What are the common causes of headaches that last all day. How can you distinguish between different types of persistent headaches. When should you seek medical attention for a prolonged headache. What are the most effective treatments for long-lasting headaches. How can you prevent recurring headaches that persist for days.

Understanding Persistent Headaches: Beyond the Ordinary Discomfort

Headaches that last all day or even longer can be more than just a nuisance; they can significantly impact your daily life and may signal underlying health concerns. While occasional headaches are common, persistent ones deserve closer attention. This comprehensive guide delves into the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for headaches that won’t seem to go away.

Common Causes of Long-Lasting Headaches

Several factors can contribute to headaches that persist for an extended period:

• Migraines
• Tension headaches
• Cervicogenic headaches
• Rebound headaches
• Stress and anxiety
• Hormonal changes
• Underlying medical conditions

Understanding the root cause of your persistent headache is crucial for effective treatment. Each type may require a different approach to management and relief.

Migraines: More Than Just a Headache

Migraines are intense headaches that can last for days or even weeks. They often come with additional symptoms such as:

• Throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sensitivity to light, sound, and odors
• Visual disturbances (aura)
• Fatigue and weakness

Migraines can be triggered by various factors, including stress, certain foods, hormonal changes, and environmental stimuli. Identifying and avoiding these triggers can help reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks.

Tension Headaches: The Pressure Build-Up

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache and can persist for hours or days. They typically cause:

• Dull, aching pain
• Tightness or pressure across the forehead or back of the head
• Tenderness in the scalp, neck, and shoulder muscles

These headaches are often related to stress, poor posture, or muscle tension. Addressing these underlying factors can help alleviate tension headaches.

Cervicogenic Headaches: When Your Neck is the Culprit

Cervicogenic headaches originate from issues in the neck but manifest as head pain. They can be caused by:

• Injuries or trauma to the neck
• Arthritis
• Poor posture
• Degenerative disc disease

These headaches often result in pain that starts in the neck and radiates to the head. Treating the underlying neck issue is key to resolving cervicogenic headaches.

Rebound Headaches: The Medication Paradox

Rebound headaches, also known as medication overuse headaches, occur when pain medications are used too frequently. They can develop from overuse of:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers
• Prescription migraine medications
• Caffeine-containing products

To break the cycle of rebound headaches, it’s crucial to gradually reduce medication use under medical supervision and address the underlying headache disorder.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Persistent Headaches

While many headaches can be managed at home, certain symptoms warrant immediate medical attention. Seek help if you experience:

• Sudden, severe headache that feels like the worst you’ve ever had
• Headache accompanied by fever, stiff neck, confusion, or neurological symptoms
• Persistent headache following a head injury
• Chronic headaches that interfere with daily activities
• Headaches that worsen or don’t improve with over-the-counter treatments

These symptoms could indicate more serious conditions that require prompt medical evaluation and treatment.

Diagnosing the Underlying Cause of Persistent Headaches

Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment of persistent headaches. Healthcare providers may use various methods to determine the cause:

• Detailed medical history and symptom description
• Physical examination, including neurological tests
• Imaging studies such as CT scans or MRI
• Blood tests to rule out underlying conditions
• Keeping a headache diary to track patterns and triggers

By pinpointing the specific type and cause of your headache, your healthcare provider can recommend the most appropriate treatment plan.

The Role of Lifestyle Factors in Persistent Headaches

Various lifestyle factors can contribute to or exacerbate persistent headaches:

• Poor sleep habits
• Dehydration
• Skipping meals
• Excessive caffeine consumption
• Alcohol use
• Sedentary lifestyle
• High stress levels

Addressing these factors through lifestyle modifications can often lead to significant improvements in headache frequency and intensity.

