What causes frequent headaches? Why do some people suffer from chronic headaches? Discover the different types of headaches, their underlying triggers, and effective treatments to alleviate this common but debilitating condition.

Understanding the Prevalence of Frequent Headaches

Experiencing the occasional headache is a common occurrence, but when they become a frequent and persistent problem, it can significantly impact one’s quality of life. According to neurologist Christy Jackson, MD, “Unfortunately, many people don’t seek help because they think they can cope on their own.” This reluctance to seek medical attention can lead to a worsening of symptoms and a missed opportunity for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Classifying the Different Types of Headaches

Headaches are generally divided into two main categories: primary and secondary. Primary headaches, such as migraines and tension-type headaches, are not caused by another underlying medical condition. Secondary headaches, on the other hand, are symptoms of an underlying health problem, such as a fever, infection, stress, or a head injury.

Tension Headaches: The Most Common Type

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache, causing mild to moderate pain. They are characterized by a dull, constant pain felt on both sides of the head, with no other accompanying symptoms. These headaches are often triggered by stress, noise, fumes, or prolonged periods of screen time.

Migraines: The Disruptive Counterpart

Migraines are the most disruptive type of primary headache, often marked by a throbbing, moderate to severe pain that can last for hours or even days. Migraines are frequently accompanied by other symptoms, such as sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, vomiting, and visual disturbances (aura).

Cluster Headaches: A Rare but Debilitating Condition

Cluster headaches are less common but significantly more severe. They often begin on one side of the head and recur for days or weeks, with attacks lasting between 15 minutes to three hours. Cluster headaches tend to affect men between the ages of 20 and 50, and are often triggered by alcohol consumption.

Medication-Overuse Headaches: The Rebound Effect

Medication-overuse headaches, also known as rebound headaches, are caused by the overuse of pain medications, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. These types of headaches are more commonly experienced by women.

Identifying and Addressing the Underlying Causes

When over-the-counter pain medications fail to provide relief and headaches become more frequent, it may be time to seek medical attention. “No one should go through life suffering from chronic headaches,” says Dr. Jackson, “not when they are treatable.”

The Importance of Clear Communication with Healthcare Providers

According to Dr. Robert Bonakdar, a pain specialist at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, “Correct diagnosis depends largely on the information you share with your health care provider.” Patients should be prepared to discuss the nature, frequency, and severity of their headaches, as well as any potential triggers or underlying conditions.

Exploring Treatment Options

Once a proper diagnosis has been established, healthcare providers can develop a tailored treatment plan that addresses the underlying causes of the headaches. This may include a combination of traditional and complementary therapies, with a focus on prevention and lifestyle changes.

Medication Therapies

For those suffering from frequent migraines, medications to prevent future attacks may be prescribed, such as antidepressants, Botox injections, and newer medications that modulate a neuropeptide known as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP).

Non-Medicinal Approaches

In addition to medication, healthcare providers may recommend non-medicinal therapies, such as biofeedback, to help patients manage their headaches. These complementary approaches aim to address the physical, psychological, and environmental factors that contribute to the development of chronic headaches.

Empowering Patients to Take Control

The key to effectively managing frequent headaches is a collaborative effort between the patient and their healthcare team. By understanding the underlying causes, seeking appropriate medical attention, and exploring a range of treatment options, individuals can take an active role in managing their condition and improving their overall quality of life.

Why Am I Getting Frequent Headaches?

To say, “I have a headache,” is one thing. To say, “I always have headaches,” is another. The latter is often more concerning.

Most people get headaches from time to time. They usually go away with or without any treatment. Frequent headaches are much less common and much more serious. They can disrupt your work or personal life. They can also be a sign of an illness or injury.

“Unfortunately, many people don’t seek help because they think they can cope on their own,” says Christy Jackson, MD, a neurologist and director of the Donald J. Dalessio Headache Center at Scripps Clinic. “They may rely on over-the-counter pain relievers instead of getting medical help. In some cases, headaches are not properly diagnosed.”

