Overview

Just about everyone, young or old, gets a headache from time to time. But for an estimated 45 million Americans, headaches are more than an occasional nuisance. For these pain sufferers, headaches are a chronic, sometimes incapacitating, condition that gets in the way of work, school, relationships and enjoyment of life. At their worst, headaches can lead to loss of self-esteem, depression and serious problems with loved ones, friends and co-workers. While researchers have discovered what triggers certain kinds of headaches, such as those associated with allergies and other environmental factors, myths and misconceptions about headaches and who gets headaches abound. What we do know is that headache pain is real and that a number of treatment options exist to ease – if not control – most headaches. The key to easing headache hurt is knowledge.