Effective Treatment Strategies for Long-Lasting Headaches

Treatment for persistent headaches often involves a multi-faceted approach:

Medication Options

Depending on the type and severity of your headaches, your doctor may recommend:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers (used judiciously to avoid rebound headaches)
• Prescription migraine medications
• Preventive medications to reduce headache frequency
• Anti-inflammatory drugs
• Muscle relaxants for tension-related headaches

It’s crucial to use medications as directed and under medical supervision to avoid complications or rebound headaches.

Non-Pharmacological Approaches

Many non-drug treatments can be effective in managing persistent headaches:

• Stress management techniques (meditation, deep breathing exercises)
• Physical therapy, especially for cervicogenic headaches
• Acupuncture
• Biofeedback
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Massage therapy
• Heat or cold therapy

These approaches can be used alone or in combination with medications for comprehensive headache management.

Lifestyle Modifications for Headache Prevention

Making certain lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of persistent headaches:

• Maintaining a regular sleep schedule
• Staying hydrated
• Eating balanced meals at regular intervals
• Engaging in regular physical activity
• Practicing good posture
• Managing stress through relaxation techniques
• Limiting caffeine and alcohol intake

Consistency in these lifestyle modifications is key to their effectiveness in preventing headaches.

Advanced Treatment Options for Refractory Headaches

For headaches that don’t respond to conventional treatments, more advanced options may be considered:

• Botox injections for chronic migraines
• Nerve blocks
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation
• Occipital nerve stimulation
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy specifically tailored for headache management

These treatments should be discussed with a headache specialist to determine if they’re appropriate for your specific situation.

The Impact of Diet on Persistent Headaches

Dietary factors can play a significant role in triggering or exacerbating headaches. Common dietary triggers include:

• Aged cheeses
• Processed meats containing nitrates
• Chocolate
• Artificial sweeteners
• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
• Alcohol, especially red wine
• Caffeine (both excess consumption and withdrawal)

Keeping a food diary can help identify potential dietary triggers specific to your headaches. Eliminating or reducing these foods may lead to fewer and less severe headaches.

The Role of Hormones in Persistent Headaches

Hormonal fluctuations can significantly impact headache patterns, particularly in women. Hormonal influences on headaches include:

• Menstrual cycle changes
• Pregnancy and postpartum period
• Perimenopause and menopause
• Hormonal contraceptives
• Thyroid imbalances

Understanding the relationship between hormones and headaches can help in developing targeted treatment strategies. For some women, hormonal therapies or adjustments to birth control methods may be beneficial in managing hormone-related headaches.

Environmental Factors and Persistent Headaches

Various environmental factors can trigger or worsen headaches:

• Bright or flickering lights
• Loud noises
• Strong odors
• Changes in barometric pressure
• Extreme temperatures
• High altitude

What to Do If a Headache Won’t Go Away

A long lasting headache that persists for days can be a symptom of a neurological condition, such as migraine, a headache disorder, or an injury. You may need medical care, especially if you have other symptoms.

Everyone experiences a headache from time to time. It’s even possible to have a headache that lasts for more than one day. There are many reasons why a headache can last a while, from hormonal changes to more serious underlying conditions.

While it can be alarming for a headache to last a long time — so long that you may not be able to sleep it off — most headaches aren’t life threatening. But it’s no fun when a lingering headache affects your ability to do the things you enjoy.

Let’s take a look at what can cause these headaches and how you can get relief.

If you’ve been experiencing the same headache for more than one day, it’s possible that you could have a more serious underlying condition that requires emergency medical care. Seek medical attention right away if you’re experiencing:

• a severe headache that began abruptly (within a few seconds)
• a migraine that has lasted several days, or even weeks
• any new symptoms you haven’t previously experienced along with the headache (disorientation, loss of vision or vision changes, fatigue, or fever)
• kidney, heart, or liver disease with a headache
• a severe or ongoing headache in pregnancy, which could indicate complications like preeclampsia
• HIV or another immune system disorder along with a headache
• headache associated with fever and stiff neck

There are multiple conditions that can cause a persistent headache that lasts for more than a day. Some of those include:

Rebound headaches

Regularly taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication for your headaches can actually cause your head to hurt between doses. While this type of headache often doesn’t hang around, it can recur over the course of a day or more.

