
Migraine headaches are the next most common cause of headache. This type of headache pain is caused by stretching of the blood vessel walls in the head. Some people seem to have a tendency to this sort of stretching, while others do not. Migraine headaches run in families and affect about one person in ten. Even young children may have migraine headaches.
Muscle contraction headaches are by far the most frequent type. The pain results from the pulling of muscles in the neck and at the base of the head. Commonly, the pain is not felt locally where the muscles are

Migraine is difficult for patients to understand because it can produce different symptoms in different people. In some, several very brief, severe headaches may occur close together.ln others, a visual display of moving jagged lines may be followed by a severe headache. Still others may see the visual display without headache, and some may have severe headache without other symptoms.
Headaches may also be caused by high blood pressure. A blood pressure measurement is, therefore, helpful in evaluating any lasting or recurring headache.
However, there are some common features of migraine headache. The pain tends not to be continuous, is often more severe on one side of the head, is often accompanied with nausea and vomiting, and is not often associated with serious complications. Migraine may occur with a sudden increase or decrease in stress level. For instance, a person entertaining an unwelcome guest, or a hardworking executive who begins an overdue vacation may experience a nugrame.
Headache caused by brain tumor or disease is, fortunately, quite uncommon, and the pain may have several unique characteristics. For instance, it may appear quite suddenly, or as an increasingly severe headache pattern over several weeks or months. The intensity of the headache may change depending on body position, sometimes becoming unusually severe when the head is down. It is often associated with other symptoms such as numbness, dizziness, weakness, or seizures. Most of all, such headaches tend to become dramatically worse with the passage of time.

Detection And Diagnosis
Diseases are the least common cause of headache.
Because headache is such a common problem, a thorough medical examination is advisable for any chronic or recurring headache. Your family physician can help determine the cause of headache. Because headaches often produce symptoms which suggest that the eyes are at fault, many people feel the need to have their eyes examined. Your ophthalmologist is prepared to detect and diagnose an eye or medical disease, a need for glasses, or other causes of your headache.
Headaches caused by eye disease are usually feltjn the eye or in the brow on the side where the disease occurs. Frequently these headaches are associated with some other symptom, such as blurred vision, haloes around lights, or extreme sensitivity to light.

Headaches caused by diseases of the ear, teeth, jaw joint, or facial nerves are usually different than the usual headache pain and discomfort. This difference helps to determine the cause.
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (MD or osteopath) who is educated, trained, and licensed to provide total care of the eyes. Total eye care includes performing comprehensive medical eye exam-inations, prescribing corrective lenses, diagnosing diseases and disorders of the eye, and using the appropriate medical and surgical procedures necessary for their treatment. Only the ophthalmologist can provide total eye care. Your ophthalmologist can examine the health of your eyes and, in doing so, can help to determine the presence of disease in other body systems.
Because headache is so common, you can help your physician determine whether your headache is a symptom of disease. If it is not, information you provide can help your physician design a treatment program that is right for you.

The eyes are not usually the cause of headaches, and new glasses are not usually helpful in relieving the symptoms. If eye disease is present, your ophthalmologist will be able to diagnose and treat the problem. If there is an indication of an unusual medical cause for the headache, further testing or referral to another medical specialist may be advisable. In any event, the importance of the thorough medical eye examination that only the ophthalmologist can provide is of prime importance in the evaluation of a headache patient.

Treatment
Headache treatment is naturally determined by its cause. If serious medical disease is found, it needs to be treated medically (or surgically). If depression or anxiety is the cause, referral may be made to the patient's family physician or psychiatrist. If migraine or tension is responsible, accurate diagnosis, reassurance, and your physician's suggestions for medication, self-help, and assistance are the best solutions.