Headaches. It’s something everyone has felt. But what causes them? How can we keep them from happening? The first thing is to learn a little more about them. There are many different types of headaches with many different triggers. How to keep them from happening may depend on what type of headache it is and your own personal triggers.
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache; they account for approximately 90% of headaches.. Tension headaches have several different triggers such as muscular tension, eye strain, bony misalignment and mental and physical stress. People often feel tension headaches as pressure behind the eyes or all over the head. These are the least severe of all the headaches and can be occasional or frequently recurring.
Vascular headaches make up about 6% to 8% of all headaches which include migraine headaches, cluster headaches, and sinus headaches. They are often triggered by stress, food sensitivity, hormonal shifts and other factors that can be difficult to identify. Migraines occur more often in women then in men. They often feel like a throbbing pain in one or both sides of the head and often include eye and neck pain. Cluster headaches are not well understood and affect men more often then women. They typically affect one side of the head and cause the eyes and nostrils to water. The only real known cause is alcohol. Sinus headaches are caused by too much fluid in the sinuses. They happen when the sinuses get irritated or inflamed often by allergies or sinusitis.
One of the best things to do for a headache is to avoid getting one in the first place. As you can see there are many different causes of headaches, from stress to poor diet choices. Pay attention and learn what triggers your personal headaches. Have you had a particularly stressful day? Did you have a glass of wine with dinner? Did you just get new glasses? Has the weather been up and down lately? Did you miss your cup of coffee this morning? When you get a headache write down what is going on – when you look back you may be surprised by that patterns you find. If you find yourself still struggling with headaches, there are many things you can do for them aside from grabbing some aspirin. Get a massage, acupuncture or take a nap. If you need help don’t be afraid to ask.