Migraine

Migraine can be a severe type of headache that can last for days, or even weeks, at a time. They start with a feeling of general illness that takes hold one or two days before the headache begins. Some people experience aura, or bright, flashing vision changes before the pain begins.

Then, there’s the headache itself, with symptoms that may include:

• throbbing pain on either side (or both sides) of your head
• pain behind your eyes
• nausea
• vomiting
• light and sound sensitivity
• sensitivity to odors and fragrances

After your migraine lifts, you may experience a hangover-like feeling of fatigue and exhaustion.

Headaches related to stress or mood disorders

Anxiety, stress, and mood disorders can trigger headaches that linger for more than a day. Specifically, those with panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder tend to experience prolonged headaches more often than those without.

Cervicogenic headaches

Sometimes your headaches actually aren’t coming from your head at all. They’re coming from your neck.

In cervicogenic headaches, pain is referred to your head from an area in your neck. You may not even realize where it’s originating from. And if the underlying cause — the problem in your neck — isn’t treated, your headache won’t go away.

Cervicogenic headaches can be caused by injuries, arthritis, bone fractures, tumors, or infection. Your posture or falling asleep in an awkward position could cause a cervicogenic headache. It’s also possible that disc-related wear can also cause these types of headaches.

Concussions and other head injuries

If you’ve recently experienced a concussion or similar head injury, you could be dealing with an ongoing headache. This is called post-concussion syndrome, and it’s a mild injury to your brain caused by the initial trauma. It can last for months after a concussion — possibly up to a year.

Symptoms of post-concussion syndrome include:

• recurrent or ongoing headaches
• fatigue
• dizziness
• periods of irritability
• difficulty concentrating
• short-term memory issues
• anxious feelings
• ringing sensation in your ears
• difficulty sleeping
• sensitivity to sound and light
• blurred vision
• sensory disturbances like a lessened sense of smell and taste

A variety of treatment options, including home treatments and medical care, can help relieve symptoms of a prolonged headache.

Rebound headaches

Overusing OTC pain medications can actually cause headaches. These headaches are known as rebound or medication overuse headaches.

If you’re experiencing ongoing rebound headaches, you can start addressing your symptoms at home by reducing the amount of OTC medications you take.

You shouldn’t take medicine for pain for more than 15 days out of every month, and prescription pain medications shouldn’t be used for more than 10 days out of every month.

Your doctor or pharmacist can guide you regarding medication ingredients and potential side effects.

If you continue to experience chronic headache pain, your doctor may be able to help. Make an appointment to speak with them about preventative medicines.

Ask your healthcare professional for alternative treatment options for headaches and migraine, like antidepressants for headaches caused by chronic tension.

Waiting until your headache starts could keep you in a cycle of OTC treatment, so prevention is key.

Migraine

To address your migraine symptoms at home consider building a predictable schedule that minimizes stress and keeps you in a routine. Focus on adhering to regular mealtimes and a solid sleep schedule.

Exercise can help prevent migraine attacks, but be sure to warm up slowly before diving right in, as too much strenuous exercise can cause a headache.

Prescriptions containing estrogen, like the birth control pill, could also contribute to your migraine. You might need to speak with your doctor about stopping or changing those medications.

Your doctor may prescribe medications specifically for migraine that can prevent the headaches from occurring. They may also prescribe pain medications that are stronger than OTC options to stop your symptoms once they’ve begun.

Anti-nausea medication or corticosteroid treatments are sometimes prescribed by physicians for migraine symptoms as well.

Headaches related to stress or mood disorders

Work to reduce stress and promote relaxation in your environment. Self-massage or massage therapy may help ease the tension that causes ongoing headaches. You may also benefit from reducing stimuli and resting in a dark, quiet room.

Your doctor can help you address your stress, anxiety, or mood disorder through a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and medication.

Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications that can help relieve the tension and stress causing your prolonged headaches. Some medications for anxiety also work to reduce the number or intensity of headaches.

Cervicogenic headaches

Because cervicogenic headaches can be caused by injuries or issues in the neck, the underlying cause must be addressed to relieve your headache. Your doctor will examine you to rule out other types of headaches arising from other sources, like tension headaches.

Once the cause of pain is identified, your doctor may prescribe pain medication or nerve blocks to manage pain. They may also recommend physical therapy or a therapeutic exercise routine for pain management.

Concussions and other head injuries

While post-concussion syndrome does not have a specific treatment regimen, your doctor will work with you to address your specific symptoms. You can also take comfort measures at home to reduce your pain, like resting and limiting stimuli when you’re hurting.

Your doctor might advise you to take OTC medication for mild pain, or they may prescribe stronger pain management medication for headaches.

However, remember that overuse of pain medication can contribute to rebound headaches. So discuss with your doctor if you feel you’re taking too much.

Unexplained or general headaches

For unexplained, ongoing headaches, you may be able to manage or ease your symptoms at home through comfort measures, rest, and responsible use of medication.

Massage therapy can ease muscle tension that contributes to headaches, or you can perform self-massage techniques at home.

Managing your stress can help reduce your pain. Also, consider reducing the intensity of your exercise schedule or focusing on your form while exercising.

If your headache continues to persist, see your doctor. You may have an underlying condition that they can diagnose. With proper treatment, you’ll be able to address your persistent headache pain and return to your normal quality of life.

You may be able to prevent persistent headaches before they begin by taking a few steps every day. These include:

• drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration
• exercising regularly
• avoiding environmental triggers
• getting needed support for your mental health
• seeking hormonal support, particularly if you’re premenopausal or experiencing menopause
• reducing stress

Headaches that won’t go away are alarming, but they usually aren’t serious. It’s important to discuss your symptoms with your doctor.

With the appropriate diagnosis and the right approach to treatment, you can get relief from your persistent headache and return to your usual quality of life.

What type of headache do you have?

Headaches are familiar to nearly everyone: in any given year, almost 90% of men and 95% of women have at least one. In the vast majority of cases, however, the pain isn’t an omen of some terrible disease. The three most common types of headaches are tension, sinus, and migraine. The most common headache triggers are stress, fatigue, lack of sleep, hunger, and caffeine withdrawal.

Mixed headaches

As understanding of the different types of headaches has evolved, researchers have altered some of their beliefs about migraine and tension headaches and the relationship between the two. This is largely because of the realization that some headaches don’t neatly fit either category. “Mixed” headaches have characteristics of both types, and because they’re hard to classify, treatment can be challenging.

For instance, the more intense a tension headache gets, the more it resembles the sharp, throbbing pain of a migraine headache. Likewise, when a migraine headache becomes more frequent, its pain begins to feel like that of a tension headache. Symptoms of headaches fall along a continuum ordered by their characteristics: the occasional tension headache is at one end and the classic migraine headache is at the other. In between are chronic daily headaches, which can start with features typical of either tension or migraine headache.

Headache caused by a medication or illness

Some headaches are actually symptoms of another health problem. Many non-life-threatening medical conditions, such as a head cold, the flu, or a sinus infection, can cause headache. Some less common but serious causes include bleeding, infection, or a tumor. A headache can also be the only warning signal of high blood pressure (hypertension). In addition, certain medications, such as nitroglycerin and female hormones (prescribed for a contraception or menopausal symptoms) are notorious causes of headache.

Because the following symptoms could indicate a significant medical problem, seek medical care promptly if you experience:

• a sudden headache that feels like a blow to the head (with or without a stiff neck)
• headache with fever
• convulsions
• persistent headache following a blow to the head
• confusion or loss of consciousness
• headache along with pain in the eye or ear
• relentless headache when you were previously headache-free
• headache that interferes with routine activities.

Always take children who have recurring headaches to the doctor, especially when the pain occurs at night or is present when the child wakes in the morning.

Image: m-imagephotography/Getty Images

Headache – causes, symptoms and diagnosis, indications for visiting a doctor

Perhaps there is no such person in the world who has not had a headache at least once in his life, and about 20% of people suffer from chronic pain. Mentions of this problem are found in ancient manuscripts – the works of doctors and literary works of ancient Egyptian, Greek, Babylonian, Chinese authors. Even then, doctors were trying to find patterns in which pain in the head occurs, and treatment options. In ancient Egypt, there were even special priests who dealt only with the problem of headaches. A panacea has not been found so far, but modern medicine has made significant progress. Now there are effective methods of assistance, and high-precision diagnostic equipment will help to understand the causes of the problem.

Sometimes a completely healthy person can have a headache, and in some cases a headache can be the only practical symptom of some dangerous diseases. Why does pain arise, how to help yourself at home, when you need a doctor’s help, and when there is nothing to worry about – we will consider these issues in more detail with the doctors of the Kutuzovsky Medical Center.

Types and causes of headaches

We feel a headache in those areas where there are pain receptors. It can be different in strength, duration, accompanying symptoms and character. The manifestations and symptoms of a headache are different: someone has a headache in the temples, others complain of frequent headaches in the forehead. Consider the main options.

Migraines

This is an intense headache in the temples on one side of the head, mostly of a throbbing character. The patient exacerbated and painfully reacts to bright light, loud sounds, smells. The attack lasts from several hours to three days, may be accompanied by nausea (in 90% of cases) and vomiting (in 30% of cases). Unpleasant sensations are aggravated by physical exertion, especially sharp ones. Often the whole right side of the head (or left) hurts, and not just the temple.

Migraine is a primary headache, that is, it is not a symptom of any other disease. The cause of migraine is the appearance of inflammatory substances around the nerves and vessels of the head, which provoke pain. Why such a mechanism is activated is not known for certain. An attack can be provoked by mental or physical overstrain, stress, changes in weather, diet, hormonal drugs.

Migraines can be hereditary, women are twice as likely to suffer from them. Several genes have been identified that are responsible for migraines.

Seizures recur periodically throughout life – from several times a week to several times a year. Migraines begin during puberty (less often in childhood).

15-60 minutes before a migraine attack, some people may notice the appearance of a migraine precursor – an aura. This is a neurological phenomenon in which short-term visual disturbances appear (flickering, fogging, narrowing of the field of vision), dizziness, sensory symptoms – tingling, loss of sensation in the hands, nasolabial folds. After an attack for a day or more, the patient may experience general weakness, a weaker headache in the temples than during the acute phase, a state of “hangover”, confusion of thoughts.

Tension pains

This is a pain that “compresses” the head. She is often described as having a tight helmet over her head. There is a headache in the temples, the back of the head, on the forehead, the crown of the head – unpleasant sensations can be, both throughout the head, and in some part. This is the most common type of headache. Feelings are usually moderate, there is no acute pain (as with migraines).

Among the causes that cause this pain are muscle tension due to the same type of work, mental and visual stress, uncomfortable postures, stress, weather changes, non-compliance with the regime of work and rest. An attack can last up to several days. Tension pain is more common in people prone to deep emotional experiences, depression, stress.

Cluster headaches

Most intense pain with severe attacks. They last from 20 minutes to one hour with several attacks per day. In some cases, they may occur daily for a long time (up to several weeks).

During an attack, the head hurts in the forehead or eyes, lacrimation, swelling in the nose, drooping of the eyelids may begin. Middle-aged men are six times more likely to suffer from cluster pain, and about 0.5% of people are familiar with the problem.

These are the main three types of primary headache. Less common, but may be pain from physical or sexual activity, medication.

