Headaches Causes And Treatments

Not all headaches are alike or require medical attention, and most will go away by drinking an analgesic (painkillers) such as Tylenol or Advil.

Headaches Causes

Almost about everyone has experience headaches in their lives.

Headaches are the most common human ailment affecting as many as 50 million people.

According to the National Headache Foundation 3 out of 4 American had a headache in the past year.

About 80 million people visited the doctor’s office for headaches and about 400 million bought over the counter medication to treat it.

Scientist does not completely understand headaches.

There are various types of headaches, triggering factors and modes of relief vary from person to person.

Headaches associated with specific symptoms may warrant urgent medical attention, particularly sudden, severe headache or sudden headache associated with a fever, confusion, headaches associated with loss of consciousness, convulsions, headaches following a blow to the head, or associated with pain in the eye or ear; persistent headache in a person with no previous history of headaches; and recurring headache in children. There are many causes for headaches

1. Tension Headache

It can be felt in the forehead the temples the back of the neck or just simply throughout the head. A feeling of tightness around the scalp, back and upper neck may be felt, it can feel tender and knotted.

Nobody knows if sustained muscle tension itself or the subsequent restricted blood flow causes the pain. We always associate tension headaches to stress, Sleep deprivation or fatigue.

Sometimes just by chewing gum, holding the chin down for a prolonged amount of time will cause you to have a headache.

Men and women are about equally likely to suffer tension headaches.

If you have daily headaches it might be a sign of clinical depression. Sometimes the headaches may cause depression if they occur daily. Treating the depression may cause the headaches to disappear. It is always a good idea to consult your doctor.

2. Migraines

The word migraine comes from the Greek and it means “half a skull”. The pain usually occurs in one side of the head. Migraines involve an abnormal expansion of blood vessels in or around the brain.

Migraines may start with distorted vision called an (“aura” )and it is characterized by zigzag patterns of blind spots temporary loss of peripheral vision and/or shooting lights.

The pulsating, throbbing pain can be incapacitating and it can last from a few minutes to several days and in some cases it may cause nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to noise and light. If it last longer it can be a sign of another condition. Check with your doctor.

Migraines headaches affect women more than men. The sufferer may be young under 35 and probably had her first attack during her teen or twenties.

With age the attacks become less severe and less frequent. In some cases hormonal changes play a role in migraines headaches. If a woman is taking anticonceptive or it is close to the time of the menses she may have more attacks.

During pregnancy and after menopause the attacks are less frequent.

Migraines attacks may be trigger by certain foods, environmental factors, such as strong odors, changes in the weather and emotional factors. Often migraines headaches are accompanied by nausea and vomiting. And in 99 percent of the cases the pain follows certain warning signs (the aura) such as numbness on one side of the body, flashing lights and blind spots. It is important to keep a diary to pinpoint any possible triggers and to follow up with the severity of the pain and timing.

Many other things may cause migraines headache such as menstruation, certain foods, poor sleep, alcohol, smoking, monosodium glutamate (MSG).

3. Cluster headaches

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Cluster headaches means strike in a group or "cluster" and it can happen in a daily bases and/or for a few hours or they can last weeks or months on end.

Sometimes the sufferer may have months of freedom from the cluster headaches and then suddently can experience them again. Researchers think cluster headaches are a variant of migraines headaches largely because the pain is only on one side of the head as with migraines but unlike the throbbing of a migraine the pain of the “cluster” headache is steady and piercing.

Cluster headaches usually happens at night or early morning and the pain can be felt around or behind one eye or in one temple.

Cluster headaches affect more men than women. With the first attack usually appears in a 20 or 30 year old person.

50% of the time they are misdiagnosed as a sinus infection (stuffy nose or sinus congestion is a common symptom) or an abscess tooth. There is no clear cause for cluster headaches but smoking and drinking can be a factor.

Some Headaches Triggers

Exercise- Physical exertion causes blood vessels in the head, neck, and scalp to swell, producing a build-up in pressure.

Warm Weather- When weather gets too warm is a trigger for headache.

Strong Scents- Odors may stimulate the nervous system.

Certain foods especially chocolate, cheese, nuts, alcohol, and MSG, bring on headaches in some people. (MSG is a food enhancer used in many foods including Chinese food.)

Skipping Meals- If you skip a meal, your head could start to hurt before you realize you’re hungry. The trouble is a dip in blood sugar.

Smoking- Smoke contains nicotine, which causes blood vessels in the brain to narrow.

Poor Posture- build pressure in the head and neck muscles.

Cold Cuts- Often contain tyramine, as well as food additives called nitrates or nitrites. These additives appear to increase blood flow to the brain.

Red Wine- Tyramine is also found in red wine and some liquors. Alcohol increases blood flow to the brain, and the effects may be even more intense.

Hair Accessories- A tight ponytail may strain the connective tissue in the scalp, leading to a headache.

Medications-Certain medications can aggravate migraines.

Hormonal changes in women_ Fluctuations in estrogen seem to trigger headaches in many women with known migraines.

Hormonal medications-such as oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy — also may worsen migraines, though some women find it's beneficial to take them.

Sensory stimuli- Bright lights and sun glare can produce migraines, as can loud sounds.

Changes in wake-sleep pattern-Either missing sleep or getting too much sleep may serve as a trigger for migraine attacks in some individuals, as can jet lag.

Treatments

Not all headaches are alike or require medical attention, and most will go away by drinking an analgesic (painkillers) such as Tylenol or Advil. Over the counter painkillers are generally safe to take at recommended doses. The FDA Consumer Corner Bulletin pointed out that an overdose can cause serious liver damage and can be fatal. In fact, acetaminophen poisoning is a leading cause of liver failure in the United States.

Acupuncture has been found to be of benefit to chronic headaches

If you are experiencing recurrent or unexplained precipitating and aggravating headaches, please visit your doctor for a complete check up.