Secondary Headache
A secondary headache is a symptom of a disease that can activate the pain-sensitive nerves of the head. Any number of conditions — varying greatly in severity — may cause secondary headaches.
Sources and causes of secondary headaches can include:
- Arterial tears (carotid or vertebral dissections)
- Blood clot (venous thrombosis) within the brain — separate from stroke
- Brain aneurysm (a bulge in an artery in your brain)
- Brain AVM (arteriovenous malformation) (an abnormal formation of brain blood vessels)
- Brain tumor
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Chiari malformation (structural problem at the base of your skull)
- Concussion
- Encephalitis (brain inflammation)
- Giant cell arteritis (inflammation of the lining of the arteries)
- Glaucoma
- Hangovers
- Influenza (flu)
- Intracranial hematoma (blood vessel ruptures in the brain)
- Medications to treat other disorders
- Meningitis (inflammation of the membranes and fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord)
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Overuse of pain medication
- Post-concussion syndrome
- Pressure from tight-fitting headgear, such as a helmet or goggles
- Pseudotumor cerebri (increased pressure inside the skull)
- Sinus inflammation and congestion
- Stroke
- Trigeminal neuralgia (disruption of the nerve connecting the face and brain)
Specific types of secondary headaches include:
- External compression headaches (a result of pressure-causing headgear)
- Ice cream headaches (commonly called brain freeze)
- Rebound headaches (caused by overuse of pain medication)
- Sinus headaches (caused by inflammation and congestion in sinus cavities)
- Spinal headaches (caused by low levels of cerebrospinal fluid, possibly the result of trauma, spinal tap or spinal anesthesia)
- Thunderclap headaches (caused by low levels of cerebrospinal fluid, possibly the result of trauma, spinal tap or spinal anesthesia)