What Causes Headaches?
Given the variety of headaches and headache sufferers it should not be surprising that the causes of headaches are just as diverse. There are literally hundreds of possible reasons for a headache including medical problems such as the fortunately rare instances of brain tumors or cerebral aneurysms. However the most commonly experienced headaches have generally common causes.
In all too many instances simple eyestrain such as that seen when staring for too long at a computer screen can produce a headache. In other cases, inflammation of the sinuses resulting from a head cold or allergy can be the cause. Taking certain medicines can also lead to a headache.
Though the exact cause is not always known, narrowing of the blood vessels is thought to be the cause in many cases. Nerve fibers in the head which are sensitive to pain line the walls of the blood vessels and when they contract the nerves send signals to the brain. Ironically, the brain cannot feel pain since it does not contain any pain sensitive nerve cells and cluster or tension-type headaches result.
However blood vessels can dilate as well as contract and when they do so migraines and cluster headaches can be the result. Contemporary research proposes that there are also several other much more important factors at work when it comes to migraine headaches.
Tension or more accurately tension-type headaches can arise from other causes such as tension in the muscles of the neck, shoulder and even the jaw. Those who have suffered from TMJ disorder which is a condition caused by tension of the temporomandibular joint causing the jaw to tighten against the skull will be all too familiar with this.
In more serious cases headaches are the result of an underlying disease and these are usually labeled as 'secondary headaches'. The catalogue of diseases this can cause headaches is lengthy and includes everything from irritable bowel syndrome to scarlet fever.
Frequently environmental factors also play an important role. Carbon monoxide poisoning such as that resulting from the gas produced by an automobile exhaust or many water heaters can result in severe headaches and indeed headaches are one of the prime symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Other causes include allergies, lead poisoning and food poisoning.
Even when food is not itself toxic as will be the case with food contaminated with a bacterial infection some individuals will be sensitive to compounds that will not affect people in general. Such common foods as chocolate and cheese can cause headaches in some individuals as will caffeine, some preservatives and red wine.
However position, posture and several other controllable factors can also be some of the most common causes. As an increasing number of people work with computers every day so we are seeing more neck tension, jaw stress and eyestrain.
About 85% to 90% of headaches are tension headaches which are generally the result of one or more of the factors detailed above. That means that in the vast majority of cases the cure is simple and within your control.
TheMigraineHeadacheCenter.com provides a wide range of information about headaches including sinus headaches and migraine headaches
In all too many instances simple eyestrain such as that seen when staring for too long at a computer screen can produce a headache. In other cases, inflammation of the sinuses resulting from a head cold or allergy can be the cause. Taking certain medicines can also lead to a headache.
Though the exact cause is not always known, narrowing of the blood vessels is thought to be the cause in many cases. Nerve fibers in the head which are sensitive to pain line the walls of the blood vessels and when they contract the nerves send signals to the brain. Ironically, the brain cannot feel pain since it does not contain any pain sensitive nerve cells and cluster or tension-type headaches result.
However blood vessels can dilate as well as contract and when they do so migraines and cluster headaches can be the result. Contemporary research proposes that there are also several other much more important factors at work when it comes to migraine headaches.
Tension or more accurately tension-type headaches can arise from other causes such as tension in the muscles of the neck, shoulder and even the jaw. Those who have suffered from TMJ disorder which is a condition caused by tension of the temporomandibular joint causing the jaw to tighten against the skull will be all too familiar with this.
In more serious cases headaches are the result of an underlying disease and these are usually labeled as 'secondary headaches'. The catalogue of diseases this can cause headaches is lengthy and includes everything from irritable bowel syndrome to scarlet fever.
Frequently environmental factors also play an important role. Carbon monoxide poisoning such as that resulting from the gas produced by an automobile exhaust or many water heaters can result in severe headaches and indeed headaches are one of the prime symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Other causes include allergies, lead poisoning and food poisoning.
Even when food is not itself toxic as will be the case with food contaminated with a bacterial infection some individuals will be sensitive to compounds that will not affect people in general. Such common foods as chocolate and cheese can cause headaches in some individuals as will caffeine, some preservatives and red wine.
However position, posture and several other controllable factors can also be some of the most common causes. As an increasing number of people work with computers every day so we are seeing more neck tension, jaw stress and eyestrain.
About 85% to 90% of headaches are tension headaches which are generally the result of one or more of the factors detailed above. That means that in the vast majority of cases the cure is simple and within your control.
TheMigraineHeadacheCenter.com provides a wide range of information about headaches including sinus headaches and migraine headaches
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