Headache Pain | When Men Get Headaches
By John McIntosh
You may have heard that migraine occurs almost three times more often in women than in men. In this country, about 18 percent of women and about 6 percent of men suffer from these life-altering headaches. “There is a hormonal relationship between women and migraine,” says Stephen Silberstein, M.D., past president of the American Society, professor of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University and director of the Jefferson Center in Philadelphia. But, as most women can tell you, men and headaches do go together. “Men do not have the same fluctuations in hormones as women,” says Dr. Silberstein, but some do have migraines. “It’s their mothers,” he says. “Also, their fathers. It seems to be genetic.”

Cluster Headaches

On the other hand, cluster headaches, which occur in only one tenth of a percent of the population, are at least three times more prevalent in men than in women.

“The easiest way to describe a cluster headache,” says Dr. Silberstein, “is to say that it’s as if someone put a hot poker into your eye for 10 to 30 minutes. Your nose runs, your eyes tear up, you run around like a chicken with your head cut off, and you bang your head against a wall. That’s a cluster headache.”

So what do people do to alleviate the pain of a cluster headache? “The best treatment, which people don’t do enough of, is injectable sumatriptan—a prescription medication that turns off the pain mechanisms in the brain,” says Dr. Silberstein. However, most patients need preventive treatment to keep attacks from coming. The most commonly prescribed medications for cluster prevention are lithium, verapamil, divalproex sodium and dipyramide.” You may need to try several medications before finding one that works for you, but the right one can prevent another episode.

Tension Headaches

The most common is the least understood. “We don’t have the foggiest idea what a tension is,“ says Dr. Silberstein. “We define it by what it’s not: It’s not migraine; it’s not a cluster. Everybody in the world gets these headaches. That’s why they’re not simple to figure out. But here’s an important point. If you go to a doctor complaining of a headache, it’s not a tension headache. People don’t complain about tension headaches. Have a that comes and goes? It’s likely a migraine. Sinus headaches are unusual. They are generally nothing

Zyprexa Withdrawal -- Bob12 10/6/09
Can you anyone tell me whether I should try to reduce my zyprexa dosage from 17.5 mg down to a smaller dosage or if it is...
Parnate vs Effexor for Social Phobia -- bearfan 11/3/09
What is the deal with Parnate vs Social Phobia and depression? Effexor works pretty well, but it has horrible sexual side...
remeron -- llenox 11/4/09
I started 15mg. remeron on aug.12, 3 weeks into it I told the Dr.s I had developed sores im my mouth and nose and pin pricks...
remeron -- llenox 12/8/09
I am having a very hard time getting off this drug. Been on it for 3 months.dr told me every other day, went craxy for 16...
Feeling BETTER coming OFF of SSRI's??? -- Walfredo 12/24/09
I was just writing to see if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon. I have all the major SSRI's and none had any...
Cymbalta Withdrawal -- Just Jen 1/4/10
Sorry... I couldn't find the Cymbalta Withdrawal page that I was already on and tried to post to before I was officially...
Going off Emsam - withdrawal? -- em_kath 1/19/10
I am on Emsam at the 9mg dose. I've been on it for about 7 weeks, the first 2 weeks at the 6mg dose. My depression has not...
Prozac withdrawal -- ku4ns 1/26/10
I've switched from Prozac (40mg stopped cold turkey this time) to a beta-blocker and feel fine except for the tinnitus...
TAPER -- Buckeye Fan 1/29/10
Test
Lexapro withdrawl and started on Valdoxan!! -- theconfusedone 2/21/10
Hi, I have been on lexapro 20mg and zyprexa 10mg for the last 6months. My doc decided I should quit them last week and begin...
Frustrated with SSRI's -- Michelle41 2/22/10
Here is my history with SSRI's I was on paxil for 1 year (evil drug LOL) Zoloft for about 8 years, Prozac for 2 years (added...
those effexor withdrawal dreams.... -- obsidian 2/26/10
very scary, and such a relief to wake up and realize it was a dream...that took a little while geez, how freaky and very...
d/c'ing pristiq, keeping wellbutrin; suggestions? -- BayLeaf 3/7/10
will the wellbutrin (bupropion hcl sr) 200 mg prevent withdrawal side effects? i'm on 50mg pristiq. plan to just chomp it...
abrupt switch from alprazolam (Xanax) to diazepam -- sukarno 3/25/10
August 2008 -- 21 March 2010, alprazolam 1mg QID 22 March 2010 alprazolam 1mg diazepam 10mg diazepam 10mg diazepam 10mg 23...
thinking about closing this board -- Dr. Bob 3/25/10
Hi, everyone, Since the level of activity here has been kind of low, I'm thinking about closing this board and moving...

more than migraines in the sinus area.”

Risky Business?

“Men need to be aware of one more type of that can affect them,” says Dr. Silberstein. “It’s called an orgasmic headache, and it’s an exploding during intercourse.” There are benign ones; these may be painful, but they have no apparent repercussions. And then there are those that signal more serious medical problems. “Men need to be aware of this possibility the first time it happens to them,” says Dr. Silberstein. “They should see a doctor immediately. The pain could signal a ruptured aneurysm—a tear in the wall of a cerebral blood vessel.” And aneurysms tend to get more frequent as you get older.

So, men, take notice of your pain. And don’t hesitate to see a doctor if you suspect one of these headaches.

©REMEDY, Summer 2007

Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com

Get FREE 2-year health magazine subscriptions to REMEDY. REMEDY is an award-winning magazine published by MediZine, LLC. that can help you and your family get healthy and stay healthy for life! Sign up today!

John McIntosh is a writer for MediZine, LLC. Robert A. Barnett is Content Director of HealthyUpdates.com