Consult with your primary care doctor if your headache symptoms get worse or occur more often despite treatment at home. Your doctor may refer you to a headache specialist.

“No one should go through life suffering from chronic headaches,” Dr. Jackson says. “Not when they are treatable.”

Headache specialists at Scripps help people who suffer from recurring, chronic headaches through a combination of traditional and complementary care with a focus on prevention and lifestyle changes.

“We evaluate your symptoms and design a treatment plan that targets the underlying physical, psychological and environmental causes of your headaches,” Dr. Jackson says.

“There are many effective treatments to relieve symptoms and prevent future attacks,” adds Robert Bonakdar, MD, a pain specialist at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. Treatments may include medication, biofeedback and other therapies.

Dr. Bonakdar stresses the importance of clear and open communication between doctor and patient. “Correct diagnosis depends largely on the information you share with your health care provider.”

It’s important to understand your diagnosis as much as possible, including what type of headache you have and what is causing it. There are many types of headaches, levels of frequency and severity.

Headache pain can range from mild to disabling. Headaches can be episodic or chronic. Episodic headaches occur occasionally. Chronic headaches are more consistent. They can strike for 15 days or more in a month.

Headaches are divided into two main types: primary and secondary. Primary headaches are those not caused by another medical condition. Migraine and tension headaches are the most common.

Secondary headaches are symptoms of another health problem, such as a fever, infection, stress or a head injury.

Tension headaches, which are the most common type of headache, cause mild to moderate pain. They often present as a dull, constant pain felt on both sides of the head, and have no other symptoms.

These type of headaches are caused by tightening or tension in the muscles in the head, neck and scalp. They can be brought on by stress, noise, fumes and even long periods of watching TV or computer screens. They’re easier to handle than other types of headaches because they usually just come and go. Chronic tension headaches are much less common.

Migraine is the most disruptive type of primary headache. It is often marked by a throbbing pain that is moderate to severe. It can last four to 72 hours and happen one to four times a month.

Migraines often include other symptoms. Someone with a migraine may be sensitive to light and sound. They may prefer to be in a dark, quiet space. They may also experience nausea and vomiting and visual disturbances (aura).

Women are more likely than men to get migraines. Migraine attacks may also run in a family and begin at an early age.

Certain environmental factors are common triggers, such as sleep disruption, dehydration, skipped meals, some foods, hormone fluctuations and exposure to chemicals.

“The goal is to treat migraine symptoms right away and to prevent symptoms by avoiding or changing triggers,” Dr. Jackson says.

Cluster headaches are more severe but less common. They often begin on one side of the head and recur for days or weeks. Attacks can last between 15 minutes to three hours and occur every day.

They tend to affect men between the ages of 20 and 50, and smokers. People who experience these types of headaches are often restless, agitated and sweat profusely. Alcohol can trigger an attack.

Also known as rebound headaches, they are caused by an overuse of pain medications, such as aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Women are affected more often than men.

When over-the-counter medicine fails to work and headaches become more frequent, medication and other therapies may be prescribed.

Medications to prevent frequent migraines include antidepressants and Botox injections and newer medications.

In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new class of medications that modulate a neuropeptide known as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) that is believed to play a key role in migraine. Neuropeptides are small protein-like molecules used by neurons to communicate with each other.

For treatment of migraines as they occur, your doctor may prescribe triptans for relief.

Medication for frequent headaches may be combined with non-medication options, such as biofeedback, relaxation, bio stimulation and diet therapy.

Biofeedback uses electronic monitoring to help teach individuals how to control certain physical responses, such as muscle tension.

Many different relaxation therapies are available and can be individualized.

“Manual and massage therapy can be especially helpful for those with significant muscle tension or neck stiffness related to headache,” Dr. Bonakdar says.

For those who may have significant stress and sleep issues, one of the most powerful techniques is mindfulness. “This technique helps individuals increase awareness to manage triggers and automatic responses that often lead to the next headache.”

Mindfulness is typically offered at Scripps as an 8-week stress reduction course.

