The number of headache causes is surprisingly high, especially when you consider that most people don’t even consider the cause, they just take a tablet to help relieve the symptoms. However, by doing this, the symptoms are relieved, but the cause may never be known, and this could be a problem long term since painkillers themselves can cause health issues if taken in excess over a long period. So here we shall look at some of the headache causes and how to stop them.
If you are a continual headache sufferer, then you would do well to keep a diary of what you ate and what you were doing before your headache started. This might be time consuming, but it should enable you to see what could be causing them, which will then help you to remove them from your life for the most part.
headache remedies don't have to be drugs
Bruxism – or teeth grinding produces tension in the muscles of the jaw and face and can cause headaches. A visit to the dentist could have you using a mouth guard to stop this tension, and thus reduce your headaches.
Caffeine is found in chocolate, tea, coffee, soda, and antihistamines, and even some painkillers. Try removing all caffeine from your diet and although the first few days may cause your headaches to be much worse as you go through withdrawal, once you get through this you should feel much better.
Chemical sensitivities cause headaches in many people. Items like computer screens if used in a confined environment can cause headaches because of the chemicals that they emit, according to a Swedish study.
Magnesium deficiency can cause cluster headaches, as well as regular headaches or migraines, and if you think this could be your problem, ask your doctor to run a test to check your calcium and magnesium levels. The combination of high calcium and low magnesium can cause these headaches.
Common colds also have headaches as a symptom, and to limit the length of a cold, take zinc supplements, available in capsule or tablet forms.
Sodium levels increase before headaches, so check what you are eating before your headaches, and if it is salty, then you know to reduce the sodium in your diet.
Heavy metal toxicity, especially mercury and lead, can cause headaches, but a hair analysis, or specific blood test for each metal can confirm this or rule it out for you. Do note that these tests may be expensive.
Mold and mildew, are two toxins which are found in damp areas, and can trigger headaches. Getting rid of them can be awkward, especially as people often use bleach, which itself can trigger headaches. Mold and mildew do not like heat or air movement, so if you can provide this in the mildewy area, you will get these toxins under control.
Scented candles often have chemical additives that can cause headaches, so try to use candles with natural essential oils.
Muscle tension in the neck can cause headaches, so try to relax these muscles, by massage, or heat.
Stress and anxiety is a common cause of headaches, where removing the stress is difficult. Some form of yoga or meditation may help with relaxation.
Bright lights trigger migraine headaches for some people, especially flashing lights, so staying away from these can help.
The lack of oxygen when sleeping may be the cause of headaches for those people who sleep with a blanket or sheet over their head, as this traps the carbon monoxide resulting in less oxygen. The solution is to not sleep with your head under a blanket if this gives you a headache!
Medications can have side effects of headaches, migraine headache and plenty of other symptoms too, so check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking prescription drugs that you think may be causing you problems. Oral contraceptives have this unwanted side effect for many women.
Artificial sweeteners are in many prepackaged foods to reduce their calories, and these often cause headaches. Watch out for aspartame in chewing gum too, as not only can this cause headaches, but the constant chewing motions can affect the muscle tensions too.
Food ingredients such as casein and nitrates which are found in wine and processed meats could be causing your headaches, but keeping a log of foods and drinks and when your headache occurs should help you decide if this is a problem for you.
Lack of food can also bring on headaches, in which case you need to eat smaller meals more frequently, or have a small snack in between meals, so that your blood sugar never gets too low.
Dehydration can also fetch on headaches, so always make sure that you are drinking plenty of water, and when drinking alcohol, drink water too, as alcohol will dehydrate you further.
Smoking brings on headaches for some people, and as it also has many other very serious health issues, it would be a good thing to stop. See your doctor to help you with this.
Wheat and gluten sensitivities could also be responsible for your headaches – again, keep a record of what you eat and drink, and when your headaches occur.
Barometric pressure may be affecting you, with a headache warning you of an oncoming storm because of the changes in this pressure.
Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs, are air pollutants that are a leading cause of headaches as well as major contributing factors to ozone. These compounds are found in drinking water, most spray items as well as cleaning fluids, nail polish remover, paint products pest repellents, carpets, and air fresheners. These days air fresheners are encouraged and designed to be used everywhere in the home and the car, but these can cause headaches in some people, so check it out by removing them from everywhere for a while to see whether your headaches disappear. Clothing which is dry cleaned is treated with a solvent called perchloroethylene, which is particularly nasty, attacking the central nervous system, so when you are transporting your clothes back from the cleaners, put it in the trunk, then let it air out thoroughly before you put it back into your closet.
Electromagnetic fields, or EMFs can cause headaches for many, and this condition is known as electro sensitivity. Due to our own electrical and chemical makeup, some of us are more sensitive to EMFs than others. Cell phones, electric blankets, microwave ovens, computers are just a few of the many items that could be causing your headaches.
Remember that there are EMFs at your place of employment too, so you may want to look into this a little more.
Teflon coated pans are culprits of letting off toxic gas at high temperatures needed for cooking some foods at high temperatures, for example bacon, and if you use these pans, you may want to lower the temperature.
Now these are just some of the headache causes that are around, unfortunately there are many more, with some diseases having headaches as a symptom. If you suspect your headache is caused by something in particular, investigate it, and find out for sure if it is causing your headaches – it will be worth your time to know.
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