What Triggers One-Sided Headaches and How to Prevent Them

The condition of any kind of discomfort or pain in the head, skull or neck is called headache. The pain felt in the head can be felt on one side of the head or both sides. In very few cases, a headache causes any serious problem.

How many types of headaches are there?

There are three main types of headaches that occur in one part of the head:

Tension headache:
It is caused by fatigue, emotional stress and any problem in the muscle or joint associated with the neck and jaw. This pain can also occur in any one part of the head. 

Migraine:
It is less severe than a tension headache, but it is much more severe than that. Migraine occurs two to three times more in women than in men. The cause of migraine may vary from person to person, but the common causes of headaches are often the same in all people suffering from migraine. These include fatigue, lack of sleep, emotional stress and excessive consumption of caffeine. 

Cluster headache:
Its cases are seen very rarely, but it is more severe than all other types of headaches. It has been seen to occur five times more often in men than women. Although cluster headaches can happen to anyone, cases of cluster headaches can be seen more especially in older adults who smoke. In this, mostly one side of the head is affected and there is extreme pain in it.

(Read more - How to Identify Migraine)

The symptoms of half headache depend on its type:

Migraine:
This is a severe type of headache, in which there is a lot of pain in the head and it often affects only half the head. Migraine pain often starts around the eye or from the back area of ​​the eye, which gradually spreads throughout the head. Along with the sensation of severe pain and suffering in migraine, the following problems also start occurring:

• Hypersensitivity to light
• Blurred vision
• Nausea
• Hypersensitivity to sound

Cluster headache:

In this, there is a constant intense pain, which usually starts around the eyes. The pain in cluster headaches can also spread to other parts around the head, such as face, neck and shoulders etc.Other symptoms of cluster headache include:

• Red eyes
• Watering of eyes
• Restlessness
• Swelling in the affected eye
• Swelling on the face
• Skin becomes yellow or red 
• Nose getting blocked or running

Tension headache:

These symptoms are felt in tension headache:

• Feeling severe pain on one side of the head, which starts from behind the eye and spreads to the forehead or the back of the head.
• Stiffness in the neck and shoulder muscles
• Pain becomes more severe in the evening

(Read more - Understanding Migraine Aura)

In very few cases, half head pain creates an emergency situation. If you are having pain in half of your head due to injury or something else, then go to the doctor immediately. Apart from this, if you are feeling other symptoms along with the pain in the half head, then you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, such as:

• Waking up at night due to headache
• Having fever 
• Stiff neck
• Not being able to speak clearly 
• Feeling weak
• Low vision (blindness in some cases)
• Double vision

If you suddenly start feeling pain in the half head or the pain is so severe that it wakes you up, then in this situation you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

(Read more - Top Benefits of Acupressure for Migraine)

Why does pain occur in the half head? Many people feel pain on one side of the head (half head) only. The causes of half head pain can be:

• Occipital neuralgia: This condition occurs when the nerves going from the upper part of the spine to the skull become swollen and red or get damaged.
• Temporal arteritis: In this condition, the arteries of the head and neck become swollen. 
• Trigeminal neuralgia: Due to this condition, there is continuous intense pain in the face and head. In this, pain often occurs only in half the head.
• Rebound headache: This problem often occurs due to taking more painkillers than usual.

(Read more - Migraine in Children)

There are some conditions that cause headache in the half head, such as:

• Sinus infection
• Not being able to sleep properly 
• Obesity 
• Strain or lump in the neck muscles
• Anxiety 
• Taking too much headache medicines
• Snoring
• Consuming too much caffeine
• Depression
• Skipping a meal

Many other problems that last for a long time can cause headaches.

(Read more - Home remedies for headache relief)

There are some types of headache in the half head, which cannot be prevented. However, the symptoms of pain can be reduced by adopting some methods.

