What causes headaches ted ed?

You feel pain when various structures of your head are inflamed or irritated. These structures include:

The sensation of pain can also be ‘referred’, which means that pain occurring in one area can transmit the feeling of pain to an area nearby. An example is the referred pain of a headache arising from a sore neck.

Anything that stimulates the pain receptors in a person’s head or neck can cause a headache, including:

Tension headache is the most common type of headache. Two out of three people will have at least one tension headache in their lifetime, which:

Misalignments of the spine and neck, poor posture and muscle tension can refer pain into the head. Therapies to treat recurring headache caused by musculoskeletal problems may include osteotherapy, physiotherapy or chiropractic. Stress is thought to trigger our body’s ‘fight or flight’ response, which is characterised by shallow breathing, faster heart rate and raised blood pressure, and greater amounts of ‘stress chemicals’ such as adrenaline. Stress can cause or worsen a headache in a number of ways, including:

If the teeth of a person’s upper and lower jaw fail to meet smoothly, the resulting muscle tension in the jaw can cause headache. Treatment may include correcting the bite, replacing missing teeth or using occlusal splints, which allow the jaw to close without dental interference. Surgery may be needed in severe cases. Tooth decay, dental abscesses and post-extraction infection can cause headache, as well as referred pain to the face and head, and these need to be professionally treated by a dentist.

Many infections of the nose, throat and ear can cause headache. Depending on the disorder, treatment can include medications such as antibiotics, decongestants or antihistamines. Persistent problems, such as chronic tonsillitis, may need surgery as a final resort. Consult with an ear, nose and throat specialist.

According to some studies, what we eat and when we eat it can play a significant role in headache. Different causes of diet-related headache include:

Some other foods can cause headache in susceptible people. It is important to seek professional help. Self-diagnosis of food sensitivities can result in unnecessary diets that may not work. It’s a good idea to keep a diary of what you ate or drank in the 24 hours before a headache. This gives clues to the triggers of food-related headache. Healthcare professionals who may be able to help include a doctor, dietitian or naturopath.

If a person has difficulties with their vision, such as long-sightedness, they tend to squint and strain their eye muscles in order to better focus their vision. Eye diseases such as glaucoma can cause headache by referring pain into the structures of the head. Many of the eye problems that contribute to headache can be treated with prescription glasses or contact lenses. Talk to a qualified eye-care specialist such as an optometrist.

Medications are designed for a particular target in the body, such as a diseased organ. However, they can also affect other areas in the body. Unwanted side effects or adverse reactions are possible with all medications, including prescription and over-the-counter medications, herbal preparations and vitamin pills. Oral contraceptives (‘the pill’) can cause headache as an unwanted side effect. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – also known as hormone therapy (HT) – makes headaches worse for some women. Some diabetes medications can also make headaches worse. Suggestions for reducing the risk of medication-induced headache include:

If you believe that medications may be giving you recurring headache, it is important to consult with your doctor. In many cases, a different medication can be prescribed.

There are many causes of recurring headache, with multiple factors working in combination. Rather than address the causes, it may seem easier to take pain-relieving medications, such as aspirin. However, taking more than three doses of these per week could make your problem worse. Once the medications wear off, the headache returns because the triggers remain. If you then take more pain-relieving medications, the cycle of relief and rebounding headache continues, prompting you to take ever-increasing amounts of medication.

Disorders of the ear, nose and throat that can cause recurring headache include:

Irritated, inflamed or damaged nerves can bring on a headache. Causes may include:

Neurologists specialise in disorders of the nerves and brain. It is rare for headaches to be caused by serious problems such as a brain tumour, but these need to be ruled out through medical examination. Usually, you will only be referred to a neurologist after all other causes of chronic headache have been investigated and eliminated. Some neurological tests include CT and MRI scans. Treatment depends on the disorder.

Cluster headaches are relatively uncommon and tend to mainly affect men. Cluster headaches:

Headache can be caused by many contributing factors working together. That’s why you need professional advice to investigate and properly diagnose the specific factors behind your recurring headache. In some cases, headaches may be a warning about more serious underlying problems. Tests can include scans, eye tests and sinus x-rays. Factors that are considered when diagnosing a headache include:

Successfully treating chronic headache usually requires a combined approach that takes all the triggers for a person into account. Ask your doctor or healthcare professional for help in treating chronic headache. Your doctor can refer you to appropriate experts, such as ear, nose and throat specialists, neurologists, optometrists and physical therapists. Treating a headache depends on its cause. Some of the various treatments include:

In addition to conventional medical treatment, you may benefit from the help of a complementary therapist. Usually, your doctor will have a list of trusted complementary therapists. If not, suggestions include:

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• Migraine headache.
• Tension headache.
• Hypnic headache.
• Cluster headache.