Why Do I Keep Getting Headaches?

Headaches are a problem that people struggle with globally, with up to 75% of adults complaining of them as recently as 2020. There are many different types of headaches you can find yourself dealing with and a variety of internal and external factors that contribute to and determine the severity, duration, and symptoms accompanying them.

There are also chronic headaches, where the pain and other issues keep coming back. Residents of the Chicago, Illinois, area looking for headache relief can find help with our staff of experienced specialists at Michigan Avenue Primary Care.

To find out why your headaches keep returning and what you can do about them, let’s examine some basic facts about headaches, what can cause them to become chronic, and what can be done to manage them.

Basic headache facts

Headache pain can be dull, sharp, vice-like, throbbing, or radiating, and can present on one or both sides of your head. Depending on the cause of your headache, you may also have other symptoms like dizziness and fatigue that can last for hours or days. 

The over 150 types of headaches you can have are broken down into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary headaches are caused by dysfunction, overactivity, or pain problems in your head. Secondary headaches are caused by another underlying medical problem.

Within these two categories, you may deal with tension headaches, cluster headaches, new daily persistent headaches (NPDH), dehydration headaches, sinus headaches, spinal headaches, thunderclap headaches, and a long list of others.

Causes for chronic headaches

A headache is considered chronic or constant if it occurs 15 days or more in a period of three months and can be caused by numerous factors, such as:

Lifestyle and environmental influences

This includes lack of sleep, stress, skipping meals, weather changes, overexertion, anxiety, depression, caffeine, and alcohol use.

Muscle tension

The muscles in your head and neck can tighten for many reasons, leading to headache pain.

Genetics

Your genes are linked to your risks of certain types of headaches, though research on this is still being done.

Hormones

Changes in hormone levels can affect whether or not you get headaches and are more common in women than men.

Trigeminal nerve activation

Your trigeminal nerve is a major nerve in your head and face that can cause pain if inflamed or otherwise compromised.

Episodic headaches (those that occur every once in a while) can become chronic, and things like overuse of pain medication, disrupted sleeping patterns, constant high stress, and obesity can contribute to your risk of that happening.

Management and treatment

Because there are so many possible causes of chronic headaches, we consider multiple treatment options to manage them, including medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes. 

Several drugs can be used to deal with chronic migraines, including antidepressants, beta-blockers, anti-seizure medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and even Botox® injections.

Medications can also be mixed with therapeutic treatments like biofeedback, nerve stimulation, acupuncture, massage, supplements, and therapy sessions to cope with the mental effects of headaches. 

You can also make changes on your own like avoiding triggers that cause headaches, getting adequate rest, eating healthy meals, managing your weight, exercising, limiting alcohol and caffeine, and stopping smoking.

Chronic headaches are frustrating and seem like they’ll never end, but help is available to get them under control. Make an appointment with our team at Michigan Avenue Primary Care to get relief from the pain and clear your head. Call our office today or schedule your visit online anytime.