Headache is a common complaint and can result from a variety of conditions and causes. Many adults are affected by headaches that impair their function and activities of daily living. The International Classification of Headache Disorders list more than one hundred different types of headache, headaches are either primary or secondary – primary headaches include migraine, tension-type headache, cluster headache and other causes such as blood flow problems, muscle contractions or a reaction to drugs/medications. Secondary headaches are attributed to other factors e.g. head and/or neck trauma.
Patients suffering from headaches will benefit most from a multi-disciplinary approach including education, avoidance of headache triggers, lifestyle changes, pharmacotherapy (the use of pharmaceutical drugs), interventional techniques, complementary and alternative treatments.