You're sitting at your desk, working on a difficult task, when it suddenly feels as if a belt or vice is being tightened around the top of your head. Or you have periodic headaches that occur with nausea and increased sensitivity to light or sound. Maybe you are involved in a routine, non-stressful task when you're struck by head or neck pain. Perhaps you have daily head pain that just won’t go away.

Sound familiar? If so, you've suffered one of the many symptoms of headache that can occur on their own or as part of another disease or health condition. Anyone can experience a Headache. Nearly 2 out of 3 children will have a headache by age 15. More than 9 in 10 adults will experience a headache sometime in their life. Headaches are the most frequent neurological condition and our most common form of pain, yet relatively little is known about what causes them. Certain types of headache run in families. Episodes of headache may ease or even disappear for a time and recur later in life.  It's even possible to have more than one type of headache at the same time.

Headaches can range in frequency and severity of pain. Some individuals may experience headaches once or twice a year, while others may experience headaches more than 15 days a month. Headaches are called chronic in nature when they occur more than 14 days a month.  Some headaches may last for weeks at a time. Pain can range from mild to disabling and may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea or increased sensitivity to noise or light, depending on the type of headache.

Medications and headache
Medications are designed for a particular target in the body, such as a diseased organ. However, they can also affect other areas in the body. Unwanted side effects or adverse reactions are possible with all medications, including prescription and over-the-counter medications, herbal preparations and vitamin pills.

Oral contraceptives (‘the pill’) can cause headache as an unwanted side effect. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – also known as hormone therapy (HT) – makes headaches worse for some women. Some diabetes medications can also make headaches worse. Suggestions for reducing the risk of medication-induced headache include:
-- Follow the dosage directions on the label.
-- Don’t mix prescription medications with drugs such as alcohol.
-- Avoid dependence on painkillers.
-- Report any side effects or unusual symptoms to your doctor immediately.