Everyone gets headaches from time to time. Although some people are unlucky enough to get headaches fairly frequently and seem to be just naturally prone. But if you’re experiencing more and more headaches, you probably put it down to some of the usual culprits such as lack of sleep, stress, missing meals, dehydration or too much caffeine.
While any change in headache frequency should be investigated by your doctor to rule out any serious conditions, there are other causes that you might not have thought of.
Teeth grinding
Grinding your teeth, especially when you sleep, can cause the muscles in your face and jaw to become painful and cause headaches and jaw ache. If you suspect that this is something that might be causing yours, you can visit a dental clinic and they check your teeth and jaw for signs of grinding and provide you with a mouthguard to wear at night.
Medication
Are you taking medications for another medical condition? See if headaches are listed as a possible side effect. If you suspect they may be causing you headaches, you will need to discuss your options with your doctor.
There’s also something called a medication overuse headache. This can occur if you take medication for headaches frequently. It can be a vicious cycle. You get a few headaches, take some paracetamol or ibuprofen to make them go away, but then you’re getting more headaches due to the medication, so you keep on taking it. This isn’t the same as taking too much of a medication, but more to do with the frequency over a period of time. Sometimes you might have to try and get medication overuse headache without the use of any drugs at all.
Hayfever
Most people associate hayfever as having a runny nose, streaming eyes and itching skin. In most cases, this is exactly how hayfever presents but in other people, it shows up as a headache.
It may be pollen in general or a specific type of plant or flower that causes your headache. A lot of people who have no issues with hay fever do have a reaction to flowers such as lilies.
Certain smells
Many people find that strong smells can trigger their headaches. These smells can come from cooking, perfumes, flowers, air fresheners or cleaning products. If you think that certain odours are causing you headaches, then try removing them from your home or avoiding them when out and about.
High blood pressure
One of the symptoms of high blood pressure is headaches. If you are very stressed or overweight or have a poor diet, then you may be a candidate for high blood pressure. It can also happen to others due to certain other conditions.
Conclusion
Headaches are never fun, and if you’re starting to get them more often than usual, they can really start to affect your life. It’s important that you have any medical reasons for headaches excluded, then you can start to look at your lifestyle and environment.