Symptoms of headaches

The symptoms of tension headache are:

• A pain that begins in the back of the head and upper neck as a band-like tightness or pressure.
  


• Described as a band of pressure encircling the head with the most intense pain over the eyebrows.
  


• The pain is usually mild (not disabling) and bilateral (affecting both sides of the head).
  


• Not associated with an aura (see below) and are not associated with nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light and sound.
  


• Usually occur sporadically (infrequently and without a pattern) but can occur frequently and even daily in some people.
  


• Most people are able to function despite their tension headaches.
  

Symptoms of cluster headaches:

Cluster headaches are headaches that come in groups (clusters) lasting weeks or months, separated by pain-free periods of months or years.

• During the period in which the cluster headaches occur, pain typically occurs once or twice daily, but some patients may experience pain more than twice daily.
  


• Each episode of pain lasts from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.
  


• Attacks tend to occur at about the same time every day and often awaken the patient at night from a sound sleep.
  


• The pain typically is excruciating and located around or behind one eye.
  


• Some patients describe the pain as feeling like a hot poker in the eye. The affected eye may become red, inflamed, and watery.
  


• The nose on the affected side may become congested and runny.
  

Unlike patients with migraine headaches, patients with cluster headaches tend to be restless. They often pace the floor, bang their heads against a wall, and can be driven to desperate measures. Cluster headaches are much more common in males than females.