Biostimulation is a broad term that encompasses therapies such as acupuncture, which involves the use of needles to stimulate specific points of the body to alleviate pain.

“With a treatment course, acupuncture has been found to be as helpful as medication in the prevention of migraines,” Dr. Bonakdar says.

Electrical stimulation and other techniques can also be used. The most recent is the Nerivio wearable device, which was one of Time magazine’s Best Inventions of 2019.

Many headache sufferers often report a diet-related trigger. “When this is the case, the solution may be as simple as identifying and avoiding these triggers or finding a diet or supplement regimen that can fill gaps created by long-term headaches,” Dr. Bonakdar says.

While many foods can cause headaches, some are more common than others. Dr. Bonakdar works closely with the center’s dietician to help patients identify and avoid individualized triggers, which typically fall into a few categories:

• Allergenic foods which may take testing to confirm, such as peanuts and foods made with gluten
• Additives, such as those found in pre-packaged and processed foods
• Artificial sweeteners, such as those found in diet foods to reduce calorie content
• Aged foods, including wine, cheese, sauerkraut and cured meats.

“Diet is just one component of headache management,” he adds. “It’s important to look at the whole person to develop a treatment plan that includes a healthy lifestyle, integrative therapies — and when appropriate — medication.”

Top 7 reasons you have a headache

When a bad headache strikes, you just want it to end. The aching, throbbing pain can be debilitating and result in missed appointments, work, or time with family and friends.

Regardless of whether you are prone to migraines, tension headaches, or cluster headaches (see “Is this your headache?”), you may be able to reduce their frequency by identifying what brings them on. Here’s a look at the most common triggers for each of these kinds of headaches.

Stress

Stress can cause tight muscles in the shoulders and neck, which often leads to tension headaches. “It’s believed to start in the muscles. When tension headaches become frequent, the pain in shoulder and neck muscles is felt by the brain as pain in the head,” says Dr. Sait Ashina, a neurologist who specializes in headache treatment at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Stress is also a common trigger for migraines.

Diet

Hunger itself can trigger a migraine or tension headache. But eating certain foods may trigger migraines. It could be just one type of food — like beans or nuts — or many foods, such as avocados, bananas, cheese, chocolate, citrus, herring, dairy products, and onions. “Processed foods with nitrites, nitrates, yellow food dyes, or monosodium glutamate can be especially problematic,” Dr. Ashina notes.

Alcohol intake

Alcohol is a common cause of migraine and cluster headaches. For some people, a few ounces of red wine are all it takes to provoke a headache, although any kind of alcohol can be a trigger. It’s not clear if the alcohol itself is to blame or if another component in the drink causes the problem.

Environment

“Cluster headaches seem to be seasonal and often happen in the spring or fall,” Dr. Ashina says. “It’s something in the environment, but we can’t tell exactly what it is yet.” Environmental factors such as bright light, smoke, humidity, intense scents, or cold weather are associated with migraine headaches.

Hormones

Changes in estrogen levels are associated with migraines in women, and women suffer from migraines more often than men. Menstrual cycles may be tied to migraine in younger women. Varying estrogen levels during perimenopause can sometimes start migraines in women who never experienced them before. Estrogen therapy may also be a migraine trigger. Menopause does seem to end migraines in most women.

Caffeine withdrawal

If you normally consume caffeine in coffee or tea, stopping intake abruptly may trigger a migraine. This may be because caffeine causes blood vessels to constrict; without caffeine, the blood vessels widen and bulge out with each heartbeat — a chief reason for the pounding pain of migraines.

Lack of sleep

A lack of sleep is associated with migraines and tension headaches. “We don’t know why, but we do know there’s a correlation and that sleep can lead to pain relief. Sometimes people feel better after taking a nap,” Dr. Ashina says.

What you can do

Understanding your headache triggers can help you avoid getting headaches in the future. But identifying triggers can be tricky, especially if you have more than one (like several kinds of food). Dr. Ashina recommends keeping a diary to note the day, time, symptoms, and circumstances surrounding a headache (what had you eaten? where did it happen?).

