Headaches Everyday can be a miserable experience. You do not know the cause and you do not know how to prevent or treat it, except to take some medication that might work and may leave you drowsy or with some other side effects. The best approach to getting relief from everyday headaches is to find out the common causes of headaches, then also importantly, understand the different types of headaches so that you may know how to approach getting treatment.
Of course, nothing beats getting medical attention. Remember, worst case scenario is that your headaches could be the result of another serious medical condition and the headache is the body’s way of warning you to pay attention and do something before the problem gets worse. The first recommended approach is to get examined by your doctor and try to find out exactly what is causing these everyday pains. On the other hand, getting first hand knowledge about your own headache can help you prevent and even find natural cures and get long term headache relief.
The National Headache Foundation claims that 75% of those with headaches everyday have some kind of family history of headaches. Did you know that there are thirty-two million people that suffer everyday just in the United States and that is ten percent of everyone in the world. There are said to be four hundred million global daily headache sufferers.
People suffer with headaches everyday for many different reasons but I am going to list the most common headache causes:
1. Bright light, very loud noises, strong scents and odors.
2. Allergies, allergic reactions to medicine, smoke, food and other things.
3. Exposure to sunlight, smoke and heat.
4. Irregular sleep patterns.
5. Emotional, mental or physical stress or having all three.
6. Frequent intake of drinks high in sulfate or alcohol.
7. Frequently skipping meals.
8. Pressures, tension and stress.
9. Hormonal changes, birth control pills and menstrual cycle.
10. Foods that have mono-sodium glutamate like finger foods, snack foods and foods that have tyramine like preserved cheese, red wine, beans, grilled fish and chicken livers.
12. Poor eyesight, need glasses
13. Too much watching of the computer and TV screen.
All these and many more are triggers for your daily headaches.
If you suffer daily, the best way to get relief is to find out about the different types of headache to see what type you are having. you can then decide on the appropriate treatment option.
There are different kinds of headaches.
1. You may be having a migraine headache. Of those who suffer from almost constant everyday headaches, about twenty-five percent of them have migraines. The pain is many times described as a throbbing, searing sensation that is intense and will affect one side of your head. You may also have numbness, nausea and vomiting, sensitive to light, sound and movement. They can last hours or even days.
2. Your daily pain and suffering may be due to tension headaches. These are very common and take up about seventy percent of those who suffer daily. These are described as being mild or moderate and can last thirty minutes up to even a week. The pain is really hard to pinpoint and you can feel it all over your head rather than just in one place. Your shoulders and neck may feel tense and tight.
3. Some people who suffer from headaches everyday may be having cluster headaches. These are sharp, sudden excruciating pain that normally happens at night. The pain will usually be in your eyes and you will probably be nauseous. You nose may feel blocked and could begin running and you eyes may start watering. People who suffer from cluster headaches will have difficulty sleeping at nights.
4. If I had to choose between chronic headache causes, then I would choose sinus headache simply because it is the easiest to avoid, identify and treat. Having a bad bout of sinusitis can cause you to have a headache that just won’t go and it is sometimes confused with migraine headaches. If along with your headache symptoms come the feeling that you are getting the flu plus other sinusitis symptoms, then you may be getting a sinus headache.
5. There is a reason women suffer from headaches thrice as much as men. 70% of women suffer from menstrual migraine, which is one type of hormone headaches. These headaches are as a result of changes in a woman’s hormones, more specifically, a problem in how the endocrine system works with the nervous system. There are also other hormone related headache causes such as premenstrual problems, menopause, the use of oral contraceptives and of course, pregnancy.
6. Over medicating can cause rebound headaches. You may be using medication and exceeding the recommended dosage. This may cause your headache to rebound; therefore it is important to follow your prescription to avoid these types of headaches. You may be overdosing unintentionally as some medications contain caffeine. If you are also drinking coffee, tea or sodas (that also contain caffeine), that could result in an overdose and lead to a rebound headache.
Headaches Everyday
If you are suddenly having headaches everyday, it’s better that you visit your doctor and find out why as soon as possible. You should immediately being a headache journal and write down every time the head starts, how bad the pain is, where the pain is and how long the pain lasts. You should also write down what you were doing when you got the headache and maybe what you had to eat before the headache started. Having a record of all this will really help you narrow down what is causing you to have those daily headache pains, then with your knowledge of headache causes and types, you can help yourself along the path to long term headache or migraine relief.