There is also a secondary headache – it is a symptom of some disease. These include pain associated with:

• Traumatic brain injury. Their other symptoms: dizziness, irritability, memory impairment.
• Injuries or diseases of the cervical spine (osteochondrosis and others). With them, the head hurts in the back of the head, visual acuity and hearing may decrease.
• Pathologies of cerebral vessels – stratification of the walls, atherosclerosis, aneurysms, strokes and other vascular changes.
• Arterial hypertension – high or low blood pressure. With hypertension, the back of the head hurts, with hypotension, there is weakness, and the head is spinning.
• Infections – encephalitis, meningitis, and other infectious lesions.
• Tumors in the head or neck.
• Diseases and injuries of the ears, sinuses, jaws and teeth, eyes and other structures of the skull. Where and how it will hurt depends on the root cause. So, with glaucoma, a headache is a pain in the eyes that radiates to the forehead.
• Mental illness.
• Excessive use of painkillers, including for headaches.

Diagnosis and treatment

Why does my head hurt and what should I do? The answer to this question will help to give modern diagnostic techniques. This does not mean that the doctor can conclusively find the only “culprit” – the root cause. Especially when it comes to primary headaches (migraine, tension and cluster pain). The physiological processes of their occurrence are not fully understood, although medicine knows a number of factors that provoke an attack.

The main task is to determine the type of headache: primary or secondary. The first – although they deliver a lot of discomfort to the patient, interfere with the ability to work, but are not dangerous to health. The pain will go away on its own or after taking medication.

Management of primary headaches:

• Relief of an attack with pain medications: analgesics or other drugs.
• Prophylaxis with drugs that reduce the frequency or intensity of seizures.
• Avoidance of precipitating factors – overwork, certain foods, periodic breaks in work, sufficient sleep and others.

The situation is different with secondary headaches. To help the patient, you need to determine the symptom of what disease is the headache. And treat him. This is especially important for serious pathologies that threaten life or health. Stroke, meningitis, brain tumors – these and other diseases are manifested by headaches.

Help in finding the cause:

• Examination by a neurologist, competent collection of complaints and anamnesis. This is the most important thing in diagnosing headaches.
• Laboratory diagnostics – determination of the main indicators of the body’s work: the level of cholesterol, glucose, leukocytes and other parameters.
• Instrumental diagnostics: MRI of the brain, vessels, neck, dopplerography or duplex examination of the vessels of the brain and neck, radiography.
• Examinations – electroencephalogram, examination by an ophthalmologist, measurement of blood pressure and others.

The main doctor who treats headaches is a neurologist. When it comes to secondary headaches, an ENT doctor, an ophthalmologist, a therapist, and some other specialized specialists may be needed.

Medical center “Kutuzovsky” – a medical center where they will help to deal with the causes of headaches and the right treatment.

It is beneficial to contact us for many reasons:

• The clinic has all the doctors of all necessary specialties who will work together to solve the problem.
• We have high-precision diagnostic equipment – you do all tests and examinations in the center, in a short time.
• Our prices are affordable, there is a bonus program, you can get treatment under VHI.

Our center has developed several comprehensive diagnostic programs, among which is the Headache Diagnosis. This is an opportunity to undergo a comprehensive examination for those who value time and money. Examinations and consultations will take only a few hours, and the cost of services included in the program, individually, is higher than the cost of complex diagnostics.

The headache is excruciating and can be dangerous. It prevents us from leading our usual way of life, productive work and rest. No need to endure, wait for it to pass by itself, endlessly drink painkillers. It’s time to find out why your head hurts, and act on the problem purposefully!

Video: Live on the topic: “Headaches. Modern approaches in diagnosis and treatment”

Publication checked:

Tsarev Vyacheslav Yurievich

Experience:
11 years old

Neurologist, reflexologist, functional diagnostics doctor

Make an appointment

Make an appointment

Name

Phone

By clicking on the “Sign up” button, you consent to the processing of personal data

Headache for the third day.

Causes of cephalgia 3 days without stopping.

The third day my head hurts. Causes of cephalgia 3 days without stopping.

