Most people get headaches from time to time, but not everyone is familiar with the many different types of headaches that can occur. Ninety percent of headaches are considered primary, including tension headaches, migraines, and cluster headaches. Secondary headaches are triggered by an underlying problem, such as sinusitis. Traction headaches or inflammatory headaches are caused by a medical condition. And it may surprise you to learn that not everyone gets headaches. In fact, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says that about 10 percent of all men and 5 percent of women have never experienced a headache.
Wrap your head around this:
- About 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches. That's roughly one in six people. More men suffer from them -- about 25 million compared to 20 million women.
- The World Health Organization says that more work hours are lost to migraine headaches than to any other neurological disorder. Migraine attacks are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound.
- If you spend all day staring at a computer screen or at your phone, you might develop something called computer vision syndrome, an eye strain condition that can be accompanied by a headache.