Your Head Aches: What Could It Mean, and What Can Be Done About It?

SUNDAY, June 9, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- When there's pain, pressure and pounding in your head, you might think the worst: Is it a brain tumor? Probably not, a Penn State physician assures. Headache in and of itself is not a common sign of a tumor, because the brain itself doesn't feel pain, said , medical director at Penn State Health Medical Group. Though a headache might develop if a tumor is causing spinal fluid to build up, most of the time a headache is a headache.

But not all headaches are the same. You might have a migraine, a tension headache or a cluster headache -- and each responds to different treatment. Here's how to recognize each type and how to cope: Migraines are severe, pulsating headaches that may happen regularly, sometimes several times a month.

They can be preceded by an aura, in which people have blind spots, or see shimmering spots or flashes of light. Migraines usually affect one side of the head or behind the eye and may last for days. Routine physical activity makes them worse.

Some migraines are accompanied by stroke-like symptoms, including numbness on one side of the body. These tend to occur in older people who had migraines when they were younger. "If it's properly diagnosed as a migraine, there are several levels of intervention," Messmer said in a Penn State news release.

Mild migraines may respond to over-the-counter painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen and a nap in a dark room. For migraines that occur several times a month, doctors presc.