People with tinnitus complain of headache. Tinnitus is associated with different types of headache.
Tinnitus causes migraine. Individuals with tinnitus have shared experiences when buzzing in ears worsens after suffering from a migraine attack.Tinnitus also occurs in patients with migraines caused by idiopathic intracranial hypertension.
A post concussive headache part of the post concussive syndrome is another kind of headache symptomatic of tinnitus.
Coexistence of tinnitus and headache could be a result of spontaneous abnormal neural activity and also suggest an allodynic symptom. However, further investigations on these theories are needed. Other common complaints with tinnitus and headache are anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances and heightened stress levels.
Tinnitus and headache experienced at the same time could cause a lot of discomfort and treatment becomes necessary. Treatment for tinnitus should either be non-pharmacologic or pharmacologic.
A change in lifestyle is an example of a non-pharmacologic approach and can include a low salt diet, lessening caffeine intake and avoiding alcohol drinks. The use of white machine to mask tinnitus can also reduce the impact of tinnitus on the quality of life of a person suffering from tinnitus.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is also considered a reliable form of non-pharmacologic treatment while an example of a pharmacologic treatment is benzodiazepines which is said to reduce to intensity of tinnitus.
Some people suffering from pulsatile tinnitus accompanied by headaches include headache from the back of his or her head or just above the neck. Headache usually spreads to the left side of the head and sometimes into the left eye. The onset of headache is followed by pulsatile tinnitus which can be experienced or heard from either ear. Pressing down from the side of neck usually helps in reducing the side from the same side.