If you suffer from severe headaches, your lifestyle habits may be to contributing to it. Chronic headaches can be caused by poor sleeping routine, alcohol and tobacco use, excessive tea or coffee, stress and even your posture.

Different causes of headaches

There are different types of headaches, ranging in severity from a mild ache to severe pain. A variety of lifestyle factors and external triggers can cause each type of headache. When your headaches first appear, it can be difficult to determine what is causing them; however, this is an important step in determining how to prevent and treat your headaches.

Headaches can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Stress
• Lack of sleep
• Hunger
• Hormone changes
• Lack of caffeine
• Too much caffeine
• Change in weather
• Certain foods or food additives

Some causes can trigger more than one type of headache. These triggers aren’t always obvious, so you may have to suffer through several headaches before you figure out what’s causing them. Headaches aren’t always harmless, so if you get a sudden headache that’s worse than usual or if your symptoms are severe, seek specialist/ emergency care.

Which lifestyle changes can ease your pain?

Your headache might be difficult to deal with, but the small changes you make in your lifestyle can go a long way in managing it. It can be quite simple to keep your headaches at bay, once you’ve mastered the art of avoiding certain triggers and sticking to a routine.

You can take several steps to reduce the likelihood of headache attacks, including:

Getting adequate sleep daily

A common trigger for headaches is lack of sleep. Establish good sleep hygiene by going to bed at the same time every night (preferably not very late), not eating a heavy meal before sleeping, and taking a bath before bed.

Live a stress-free life

Stress is again a common trigger for your headache. As much as possible, you should avoid stress. Staying stress-free lowers, the chances of getting a headache. Meditation can be quite helpful in promoting relaxation and helping you control your mind especially if you have a problem of excessive thinking.

Avoid certain food items

For some individuals, certain foods can trigger headaches, like cheese, chocolate, alcohol, very heavy and oily meals, and sweets. Avoiding these triggers can go a long way. However, don’t skip meals. Skipping meals or eating excessively can both cause headaches. You must eat on a regular basis and in moderation.

Avoid going out in the bright sunlight

If bright sunlight gives you a headache, you may be suffering from a light-sensitive migraine or a heat headache. Heat headaches are common in hot weather or after prolonged sun exposure.

Drink plenty of water daily

Water is essential for overall health, but it is especially important if you suffer from dehydration headaches.

Do regular exercise

Regular exercise can reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches. When you exercise, your body produces endorphins, which are natural pain relievers and ‘feel-good’ hormones. Exercise relieves stress and improves sleep quality. Doing 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily is recommended.

Takeaway

Many lifestyle-related headaches can be avoided by making these simple changes to your daily routine. If you have frequent headaches, seek a specialist opinion.

Dr. Amod Manocha, the best pain management specialist in Delhi and Gurgaon, has a goal: to help you get rid of your headaches as best as possible so you can live a pain-free life. He is an expert in treating all types of pain, including headaches.

CONNECT TO DISCONNECT WITH YOUR PAIN.

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How do headaches feel?

Headaches are pains in your head or face that are frequently described as throbbing, continuous, severe, or heaviness, dull pressure. The type, intensity, location, and frequency of headaches varies.Most headaches do not have an underlying serious cause, but certain features may indicate a more serious issue.

What is the primary cause of a headache?

The interaction of signals between your brain, blood vessels, and surrounding nerves causes headaches. During a headache, several processes affect specific nerves that influence muscles and blood vessels. Your brain receives pain signals from these nerves, which results in a headache.

Do headaches run in families?

Migraines, in particular, tend to run in families. Usually, if one biological parent of a child suffers from migraines, there are higher chances that the child will, too. In fact, children whose parents have migraines are up to four times more likely to experience headaches themselves.

What are the different types of headaches and how they are treated?

Here is some more information about different types of headaches and their treatment options.

Migraine

Intense, throbbing pain on one side of the head is a common presentation of a migraine headache. A person may experience frequent nausea and vomiting along with heightened sensitivity to sound, light, and smell.

Treatment:

The course of treatment is influenced by the severity of the symptoms, how frequently they occur, and whether the patient has nausea and vomiting.

