5 Things That Could Be Causing Your Headaches

What are the main things that cause headaches?

Do you often have headaches? Headaches can be complicated because they are caused by hundreds of factors, or they can be simple. When treating headaches, doctors seek to understand the type of headache that you suffer – there are more than 150 types of headaches. Some of the most common causes of headaches include:

Dehydration

Dehydration causes a secondary headache. It activates the pain-sensitive nerves in the head, causing pain. You will get it from dehydration when your body loses a significant amount of water and electrolytes needed for normal body functions. According to some scientists, the headaches might result from the narrowing of blood vessels as the body tries to transport reduced blood plasma throughout the body.

You can correct this secondary headache by drinking enough water every day. Take moderate amounts of water after spending a day out under the sun and after a strenuous workout. Men should drink about 13 cups of water in beverages every day while women should drink about 9 cups.

Caffeine Withdrawal

Caffeine withdrawal headaches are common to people who switch from coffee to decaf. Caffeine is addictive. When taken, the substance has several physiological effects on your vascular system. It can constrict vessels or even relax them at random. After taking caffeine for a long time, you develop dependence. This can cause a physiological reaction when you stop taking caffeine, which results in headaches.

To suffer from caffeine withdrawal pain, you need to have taken about 200 milligrams of caffeine every day for about two weeks. If you want to stop taking caffeine, you should do it gradually and avoid quitting cold turkey. There is no substitute for caffeine to ease the pain. Reduce your caffeine intake over a month to help you wean off of caffeine.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

It are the common when one suffers from Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMJ. These are tight and dull aches, and you can feel them on one side or both sides of the head. The pain is worse on the side of the head with TMJ. When the jaws move, the pain worsens, and when the jaws relax, the pain eases. In some instances, the jaws and the nearby muscles become tender as the headaches rage on.

You can also get migraines. TMJ does not directly cause migraines, but it makes them more common. The challenging thing about headaches is that they are not specific to one condition. If you are in the area, see a TMJ specialist in Los Angeles for a diagnosis. If TMJ is not the cause of your headaches, the doctor will recommend investigating other conditions.

Other illnesses, such as colds, fevers, sinusitis, ear infection, and throat infection can also cause headaches. You can also have headaches after suffering a blow to the head, and in rare cases, the headaches can be signs of a more serious problem.

Brain Freeze

Do you eat cold foods? You may suffer from brain freeze a few moments after eating cold foods. Also known as ice cream headache, the headache lasts for about a minute, and you can feel it on the sides of your head. The John Hopkins Headache Center explains that the pain may come from stimulation of the temperature-sensitive nerves. The cold effect on the blood vessels might also cause them to constrict.

When you eat cold food, eat it slowly. Eating food slowly reduces the stimulation of the nerves in the roof of the mouth.

Genetics

You can inherit headaches. Migraines are common inherited conditions. Most of the people who have migraines almost every day may have family members who suffer from the same migraines. If two parents have a history of migraines, there is a 70 percent chance that their children will suffer from migraines. If only one parent has migraines, the risks drop a little.

There are many more causes of headaches. These include alcohol, emotional stress, depression, changes in sleep patterns, excess medication, neck and back strain, and your environment. If you live in an area where pollution is high, there is noise, too much lighting, or there are constant weather changes, you may suffer from it.

Traveling for a long time and changes in the environment can also cause headaches. Use this article as a starting point to help you figure out the cause of your headache so you can figure out how to treat it. Remember to consult with your doctor or medical professional before starting any treatment.