Other Headaches
In addition to migraine-like headaches, many people across Canada experience headaches with other causes including tension-type headaches, post-traumatic headache, primary stabbing headache (“ice-pick headache”), sinus headache, and many more.
Migraine Canada is committed to sharing information and resources about other types of headaches in order to help more Canadians understand, manage, and find treatment for headache symptoms from a wide range of causes, including but not limited to migraine.
Fast Facts About Headaches…
- Headache is a symptom, not a diagnosis
- Headaches are not always easy to diagnose
- The impact of headaches on quality of life is underestimated
- Many headaches are chronic (last for years) and cannot be cured
- Headaches can require a global approach that is often not accessible
- The science on headache is evolving fast and there is hope
Frequently Asked Questions About Headaches
What is the most common cause of headaches?
Headache is a common symptom that can be caused by more than 200 different medical problems. The most common classification of headache is tension-like headache. It is thought to be caused by an interplay between psychological tension and muscle tension. Unlike other headache types, it does not result from illness or lesions.
Migraine-like headache is the second most common classification. It is caused by the neurological disease migraine.
Is Migraine a type of headache?
Can people with migraine get other types of headaches?
Yes! People with migraine have particular brains that may be prone to developing other types of headaches. This includes:
- Post-traumatic headache
- Primary stabbing headache (“ice-pick headache”)
- Cold stimulus-evoked headache (“ice-cream headache”)
- Tension-type headache
- Cervicogenic headache
- Sinus headache
- Sleep apnea headaches
- Medication-overuse headache
For more information on this topic, read our article on other headaches associated with migraine.
Are headaches a public health concern?
Globally, 2% of the population experience chronic tension-type headache. When other types of headache are added to this rate, it is clear that headaches are a public health concern and that headache clinics should be available to Canadians.
For comparison, the prevalences of other well-known diseases
Asthma: 8%
Diabetes: 7%
Epilepsy: 1%
Multiple sclerosis: 2/1000
Resources About Other (not Migiraine-Like) Headaches

Medication Overuse Headache
In this post, we delve into the complexities of Medication Overuse Headache. Often triggered by frequent medication use, this condition significantly impacts those living with chronic migraine....

Gepants: Both A Preventive and An Acute Treatment for Migraine

Cluster Headache – All You Need to Know

Cluster headache – All You Need to Know
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on cluster headaches, a debilitating neurological condition affecting many worldwide. In this video, we navigate through the intricate landscape of cluster...

Vestibular Migraine – Webinar

Debunking the myths on types of headache diagnosis

The Canadian Migraine Tracker: A New Option for Headache Monitoring

Patient Education Resource Kit: Migraine Management in one source!