Commonly used treatment options include:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDS)
• Triptans, as recommended by your doctor
• Antiemetics, which control nausea and vomiting

If one is experiencing regular headaches with impact on quality of life, then prophylactic or preventative medications to reduce the frequency and severity of attacks are recommended. Many interventions can also help in controlling the headaches such as

• BOTOX injections
• Nerve Blocks including supraorbital, supratrochlear, zygomaticotemporal, auriculotemporal, and greater and lesser occipital nerves.
• Sphenopalatine ganglion block
• Trigger point injecitons

Tension-type headache

Most people get tension-type headaches at some point, which are continuous, dull headache on both sides of the head often described like a tight band around the head.  There may also be other signs and symptoms, such as:

• Pressure behind the eyes
• Soreness in the face, head, neck, and shoulders
• Sensitivity to sound and light

Treatment:

Majority of the time, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines work well to stop or reduce pain. Tension headaches may be avoided with lifestyle modifications and treatments. They may consist of:

• Obtaining enough rest
• Regular exercise and stretching
• Managing stress, worry, or depression
• Getting an eye exam
• Better posture

Cluster headache

Cluster headaches present as intense piercing or burning pain behind or around one eye.They are painful and recurrent and may be accompanied by additional symptoms such as:

• Swollen eyelids
• Watering eyes
• A runny or plugged nose
• Restlessness or anxiety
• Sensitivity to light and sound

Treatment:

The goal of treatment is to reduce the intensity and frequency of attacks. Treatment options include oxygen therapy, steroids, other medications such as verapamil, sumatriptan etc.

Medication-overuse headache (MOH)

This is a common secondary type of headache also referred to as rebound headache. It presents as aregular/everyday headache with symptoms resembling migraine or tension headaches.

Treatment:

Stopping the drug that is causing the headaches is the only way to treat MOH. Your doctor can help you draw up a plan on how to reduce and stop the painkiller medications.

Hypnic headaches

In most cases, hypnic headaches affect adults after the age of 50, waking sufferers from their sleep, that is why they are also addressed as "alarm clock" headaches. It can last up to three hours and is described as mild to moderate throbbing pain.

Treatment:

A thorough medical evaluation is required to diagnose and treat hypnic headaches. Treatment options include caffeine, lithium, Indomethacin.

Sinus headaches

Sinusitis, an infection of the sinuses, can cause sinus headaches. Usually, an allergy or infection is the cause. The pain site depends on which sinus are involved but generally a dull, throbbing pain around the eyes, cheekbones, and forehead.

Treatment:

In most cases, sinusitis resolves in two to three weeks.

Options for treatment include:

• Antihistamines/ Nasal decongestants
• Drinking fluids and resting
• Simple pain reliving medications
• Steroid nasal sprays
• Saltwater nasal sprays or solutions
• Antibiotics

Caffeine-related headaches

These headaches can occasionally result from a high caffeine intake of more than 400 milligrams (mg), or roughly 4 cups of coffee per day although individual thresholds can vary. Headaches may be accompanied by nausea, low mood or irritability and difficulties focusing.

Hangover headaches

Drinking too much alcohol can give you a throbbing headache the next day or even later that day. These headaches that resemble migraines usually affect both sides of the head and can get worse with movement.Together with a headache from a hangover, nausea and sensitivity to light are other possible effects.

Treatment:

Although there is no known treatment for hangovers, symptoms can be lessened by consuming sweet foods and drinking lots of water. OTC medicines may assist in easing or ending the headache. The majority of hangover symptoms disappear within 72 hours.

Menstrual headaches

Hormone changes usually cause headaches. As the estrogen levels fluctuate during menstruation, migraines may develop.Hormone-related headaches frequently start 2 or 3 days prior to or after a period, as well as during ovulation. The symptoms can continue longer but are similar to migraine without an aura.

Other causes of headaches brought on by hormones are:

• Menopause
• Oral contraceptives
• Pregnancy

Treatment:

Menstrual headaches are treated in the same way as migraines without an aura. Taking a trip tan or anti inflammatories around the time of your period is one possible preventive intervention.

Exertional headache

Exertional headaches can be caused by intense physical exercise. Although they frequently last just a few hours, these headaches can occasionally persist for up to two days. Those with a family history of migraines are more likely to experience them, which usually manifest as throbbing headaches.

Treatment:

Among the remedies for exertional headaches are:

• Beta-blockers
• Over-the-counter painkillers

A note from the best pain management specialist in Delhi and Gurgaon

Headaches can affect almost everyone and over the counter painkiller swill frequently make them go away. However, headaches can occasionally be a sign of a significant underlying medical problem, or they may impact on your quality of life.To rule out potential reasons and gain assistance with treatment options, you can seek specialist opinion from Dr. Amod Manocha, the best pain management specialist in Delhi and Gurgaon.

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