Primary Headaches
Headaches that occur on their own with no detectable underlying cause, such as migraine.
Part of: Headache
About Primary Headaches
Primary headaches occur independently and are not caused by another medical condition. It’s uncertain what sets the process of a primary headache in motion. A cascade of events that affect blood vessels and nerves inside and outside the head causes pain signals to be sent to the brain. Brain chemicals called neurotransmitters are involved in creating head pain, as are changes in nerve cell activity (called cortical spreading depression). Migraine, cluster, and tension-type headache are the more familiar types of primary headache. NIH – National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke