Most Common Reasons Why You Keep Getting Painful Headaches

Are you looking for the most common reasons why you keep getting painful headaches? Headaches range from a mildly annoying pain, that has little effect on your day-to-day abilities, to extremely painful migraines. These can cause issues with light, balance, and affect your ability to do everyday tasks.

The bottom line is that headaches are painful but, in the majority of cases, they are simply a nuisance. You can take over-the-counter painkillers and eliminate the pain, allowing you to get on with your life.

In short, the occasional headache is generally accepted as a normal occurrence and not something to be worried about. But, there are times when you should be concerned about headaches and seek professional help, ideally from a reputable neurosurgeon. Specifically, if they are unusual or you keep getting painful headaches.

The Cause Of Headaches

It is worth noting that research has not yet uncovered what causes headaches. But, as your skull and brain don’t have pain-registering nerves, it seems reasonable to assume it is related to blood vessels.

If you’re experiencing regular painful headaches you should get professional help. However, it is worth noting that the most common reasons for this are as follows.

Stress

One of the biggest causes of regular headaches is stress. When you are stressed your body releases cortisol which prepares it to fight or flight. This hormone prevents the release of other hormones and can widen blood vessels as you prepare for a burst of energy.

In turn, wider blood vessels can cause pressure in your head which results in a headache.

Medication

If you are currently taking medication for another condition and you start to get regular headaches you’ll need to check the side effects of your medication. It is important to establish whether headaches are a side-effect. If they are, you’ll need to see your doctor regarding whether it is possible to change your medication or not.

It is worth noting that taking pain medication more than twice a week increases your likelihood of getting rebound headaches.

Lack Of Sleep

Sleep is essential to the proper function of your body and not getting enough has a detrimental effect on many parts of your body. This can cause headaches which will continue to reoccur until your body gets the sleep it needs. Of course, this may be easier said than done, especially if you suffer from a sleep disorder.

Disease

There are a variety of diseases that can cause headaches, such as a brain tumor or infections like meningitis. The good news is that these are rare but it does emphasize why you should get your headaches checked out and resolved.

Injury

It is also possible to get reoccurring headaches after a traumatic event, especially if this has involved a knock to the head. Inflammation and additional pressure can cause headaches. They will subside as the trauma heals but you may need help dealing with them while it is healing.

The bottom line is simple. If you have reoccurring headaches or any unusual head pain, see a medical professional to ensure you get the right diagnosis and best treatment plan.

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