Are you experiencing headaches most of the time? Most people report having headaches caused by various reasons like stress. However, it’s a red flag if you keep having frequent headaches because an underlying condition could be causing them. Book an appointment with Dr. Ruchir Gupta in Phoenix for further assessment if the headache keeps on recurring.
Symptoms to look out for
A typical headache causes pain in your face, head, and neck area. Typically, a headache will go away after taking painkillers. However, visit your doctor if you experience severe, unusual pain. The pain could be a sign of a serious health condition or illness. Here are the symptoms to look out for:
- Sharp or severe pain in your head
- Intense (thunderclap headache)
- Fainting
- Nose bleeding
- Nausea or vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Fever higher than 102 degrees
- Dizziness
- Severe pain that gets worse when you change position
- Blurred vision
- Droopiness
- Confusion
- Difficulty in walking
- Garbled speech
- Seizures
Visit your doctor immediately when you start experiencing these symptoms.
Causes of chronic headaches
Regular headaches usually occur when one has muscle tension, fever, drinking alcohol, or dehydration. Mild headaches can also result from hormonal changes, toothache, or pregnancy. The headaches usually go away after resting or taking some painkillers. On the other hand, a chronic headache could be a symptom of severe health problems such as:
- High blood pressure
- Severe dehydration
- Cancer
- Brain aneurysm
- Brain tumor
- Stroke
- Gum or tooth infection
- Concussion
- Preeclampsia
- Meningococcal disease
- Brain hemorrhage
- Severe infections such as Capnocytophaga
How to prevent chronic daily headaches
- Avoid medication overuse. It’s advisable to stop misusing headache medications because they trigger the frequency and severity of the headache. Consult your doctor if you experience more than two headaches in a week. Ask the doctor for guidelines if you find it hard to stop misusing the medicines.
- Avoid headache triggers. Determine the factors that trigger your headaches. For example, if the headache is caused by alcohol abuse, avoid taking it.
- Get enough sleep. Did you know lack of sleep could be the reason you’re having persistent headaches? Try to sleep at least eight hours a day. If possible, form a habit of going to bed at the same time every day. Consult your doctor if you have sleeping problems.
- Exercise daily. Doing aerobic exercises will improve your mental and physical well-being. Identify the activities you enjoy doing most and incorporate them into your daily workout routine.
- Don’t skip meals. Ensure you take all your meals, and they are well balanced. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine because they have a history of triggering headaches.
It’s not normal to keep on having chronic headaches. While some headaches could result from dehydration, stress, or hormonal imbalances, some could be caused by an underlying condition. Visit Dr. Gupta, a pain specialist in Phoenix, AZ, if the headaches are persistent. He will offer comprehensive diagnosis and treatment so that you can resume your daily activities as soon as possible.
