Headache (Migraine, Cluster, Tension)

1. What are Migraine, Cluster and Tension-Type Headaches?

• Migraine: Often causes moderate to severe, frequently throbbing pain and may be associated with nausea and sensitivity to light or sound.
• Cluster headache: Causes severe, usually one-sided pain around or behind the eye, often occurring in repeated attacks over a period of time.
• Tension-type headache: Typically causes mild to moderate, pressing or tightening pain, often affecting both sides of the head.

2. When is Treatment Recommended?

Treatment is recommended when headaches are frequent, severe, recurrent, interfere with daily activities or require frequent pain medication. A medical evaluation is particularly important when headaches are new, changing or associated with concerning neurological symptoms.

3. What Symptoms May a Patient Notice?

Symptoms vary by headache type. Migraine may cause throbbing pain, nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light or sound. Cluster headache may cause severe one-sided eye or temple pain, tearing and nasal congestion. Tension-type headache commonly causes pressure or tightness around the head and neck.

4. What Does the Treatment Involve?

Treatment may include identifying triggers, lifestyle measures and medicines to relieve an acute attack and prevent future headaches. Patients with frequent or difficult-to-control headaches may require specialist assessment.

5. What Are the Main Treatment Options?

Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may include pain-relieving medicines, migraine-specific medicines, preventive medicines, oxygen therapy for cluster headache, injectable treatments or newer preventive therapies such as Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP)-targeted medicines.

6. How Long Does Treatment & Recovery Take?

Acute headache treatment may provide relief within minutes to several hours, depending on the headache type and treatment. Preventive treatment may require several weeks to achieve its full benefit and may need ongoing adjustment.

7. What Are the Important Risks or Considerations?

Most primary headache disorders can be effectively managed, but treatment must be tailored to the individual. Overuse of acute pain medicines can itself contribute to medication-overuse headache. New or unusually severe headaches require appropriate medical evaluation to exclude secondary causes.

8. Why Consider Treatment in India?

India has specialised neurology and headache clinics offering comprehensive headache assessment, advanced neurological investigations and multidisciplinary management of complex or treatment-resistant headaches.

9. How Can Medavelle Help?

Medavelle can assist with neurological report review, neurologist and headache-specialist coordination, diagnostic evaluation, treatment planning, hospital selection and international patient arrangements.

10. What Should the Patient Do Next?

Share your headache history & reports → Neurological evaluation → Headache diagnosis → Personalised treatment plan → Treatment planning in India.