What's Causing Your Headeaches?
Headaches affect 45 million Americans annually. Of course, many headaches will go away with a little rest and over-the-counter pain relievers. Others, however, are more of a pain in the . . . brain. What shouldn't be a pain, however, is getting to the bottom of what might be triggering your headaches and when those symptoms warrant a visit to a healthcare professional.
Types of Headaches & Triggers
Allergy/Environmental
These headaches can be brought on by humidity, increased wind, storms, intense smells like cologne and high pollen or mold count.
Caffeine Withdrawal
Caffeine contracts the blood vessels but they expand again once the stimulant wears off, which can sometimes trigger a headache.
Cluster Headaches
These headaches are defined by severe pain around the eye and can be triggered by alcohol, smoking, foods with nitrates (like bacon) and weather changes. Men are twice as likely as women to experience these headaches.
Menstrual/Hormonal
Headaches can be tied to hormonal fluctuations, especially in women due to pregnancy, menopause, menstrual cycles and when taking birth control pills.
Migraines
Factors like altitude changes, hormonal fluctuations, hunger, stress, weather, food or drink, barometric pressure changes, exposure to bright lights or strong smells can trigger these headaches. Migraines often come with nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity and visual elements like zigzags or blind spots.
Sunlight Changes and Poor Sleep Habits
Circadian rhythm changes alter cortisol and melatonin levels, which signal to our bodies when it's time to go to sleep and when it's time to wake up. This can lead to headaches, which can, in turn, lead to sleep deprivation and cause even more headaches. It can be a vicious cycle.
Tension
This is a dull headache felt across the forehead. Though there is some debate about the cause, some triggers are poor posture, eye strain, stress, depression and anxiety.
Sudden and Severe
Some headaches could be the result of a medical emergency, such as a bleed in the brain or a severe infection. Consider emergency care if it's the worst headache you've ever had, if it follows a head injury, or if it comes on suddenly with other symptoms such as a stiff neck, confusion, weakness, double vision, or loss of consciousness.