Gimranov Rinat Fazylzhanovich
Neurologist, neurophysiologist, experience – 33 years;
Professor of Neurology, MD;
Clinic for Rehabilitation Neurology. About the author

Publication date: November 23, 2021

Updated: January 31, 2023

Periodic headaches (cephalgia) due to severe fatigue or overexertion are familiar to almost every adult. And it can be difficult to understand why the head hurts for 3 days.

Prolonged cephalgia is abnormal. It is provoked either by constant exposure to harmful external factors, or by the development of a serious disease. Depending on how strong and prolonged the attacks are, a decision is made: whether to cope with them on their own or seek help from doctors.

Article content:

• 1 Causes
• 2 Types of pain
• 3 Diagnosis
• 4 Treatment
  • 4. 1 How to get rid of pain at home?
• 5 Prevention
• 6 References

Causes

Whenever a severe headache lasts for more than 3 consecutive days and does not go away, it is worth contacting a doctor at the clinic to determine the exact causes.

A variety of factors can provoke such a long attack. More often, the problem lies in the way of life or the conditions surrounding the person.

Common causes of headache for more than 3 consecutive days:

1. diseases of the central nervous system and body, including infectious diseases [1];
2. lack of oxygen in the blood, which is provoked by staying in an unventilated room;
3. excessive consumption of coffee and other tonic drinks;
4. hormonal changes, characteristic of women;
5. migraine, migraine status, is a disease with a hereditary predisposition, has a trigger – a factor that provokes attacks.
6. cervical osteochondrosis – provokes pinching of the nerves, which leads to sharp shooting pains when moving the head;
7. problems with the vessels of the brain, atherosclerotic plaques or clamping of the arteries leads to a decrease in the amount of incoming oxygen and nutrients;
8. head injuries and their consequences – attacks of pain can persist for up to 6-8 weeks and subsequently return after overexertion;
9. chronic fatigue, both physical and mental overstrain can cause an attack;

1. lack of sleep, dyssomnia;
2. malnutrition;
3. smoking abuse;
4. the development of neoplasms, benign and malignant tumors, cysts, put pressure on the surrounding tissues, leading to cephalgia.

Do not resort to thoughtless use of painkillers if you are faced with prolonged cephalalgia: this can harm the body. What to do if the head hurts badly for 3 days without a break, the doctor can decide after determining what kind of pathology it is.

Types of pain

When determining the root cause of unpleasant three-day bouts of headache, specific sensations and their localization play a significant role.

There are following types of pain, depending on the sensations experienced:

1. Dull pressing pain that occurs in the back of the head or behind the eyes. Often, the cause is the instability of blood pressure, its increase.

1. Tension pain due to excessive muscle tension and fatigue. Manifested by aching, girdle sensations.

1. Sudden severe attacks of acute pain, accompanied by nausea and dizziness, indicate an acute lack of oxygen and a possible stroke.

1. Migraine is a severe cephalalgia, localized only on one side, concentrated in one part of the head [2]. May be preceded by an aura.

1. Cluster pain. They are localized in a certain sector, often in the region of one of the eyes. Accompanied by photophobia, lacrimation, runny nose.

Before deciding what to do if your head hurts for the 3rd day in a row, you first need to determine the cause of the condition. An accurate description of the sensations experienced by the patient will help the doctor in this.

Diagnostics

Every person understands that just like that, without a good reason, his health will not deteriorate.

When getting to know the patient, the doctor must obtain the information necessary for diagnosis:

• the first time of the onset of symptoms, it is extremely important to describe how and at what time the cephalalgia first began;
• describe in detail pain sensations and their localization;
• indicate accompanying symptoms occurring shortly before or during attacks;
• if it was possible to identify situations in which the state of health worsens, tell about them;
• describe the features of seizures: how many days it lasts, how often it occurs.

After questioning and examination, the doctor will be able to make a preliminary diagnosis. It is possible that additional research will be required to clarify the reasons:

• blood tests: biochemical, for hormones, general;
• MRI, CT of the spine, head;
• analysis of the state of the vessels of the brain and neck by Doppler sonography;
• electroencephalography (EEG), EEG monitoring.

