Tired of Dealing with Frequent
Painful Headaches?

Nearly everyone has experienced a headache at one point or another during their lifetime. Headaches may be caused by a number of factors such as stress, dehydration, skipping meals, changes in sleep patterns, or an allergy to a particular food. With so many things triggering headaches, it’s no wonder people (including children) all over the world suffer from them.

Headaches are a condition in the head or neck that causes discomfort or pain, normally in a localized area. The medical term for a headache is cephalalgia and it is generally nothing to be too concerned about. However, there are some instances where you do want to be more aware of other symptoms that may be present as they may indicate a more serious problem.

If the person with the headache experiences any of the following symptoms along with the headache, you will want to get them to see a doctor as soon as possible:

• Sudden, severe headache associated with a stiff neck 
• Headaches associated with convulsions, fevers, or a loss of consciousness 
• Headaches that occur after a head injury 
• Headaches associated with pain in the eye or ear 
• Someone who has never had headaches in the past having persistent headaches 
• Children that have recurring headaches 

Many doctors feel that headaches are hereditary, so if you and your partner both have headaches periodically, it’s quite likely that your children will, also. Other triggers for headaches, in adults and children, might include:

• Side effects from other medications 
• Having a minor head injury 
• Watch television or using a computer for too long 
• Hormone changes 
• Long rides in a car or bus 
• Listening to very loud sounds 
• Ingesting too much caffeine 

There are five basic types of headaches one might experience: vascular, myogenic, traction, inflammatory, and cervicogenic. A migraine is vascular in nature. Tension headaches are myogenic. A cluster headache would be a traction headache. Inflammatory headaches could be caused by a sinus infection. Cervicogenic headaches would originate in the neck. Each type of headache may respond to different treatments rather than one treatment being effective for all of them.

The most common form of treatment for a simple headache is an over-the-counter pain reliever. People who have more severe headaches may be prescribed something a little stronger. Some people swear by non-traditional methods to care for their headache by using extra magnesium, feverfew, or melatonin. If you choose to use a natural remedy, speak with your doctor first to ensure what you’re planning to take doesn’t counteract any other medicine you may be taking.

Unfortunately, headaches are quite common. You may want to keep a diary of when you have headaches. Jot down what are you doing, if there are strong smells, if you are stressed, and what you’ve eaten. You may find that there is a particular thing that always triggers your headache and then you’ll be one step closer to avoiding that trigger and eliminating headaches for good.