Constant headaches are the worst, right? Here’s what could be causing them:
Are you dealing with constant headaches on a near-daily basis? While the occasional stress or fatigue headache is to be expected, frequent headaches are a sign that something is going wrong in your body.
Here are a few possible triggers for your constant headaches:
- Brain bleeding — If you get what’s called a “thunderclap” headache–sudden, painful headaches with no warning — it may be a sign of a bleed in your brain. These headaches are VERY serious, and require immediate medical attention.
- Medications –– If you have been taking certain medications for a while, you may find yourself dealing with a chronic headache. The headache may be the result of excessive medicating, particularly with analgesic medications. The headaches are called “rebound” headaches, and they are caused by taking too much medicine.
- Inflammation — For those who have been dealing with a constant headache for more than a few days, it could be a sign of something more serious. Headaches are often caused by inflammation in or around the brain, caused by meningitis or some other infection, or even damage to the brain.
- Brain tumor –– If your head has been hurting for a few weeks and the pain is getting progressively worse, you may be suffering from a brain tumor. As the tumor grows, it presses on the brain matter around it, leading to inflammation that is causing the pain.
- Food allergies -- People with food allergies (particularly those with celiac disease) often develop headaches as one of the side effects of their allergic reaction. If you notice cold and flu-like symptoms after eating certain foods, it may be a sign you should stop eating that food!
READ MORE: 10 Foods that Fight Headaches
- Cold — Yes, the most common of the possible triggers for your constant headaches is a nasty cold. Colds can be notoriously hard to get rid of, and it may be the reason why you’ve been sniffling, coughing, and blowing your nose for weeks. Plus, the pain behind your eyes can be quite a pain to deal with.
- Migraines — Migraine headaches are the result of nervous system dysfunction, and they can be painful to the point of debilitating. You can usually know when a migraine is about to set in, and you can prevent it. However, once the migraine has hit, the only thing you can do is to get to a cool, quiet, and dark room and wait it out.
- Neurological problems — If your headache is paired with blurry vision, sharp facial pain, weakness on one side of your body, confusion, personality changes, or numbness, it could be a sign of something seriously wrong with your brain. Definitely time to get to the doctor and find out what’s causing the problem!
- Hypertension — Did you know that high blood pressure can cause headaches? People who suffer from high blood pressure often find themselves dealing with chronic headaches, especially when their blood pressure is at its highest (first thing in the morning). Keeping your blood pressure under control will usually keep the headaches at bay.
- Stress — Yes, more often than not, stress is the thing that’s triggering your headache! Stress can raise your levels of adrenaline and cortisol, which in turn raises blood pressure. This can lead to stress headaches. Thankfully, a stress headache is fairly easy to deal with: relax, unwind, and let your body come back down from its “fight or flight” state.
These are just a few of the possible triggers for your constant headaches, but they are the ones most likely to cause the pain in your head.
