One of the more common health problems is that of headaches. Headaches are common source of disability among men and women. They become a disability when they interfere with the ability to work and do daily tasks. Within some populations, headaches occur on a frequent basis, while some people rarely ever experience them.

The cause of headache discomfort often varies with the type of headache it is. Some of the more frequent types of headaches are 1) tension-type, 2) migraine and 3) cluster-type. Most headaches fall into one of these three categories. Since headaches can be symptomatic of other more serious problems, their occurrence should not be dismissed or ignored. When headaches are due to more serious health related issues, they are referred to as secondary headache disorders.

The most common type of headache is the tension-type or stress headaches. Despite this being the most common type, there is no single cause for tension headaches. This type of headache is not an inherited trait that runs in families. In some people, tension headaches are caused by tightened muscles in the back of the neck and scalp. In others, tightened muscles are not part of tension headaches, and the cause is unknown.

Tension headaches are usually triggered by some type of environmental or internal stress. The most common sources of stress include family, social relationships, friends, work and school. They can also be triggered by a lack of sleep, skipping meals, poor body posture, depression, high blood pressure or intense angry reactions to the stress they are currently experiencing. Episodic tension headaches are usually triggered by an isolated stressful situation or a build-up of stress. Daily stress can also lead to chronic tension headaches.

Initially it was thought that such headaches were related to muscle tension in the back and neck. As researchers uncover more information, they have found that imbalances in serotonin, endorphins and other brain chemicals may play a role in triggering the headaches. Some researches suggest that the chemical changes may contribute to the muscle tension.

These headaches often begin on a gradual basis, with the most frequent occurrence being mid-day. Between 30-80% of the adult population experience these types of headaches, with a slightly higher percentage of females than males.

Migraine headaches are reported amount 17% of the adult female and 6% of the adult male population in the United States. These headaches can also occur among children. Like the causes of tension headaches, there is still some debate on the causes of migraine headaches. The early theory was that the blood vessels carrying blood to the brain had a spasm. The effect of the spasm was that the blood flow was changed, thereby producing the painful sensations. Later research has found that the chemical neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin are involved in migraine headaches. Since the blood vessels are sensitive to their presence, when they are in the blood stream, it causes the blood vessels to act in unnatural ways.

Researches have identified items that can trigger migraine headaches. These triggers include smoking, fatigue, heat, nuts, cheese, alcohol, MSG (monosodium glutamate), changes in sleeping patterns, red wine, and some types of contraceptives. Some of those who experience migraines have an aura prior to the onset of the headaches occurrence.

Cluster headaches effect a smaller segment of the population. These headaches occur on an episodic or chronic basis. They affect more men than women. When occurring on a chronic basis, they can manifest on a daily basis over a period of months, with the intense pains lasting 2-3 hours. Recent research has found a link of these headaches with the neurotransmitter serotonin.

These headaches often involve the trigeminal nerve, which is located behind the eye. Since that nerve is involved, there are often reactions from other parts of the nervous system with symptoms occurring in and around the eyes. Some of the triggers associated with cluster headaches include interruption of sleep pattern and change in routine. One of the oddities associated with his type of headache is that some people experience intense splitting pain with the consumption of even slight amounts of alcohol. There has also been studies that have identified patterning to the headaches related to particular times of the year.