• Try to spend some time in an open environment. Especially if you are getting a headache due to excessive light, sound or bad smell, then try to go to an open and quiet environment. 
• By doing breathing exercises, half head pain is reduced and anxiety and stress also start reducing. 
• Apply hot compress to the back of the head.
• Keep drinking sufficient amounts of water to avoid dehydration. 
• Take a bath in warm water. 
• Do not look at the screen for a long time, if you are looking at the phone or TV for a long time or working on the computer for a long time, then keep taking your eyes off the screen for a few minutes in between, so that the eyes get rest.
• Do not make a very tight hairstyle, like a ponytail etc.
• Improve body posture, so that there is no more stress on the neck, head and shoulders.
• Stay away from very bright or flashing lights, very loud sounds or strong odors.
• If there is excessive strain in any muscle of the neck or shoulder, then massage it lightly. 
• Taking a little sleep also cures the half head pain caused by fatigue. 
• Do not consume caffeine and alcohol. Drink alcohol, tea, coffee and other energy drinks as little as possible.

(Read more - Hydration and Nutrition Tips to Beat Headaches)

To check the condition, the doctor will do a physical examination. Apart from this, the doctor can take your past health information and ask about your symptoms.

In some cases, the doctor can refer you to a headache specialist, called a neurologist.

The doctor can check your half head pain based on your symptoms. But if the doctor is unable to find out the reason for your half head pain, then the doctor can do some tests to find out:

Blood test:
With the help of this, infection is detected, because some types of infection can also cause half head pain, such as brain or spinal cord infection. Apart from this, toxins in the blood or problems related to blood vessels can also be detected with the help of blood tests. 

Cranial CT scan:
With the help of this test, the brain is seen. In this test, problems like tumor, infection, bleeding and brain damage can be detected. 

MRI scan of the head:
With the help of this test, very clear pictures of the blood vessels and the brain are obtained. With the help of which problems related to the brain and nervous system and problems like stroke and infection are detected.

(Read more - Pain in the Back of Your Head)

Most types of headache in the half head are treated with painkillers. Some medicines like ibuprofen and aspirin are available from medical stores even without a doctor's prescription.

If the headache in the half head is caused by an internal problem, then the doctor provides the best treatment according to the internal problem.

Preventive medicines are given for migraines and muscle calming medicines are given for tension headaches. 

Cluster headache is treated by a pure oxygen inhalation process.

If the migraine is caused by a sinus infection, antibiotics and other medications are used to treat the infection. When the infection is gone, the migraine resolves on its own. 

If migraine symptoms are not severe, it can be treated with some types of OTC (over-the-counter) medicines, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

If the pain is severe, other medicines may also be given.

If the migraine symptoms are more severe, other types of treatment may also be needed:

There are two types of treatment, acute treatment or preventive treatment:

Acute treatment is used to prevent the symptoms of migraine from becoming severe. This treatment includes:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

• Sumatriptan
• Zolmitriptan
• Ergotamine

Doctors may use preventive treatment as a routine treatment process. The main goal of treatment is to reduce the frequency of migraines. Some of the drugs used in preventive treatment process include:

• Beta blockers
• Antidepressants
• Calcium channel blockers 
• Anti-epileptic (preventive) drugs 

If migraine is caused by tension or is caused by a neck problem, then it can also be treated with the help of physical therapy. If a muscle in your neck is strained, it causes stiffness in the neck and compression of the nerve in the head, resulting in headache on the side of the affected nerve. 

Physiotherapists touch and move the affected area and can also tell you some techniques to stretch the muscles. Doing these techniques properly gives you relief for a long time.

(Read more - First aid for headache)

Headache, also known as migraine, is a common but complex problem, which is mainly caused by neurological and environmental causes. The pain often feels like an intense throbbing or stabbing sensation in one part of the head and may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound. Migraine causes may include stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, poor diet, smoking, and genetic factors. Additionally, certain triggers such as strong odors, bright lights, or changes in weather may also trigger migraines. Proper diagnosis, avoidance of triggers, and use of medications as prescribed by a doctor are helpful in managing migraines.