If avoiding triggers isn’t enough to keep headaches at bay, talk to your doctor. There are many prescription medications as well as pill-free treatments (acupuncture, meditation, biofeedback, relaxation therapy) that can help reduce headache frequency.

And you’ll need to go a step further: “Make sure you get enough sleep, exercise, eat a healthy diet, limit alcohol intake, and reduce stress,” Dr. Ashina says. “Headaches are a condition of hypersensitivity, so you need balance in your system to fight triggers. “

Image: © peterschreiber.media/Getty Images

Constant headache? Take action!

Probably every person at least once in his life faced with a headache. For some, these sensations go unnoticed, and for some people, the head can hurt strongly and often. During such periods, life seems to stop: it hurts to look at a bright light, loud sounds are annoying, concentration of attention decreases, it is impossible to concentrate on anything.

There is more than one reason why a headache can occur, and before answering the question: “Why does my head hurt?”, you need to understand its types.

Contents

• 1 Types of headaches
• 2 Headaches and the spine
• 3 Why should we not tolerate headaches?
• 4 Where can I turn for help in St. Petersburg?

Types of headaches

There are several types of pain in the head, the occurrence of which depends on various factors.

Tension headache – this type is the most common and occurs from prolonged exertion, muscle strain. It can be caused by an uncomfortable body position, eye fatigue, mood swings, prolonged stress or depression. Headache in this form is constricting, pressing, can capture the entire area of ​​​​the head. Basically, such pain appears in the evening and signals the fatigue of the body.

Migraine is common among middle-aged women. Painful sensations appear more often on one side, more in the temples and frontal part of the skull. Pulsating pain, as it were, presses on the eyes, there is a fear of bright light, loud sounds and pungent odors.

Cluster headache – mainly affects the stronger sex. Unpleasant sensations arise unexpectedly and also end, but they are unbearable to endure. Localization of pain in the superciliary part or temporal region of the skull.

Headaches can be caused by:

Chronic stress – in this case, the pain is caused by constant anxiety, depression and fatigue. Pain can be different: aching, pressing, tightening, without a clear localization.

Intracranial pressure – it can decrease or increase, it occurs even in children. Accompanied by spasms, which are often accompanied by dizziness or vomiting.

These are not all causes of headaches, but are the most common.

Headache and spine

It often happens that the spine is to blame for severe headaches. This is facilitated by diseases such as osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia, etc. Also, incorrect posture can affect the development of a headache. The most common cause is precisely osteochondrosis, since the vertebral arteries and nerve roots are squeezed, which leads to oxygen deficiency in the brain.

If pain sensations are associated with the spine, then they can be determined by the nature of the pain:

• sharp spasms appearing in the occipital part of the skull. They are aggravated by turning and tilting the head;
• Pressing sensation in the back of the head, accompanied by tinnitus, dizziness, vomiting and flies before the eyes.

The loads on the spine are heavy every day, so it is not surprising that the head can hurt.

Why can’t you bear a headache?

If pain sensations become regular, then it is necessary to take measures – contact a neurologist and find out their true cause. Self-medication is not worth it, as this may be the first symptom of diseases such as:

• hypertension;
• cardiac arrhythmias;
• diseases of the cervical spine;
• disturbance of blood circulation in the brain;
• kidney or endocrine problems;
• the presence of inflammation in the body;
• malignant tumors in the brain, etc.

If you do not contact a specialist in time to prescribe treatment, you may encounter serious problems:

• problems with memory, attention and coordination;
• dizziness;
• persistent pain;
• loss of vision;
• stroke, heart attack, etc.

Where can I turn for help in St.

Petersburg?

If headaches prevent you from enjoying life, Dr. Razumovsky’s Spine Clinic will help you get rid of them. It uses effective methods of diagnosis and treatment.

Klinka’s specialists use modern diagnostic equipment to determine the exact cause of headaches and prescribe treatment.

You can also use the button below and make an appointment with a 5% discount.

