Cause of chronic headaches

Having a headache from time to time is a perfectly normal thing, but if a person suffers from headaches on a regular basis which are manifested in numerous different ways of head pain, the condition is referred to as chronic daily headache. Chronic daily headaches are among the most disabling instances of headaches and their symptoms can be significantly reduced if they are treated with steady and aggressive long term treatment methods.

Causes

Chronic daily headaches may be caused by numerous different types of factors. It is still largely unknown what the real cause of most cases of chronic daily headaches is. Factors which most commonly contribute to the occurrence of this annoying medical condition include traumatic brain injuries, brain tumors, intracranial pressure which is too low or too high, numerous different sorts of infections, inflammatory conditions and similar problems which affect the blood vessels in the brain, improper functioning of the parts of the brain which are in charge of suppressing the pain signals and heightened response to pain signals. Taking too many pain medications or taking them too frequently may actually cause the development of rebound headaches.

There are also various risk factors which may contribute greatly to the development of frequent headaches and those include regular use of physical postures that put a strain on the head or neck, overuse of pain medication, overuse of caffeine, snoring, obesity, sleep disturbances, depression and anxiety. Chronic instances of headaches may be associated with certain types of complications such as sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression and numerous other sorts of physical and psychological problems.

Preparing for the appointment

A person should first pay a visit to a general practitioner. In some cases the patient may be immediately referred to a headache specialist. One should be well prepared for the appointment because it may be a bit too brief so not all the grounds can be covered. One should always be well prepared with all the questions that he or she wants to ask the doctor. Keeping a headache journal may be of great help because it provides the doctor with precious detailed information. Making the list of all different sorts of supplements, vitamins and medicaments one takes is also highly recommended. Preparing a list of all the questions which are to be asked is also a very good idea. Avoiding all activities which worsen the headaches should be avoided. NSAIDs may be helpful in some cases.