Headaches are an incredibly common ailment, with many people experiencing them from time to time. Most of the time, a headache will resolve on its own and isn’t a sign of a serious underlying condition. However, understanding why you might have a headache and knowing when it’s important to seek medical advice can help you manage your health effectively.
Common Reasons for Headaches
Headaches can be triggered by a variety of everyday factors. Often, identifying the cause can be the first step in finding relief.
Dehydration
One of the simplest and most frequent causes of headaches is dehydration. When your body doesn’t have enough fluids, it can lead to headaches. Ensuring you drink enough water throughout the day is crucial for overall health and headache prevention.
Stress and Tension
Stress is a major contributor to tension headaches, the most common type of headache. Stress can cause muscles in your scalp and neck to tighten, leading to pain. Learning relaxation techniques and managing stress levels can help reduce these types of headaches.
Cold and Flu
Headaches are a common symptom of colds and flu. These illnesses often cause inflammation and congestion in the sinuses, which can lead to headache pain. Rest and hydration are important when you have a cold or flu-related headache.
Eye Strain
Straining your eyes for prolonged periods, especially when looking at screens, can lead to headaches. This is because the muscles around your eyes become fatigued. Taking regular breaks from screens and ensuring proper lighting can help prevent eye strain headaches.
Poor Posture
Bad posture, particularly prolonged slouching or hunching over a desk, can strain the muscles in your neck and upper back, leading to tension headaches. Maintaining good posture and taking breaks to stretch can be beneficial.
Skipping Meals
Not eating regularly can cause your blood sugar levels to drop, which can trigger a headache. Regular meals help maintain stable blood sugar levels and prevent this type of headache.
Alcohol
Alcohol consumption, especially excessive drinking, is a well-known headache trigger. Alcohol can dehydrate you and affect blood vessels in the brain, leading to headaches, often experienced as hangovers.
Hormone-Related Headaches
Hormonal fluctuations, particularly in women, can cause headaches. These are often associated with menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Hormone headaches are linked to changes in estrogen levels.
Medication Overuse
Ironically, taking too many painkillers to treat headaches can actually lead to medication-overuse headaches, also known as rebound headaches. This occurs when the body becomes dependent on pain medication, and headaches worsen when the medication wears off.
Self-Care for Headaches
For most headaches, you can find relief with simple self-care measures at home.
What To Do
- Drink plenty of water: Staying hydrated is key to preventing and easing many headaches.
- Get enough rest: If your headache is related to a cold or flu, rest is crucial for recovery. Even without illness, sufficient sleep is vital.
- Relax: Stress management techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or gentle exercise can help alleviate tension headaches.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers: Paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen can be effective for relieving headache pain. Always follow the recommended dosage.
- Rest in a quiet, dark room: For some types of headaches, especially migraines, resting in a calm, dark environment can provide relief.
- Apply a cold or warm compress: Some people find relief by applying a cold compress to their forehead or a warm compress to their neck and shoulders.
What To Avoid
- Do not drink alcohol: Alcohol can worsen headaches and trigger migraines.
- Do not skip meals: Maintain regular meal times to keep blood sugar stable.
- Do not oversleep: While rest is important, sleeping excessively can sometimes worsen headaches. Maintain your regular sleep schedule.
- Limit screen time: Reduce prolonged eye strain by taking breaks from screens and adjusting screen brightness.
When to Seek Medical Advice
While most headaches are not serious, it’s important to know when to seek medical attention.
Non-Urgent Situations: See a GP if:
- Recurring headaches: If your headaches are frequent or keep coming back.
- Worsening headaches despite painkillers: If over-the-counter pain medication doesn’t help and your headaches are getting worse.
- Throbbing pain: A severe throbbing pain, especially at the front or side of your head, could indicate a migraine or, less commonly, a cluster headache.
- Headache with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or noise: These symptoms can also be associated with migraines.
- Menstrual headaches: Regular headaches occurring before or during your period should be discussed with a doctor.
Urgent Situations: Get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:
You or your child has a severe headache and experiences:
- Jaw pain when eating
- Blurred or double vision
- Scalp tenderness
- Numbness or weakness in arms or legs
For children under 12, seek urgent advice for any of these headache characteristics:
- Headaches that wake them up at night or are present upon waking
- Progressively worsening headaches
- Headaches triggered or worsened by coughing, sneezing, or bending over
- Headaches accompanied by vomiting
- Squint or inability to look upwards
Emergency Situations: Call 999 or go to A&E immediately if:
You or your child:
- Has suffered a head injury.
- Experiences a sudden, extremely painful headache that comes on very quickly.
Accompanying symptoms with an extremely painful headache that require immediate action include:
- Sudden speech or memory problems
- Vision loss
- Drowsiness or confusion
- Very high temperature and symptoms of meningitis
- Redness in the white part of the eye
For children under 12, seek emergency care for headaches with:
- Vision problems, difficulty speaking, swallowing, balancing, or walking
- Drowsiness or persistent lack of energy
- Headaches starting within 5 days of a head injury
Important Note: Do not drive yourself to the emergency room. Call for an ambulance or ask someone else to drive you. Bring a list of your medications with you to any medical appointment.
Identifying Headache Triggers
Keeping a headache diary can be incredibly helpful in determining what might be triggering your headaches. Note down when your headaches occur, how they feel, how long they last, and any potential triggers like food, stress, sleep patterns, or activities. This information can be valuable for both you and your doctor in managing your headaches effectively.
The Migraine Trust offers excellent resources and advice on keeping a headache diary, which can be a useful tool in understanding and managing your headaches.