Make an appointment

Headache: causes, types, treatment

home

About health

Headache

Headache

06/08/23

For many of us, a headache is not a problem, as it is easily resolved after taking pain medication. And when the pill stops helping, we do not go to the doctor, but switch to stronger drugs and even injections.

Unfortunately, the consequences are lost time. The time when you could, but did not want to discover the problem that your body is signaling persistently. After all, a headache is not an independent disease, it can be a symptom of serious diseases. Only a doctor should diagnose and treat them.

Why headaches occur

As a rule, not the whole head hurts, but some part of it. Causes of headache depending on its location:

• the temple area may hurt with sudden changes in blood pressure, poisoning the body with toxins or infectious diseases;
• headache in the back of the head occurs with high blood pressure, problems with the cervical spine (osteochondrosis, spondylosis) or hypertonicity of the muscles of the neck and collar zone;
• if the forehead hurts, it may be an inflammatory disease of the paranasal sinuses – frontal sinusitis. It can also be a sign of increased intracranial pressure or occipital nerve entrapment. Such pain accompanies very serious diseases – meningitis, pneumonia, malaria, typhoid;
• if pain occurs around the eyes, these are signs of migraine, vegetative-vascular dystonia. This is how eye diseases, including glaucoma, can manifest themselves.

Be careful if your head hurts regularly, with a certain cyclicity. This is a clear and specific signal – you have chronic diseases, or the level of stress and hard work is very high.

Different headache intensity

Headache in a particular area can be of varying intensity: from sharp and sudden attacks to prolonged debilitating. This is also valuable diagnostic information.

The intensity of the pain in the head can be:

• Strong, sometimes unbearable. The causes of such pain are migraines, pressure drops, sinusitis, traumatic brain injuries or infections. If the pain does not subside with time, but grows, it means that the painful process is progressing.
• Long lasting. This is a very serious SOS signal that our body can only give. It can indicate lesions of the nervous system of an infectious nature, meningitis, tuberculosis, parasitic diseases, and even a brain tumor. Particularly fearful frequent headache.
• Pulsating. Most often migraine manifests itself in this way. However, it can also be vascular diseases – brain damage, impaired outflow of cerebrospinal fluid or venous outflow. Pulsating pain is caused by some types of infectious lesions, otitis, glaucoma. A severe and prolonged throbbing headache is especially dangerous.
• Sudden. As a rule, it is caused by spasm of cerebral vessels. This happens in case of nerve infringement with cervical osteochondrosis, with a vascular crisis. An aneurysm rupture, intracranial hemorrhage is very dangerous. But a sharp headache often occurs as a result of stress, if a person is nervous or poisoned by low-quality products.

Be careful if your head hurts regularly, with a certain cyclicity. This is a clear and specific signal – you have chronic diseases, or the level of stress and hard work is very high.

Which diseases are accompanied by headaches

Only a doctor can establish a diagnosis, after several stages of examination. After all, with similar symptoms, the causes of headaches are different. Here is a list of the main diseases accompanied by pain in the head:

• Migraine. Severe headache , often throbbing, the person feels sick, irritated by light, odors. There is a general weakness, a desire to lie down. Often the pain is on one side of the face. A migraine attack can last a few hours, or maybe 2-3 days.
• Tension headache. The most common type of disease. Usually the head hurts slightly, but the pain returns again and again. It can last 6-7 days. The pain compresses the skull, is localized in the back of the head, frontal part, crown, or spreads to all departments. This type of pain occurs in people who are engaged in sedentary work, driving for a long time, or constantly in a state of stress. Their shoulder girdle is so constrained that it does not relax even during sleep. The patency of muscles, nerve impulses, and tissue nutrition are impaired.
• Cluster disease. Very difficult to tolerate by patients, sometimes goes into a continuous form. The pain pulsates on one side of the head, compresses the eye or part of the forehead. The eye begins to water and swell. The peak of the attack lasts from half an hour to an hour and a half. Cluster pain is more common in men.
• Pain caused by infections. She is accompanied by chills, fever. The pain presses on the temples, eyes, forehead. With SARS, cough and runny nose join the symptoms. With meningitis, the pain is severe, throbbing, accompanied by vomiting.
• Pain resulting from injury. Their nature and intensity depends on the nature of the injury. Characteristic for concussion, skull damage, displacement of the vertebrae in the cervical spine. Moreover, unpleasant sensations can occur immediately, or they can occur after some time.
• Sinus pain. It accompanies inflammation of the sinuses, therefore it is localized in the frontal part of the head or near the nose. The patient has a runny nose, nasal congestion. You can get rid of it only by curing the underlying disease.
• Pain provoked by intracranial pressure. These are massive, intense pain sensations covering the entire surface of the head and the area around the eyes. Patients describe them as pressing or bursting. Often a person is sick and he can hardly tolerate bright light.
• Pain arising from lesions of the trigeminal nerve. Sharp, short (from 2 to 5 seconds), but very painful. Occurs suddenly in any part of the face. Most often, inflammation of the trigeminal nerve occurs in people with unhealthy teeth and oral problems.

