Why Are You Having Headaches?

Types of Headaches

No one enjoys headaches, but for many of us, they are regular events. The first step to finding relief from that distracting pain is to discover the type of headache.

Since there are around 150 different types of headaches we’ll limit this post to a look at some of the most common types.

Tension headaches:

Also called stress headaches, chronic daily headaches, or chronic non-progressive headaches, they are the most common type among adults and teens. They cause mild to moderate pain and come and go over time.

Migraines:

These headaches are often described as pounding, throbbing pain. They can last from 4 hours to 3 days and usually happen one to four times per month. Along with the pain, people have other symptoms, such as sensitivity to light, noise, or smells; nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; and upset stomach or belly pain. When a child has a migraine, she often looks pale, feels dizzy, and has blurry vision, fever, and an upset stomach.

Sinus headaches:

With these, you feel a deep and constant pain in your cheekbones, forehead, or bridge of your nose. They happen when cavities in your head, called sinuses, get inflamed. The pain usually comes along with other sinus symptoms, such as a runny nose, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and swelling in your face.

Hormone headaches:

Women can get headaches from changing hormone levels during their periods, pregnancy, and menopause. The hormone changes from birth control pills also trigger headaches in some women. – Web MD

Other Causes Of Headaches

The types of headaches we discussed above have a variety of causes most are related to the type. For example, a tension headache is pretty clearly caused by stress, sinus headaches are usually caused by sinus congestion and hormone headaches are from hormone imbalances.

Migraines, on the other hand, can be caused by many things and causes can be challenging to find.

Understanding the type or cause of your headache is the first step in finding the remedy and getting some relief from the pain. Here are some common causes of headaches in women.

High Blood Pressure

Many people are surprised to discover that their daily headaches are actually a symptom of hypertension, Mikhael says. The extra pressure of your blood increases the pressure inside your head, causing a chronic headache. Fortunately, treating the high blood pressure with medication or lifestyle changes will automatically cure this type of headache.

Dental Pain

Pain in your teeth, from decay or disease, or pain in your jaw, from tightness or TMJ, can show up as a headache in the top of your head, he explains. It’s called “referred pain” and is a very common symptom of dental issues. You should already be seeing your dentist on the regular but if you have a headache that won’t quit, it’s worth popping in for another check-up.

Insomnia

Lack of sleep ruins everything. It can expand your waistline, make you crave junk food, hurt your memory, and make you cranky (not to mention, you know, exhausted). But it turns out that chronic insomnia can also cause chronic headaches. “Unrested muscles can cause tension headaches and insomnia releases stress hormones, both of which trigger headaches,” Mikhael says.

Caffeine

Here’s the Diet Coke paradox: A little caffeine can cure a headache—that’s why it’s a main ingredient in Excedrin—but too much caffeine can trigger a headache. And the line is very individual. Mikhael recommends taking caffeine out completely and seeing if your headaches go away. If not, try using it only in small doses.

– Women’s Health

Do you experience regular headaches?


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