According to the results, consultations are scheduled with doctors of related specialties. This algorithm allows you to get an accurate diagnosis and build a therapy strategy.

Treatment

If the third day you have a very bad headache, then what to do should be decided by the doctor, after establishing the cause of the negative state of health.

Severe cephalalgia is not always suppressed by painkillers, it interferes with the usual way of life. Often, it is not an independent manifestation of the discomfort of the body, but a symptom of a serious illness.

A person needs to visit the clinic as soon as possible and after the diagnosis, start treating the identified problem. Treatment is prescribed specifically for each patient, according to indications [3].

The average algorithm for how to get rid of a headache that bothers you for three days without stopping consists of the following methods:

• Drug therapy. Symptomatic remedies are used to directly suppress pain, and drugs to solve the problem that causes it. Depending on the identified disease, nootropics and sedatives that stabilize blood pressure, saturate the blood with oxygen, and others can be prescribed.

• Physiotherapeutic procedures are selected depending on the state of health of the person. Massages, acupuncture, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, physiotherapy exercises are prescribed. Feeling better thanks to hardware procedures: Multimag, alpha-capsule.

• Surgical intervention is prescribed when neoplasms are detected, since in this case other methods are powerless. After the operation, the patient is waiting for a recovery course, including physiotherapy and medication.

• Auxiliary “folk” remedies that help improve well-being during prolonged attacks. If you want to use one of these methods, you must first discuss this possibility with your doctor. The method should fit into the therapy regimen and not cause harm.

It is far from always that when a headache torments you for the third day in a row without stopping, it is not always possible to consult a doctor. In this case, universal ways to alleviate the condition will help.

How to get rid of pain at home?

When another attack occurs, it is extremely important to find out what provoked it, so as not to make yourself worse.

It is necessary to act specifically on the cause, due to which the head hurts for the third day.

Effective methods, depending on the factor that caused cephalgia, are:

• self-massage of the head, especially in localized cephalgia, and neck;
• contrast shower;
• acupressure, finger self-massage;
• hot foot bath;
• airing the room or walking in the fresh air;
• application of a cold or warm compress to the epicenter of pain;

• aromatherapy using specially selected aroma oils [4];
• herbal teas with the addition of plants that relieve pain and nervous tension.

Prevention

Any disease is easier to prevent than to try to treat when it has already developed. This also applies to problems with cephalgia. If you have had a severe headache for three days in a row, then a doctor will help you understand why this is happening. If, after examination, a serious illness is not detected, then changes in the daily routine will help to correct the situation.

Preventive measures advised by doctors are aimed at improving the patient’s lifestyle. They will help reduce the number of attacks of poor health and reduce the risk of developing serious pathologies.

To avoid headache attacks lasting three days in a row, it is recommended:

• Establish a sleep pattern. The norm for an adult is 8-9 hours at night. Lack of sleep, shifting the rest period by a day, or excessively prolonged sleep lead to equally unpleasant consequences.
• Correct power supply. Uncontrolled consumption of sweets, confectionery, food with a lot of spices or fatty foods can lead to prolonged pain. There are preservatives that also have a negative impact on health. The body should receive enough clean water and nutrients from fruits and vegetables.
• Reduce consumption of caffeinated drinks. Not everyone will benefit from drinking a lot of strong tea.
• Walk outdoors and ventilate the premises regularly. Often, the deterioration of health is associated with a lack of oxygen in the environment around you.

• Remember to rest. The working day should be interrupted by periods of activity of a different type. It is relevant when the work is sedentary, and is associated with interaction with the screens of gadgets, a computer.
• Alternate physical and intellectual activities. Spend your free time actively so that the brain has time to take a break from the routine monotonous load.

It is extremely important not to overuse painkillers during prolonged headache attacks. Taking pills for 3-4 days in a row carries the risk that the drugs will no longer have the desired effect.