What examinations are required

With complaints of headache, you should consult a therapist. First, the doctor collects an anamnesis – clarifies the nature, localization, duration of the headache. Remember when it first appeared and how often it recurs. In order to exclude additional factors that can provoke attacks, you need to undergo an examination by a neurologist, an ENT doctor, an ophthalmologist and visit a dental office. They will be able to accurately identify the causes and types of headaches and prescribe treatment.

Your doctor may recommend the following tests for you:

• electroencephalography – a study of the state of the brain. This is how vascular and tumor pathologies, hematomas are detected;
• x-ray – will show if there are signs of hydrocephalus, if there was a head injury or sinusitis;
• magnetic resonance imaging – this way you can detect a tumor, problems of cerebral circulation, diseases of the nasal sinuses, the consequences of a stroke.
• computed tomography – this way you can determine if there are hemorrhages in the brain, what is the structure of the brain tissue and blood vessels;
• electromyography – determines the defeat of neural connections and nerves;
• Ultrasound of the vessels of the neck with Doppler – a popular procedure reveals atherosclerosis, vascular and blood flow pathologies, aneurysms;
• laboratory tests – tests will help detect inflammation, the presence of infection, cholesterol metabolism problems and autoimmune processes.

Headache treatment

The consequences of headache can be very serious. The more often and stronger the headaches become, the brighter their consequences will manifest themselves – up to muscle spasm and brain hypoxia. And besides, the underlying disease will inevitably begin to progress.

Headache treatment is not limited to the use of drugs – although the use of anti-inflammatory, painkillers and local analgesics is an important part of the treatment. For example, a course of drug blockades greatly facilitates the patient’s condition.

Good help in the treatment of headaches will be:

• manual therapy is a method of applying manual massage techniques to the spine. Especially effective for migraine and tension pain;
• massage techniques. Effective for recovery from injuries and chronic migraines;
• acupuncture – the impact of medical needles through special points on the body. So you can activate the work of organs associated with certain nerve endings and start the process of self-healing;
• osteopathy – in this case, muscle clamps and changes in the joints and organs are worked out using special massage techniques on points on the patient’s body;
• physiotherapy – treatment with ultrasound, alternating or constant weak electric and magnetic fields, exposure to heat. Effective for different types of headaches;
• physiotherapy exercises – moderate physical activity, especially good in the treatment of post-traumatic conditions and overexertion pain;
• Botox injections – if the muscles are in spasm, an injection of Botox will relax the area of ​​​​the body and relieve headaches;
• extracorporeal hemocorrection is a method based on blood purification from excess cholesterol and toxic substances. It has proven itself in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and pathologies of the immune system;
• folk remedies. For the most part, grandmother’s lotions and conspiracies can not be recommended in every case, and only as a method of complacency. Preparing decoctions and compresses, you can miss precious time and miss the early stage of the disease. Therefore, in any case, the first thing to do is consult a doctor.

How to prevent headaches

The best prevention of headaches is a healthy lifestyle and the ability to avoid stress.