When you suffer a headache, the temptation is to reach for the painkillers. However, trying to pinpoint the cause might help reduce the pain — and even prevent the problem occurring again.
Headaches are one of the most frequent reasons for going to the GP or neurological clinics, says Giles Elrington, a neurologist at the Barts and London NHS Trust and trustee of the London Migraine Clinic.
We all know stress can lead to headaches. But here are some of the more surprising causes.
Going to the hairdresser: A surprisingly common cause of head pain is an appointment with the hairdresser or barber. It's caused by having to hold your head back over the basin when having your hair washed. This extends the neck awkwardly, stimulating one of the nerves that activates the trigemino-cervical neurovascular pathway. Pain can come a day or two afterwards, so the cause is often missed.
Coughing: While a coughing fit is likely to make any head pain worse, there's actually a recognised headache known as "cough headache". This is triggered by coughing and other types of straining — such as sneezing, blowing your nose or bending over. Around 1 per cent of headaches are caused by coughing, with men more prone. They occur because of the pressure build-up in the brain.
Jogging on the treadmill: If you ever need an excuse not to go to the gym, it's this — "exertion headache".
The severe pain starts within seconds of exercising and can occur anywhere in the head. Changing the type of exercise can help — perhaps swimming instead of running — but taking anti-inflammatories half an hour before exercising may be another option, as this can reduce swelling. If you do develop a sudden pain in the head when exercising, go to the doctor to rule out other conditions, such as a ruptured aneurysm — a swelling in one of the blood vessels in the brain.
An anxious personality: People with low self-esteem or anxious types are more likely to suffer from migraine-style headaches, according to a study at the Headache Centre of Turin University in Italy.
Ponytails: The "Croydon facelift", favoured by Victoria Beckham, among others, can also bring on a banging headache — usually after a couple of hours.
When the hair is pulled back tight and tied in a ponytail it strains the connective tissue in the scalp, leading to pain. Plaits, tight-fitting hats and Alice bands can have the same effect.
Hot showers: That comforting warm shower in the morning may bring on a headache for some. It's thought that the change in temperature alters the body's blood pressure — including that in the head, leading to a stabbing pain in the forehead that peaks about 30-60 seconds after it has begun.
Lack of sleep: Grumpiness, an inability to function properly and a poor memory are most obviously associated with sleep deprivation. But in a study at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases in London, variable amounts of sleep loss (one to three hours over one to three nights) was also to blame for causing headaches, lasting from an hour to all day.
Warm weather: Studying more than 7,000 patients diagnosed with headaches, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston found headache complaints increased along with rises in temperature. According to the study, the risk of getting a headache jumped by an average of 7.5 per cent with every increase of 9°F.
Headaches are one of the most frequent reasons for going to the GP or neurological clinics, says Giles Elrington, a neurologist at the Barts and London NHS Trust and trustee of the London Migraine Clinic.
We all know stress can lead to headaches. But here are some of the more surprising causes.
Going to the hairdresser: A surprisingly common cause of head pain is an appointment with the hairdresser or barber. It's caused by having to hold your head back over the basin when having your hair washed. This extends the neck awkwardly, stimulating one of the nerves that activates the trigemino-cervical neurovascular pathway. Pain can come a day or two afterwards, so the cause is often missed.
Coughing: While a coughing fit is likely to make any head pain worse, there's actually a recognised headache known as "cough headache". This is triggered by coughing and other types of straining — such as sneezing, blowing your nose or bending over. Around 1 per cent of headaches are caused by coughing, with men more prone. They occur because of the pressure build-up in the brain.
Jogging on the treadmill: If you ever need an excuse not to go to the gym, it's this — "exertion headache".
The severe pain starts within seconds of exercising and can occur anywhere in the head. Changing the type of exercise can help — perhaps swimming instead of running — but taking anti-inflammatories half an hour before exercising may be another option, as this can reduce swelling. If you do develop a sudden pain in the head when exercising, go to the doctor to rule out other conditions, such as a ruptured aneurysm — a swelling in one of the blood vessels in the brain.
An anxious personality: People with low self-esteem or anxious types are more likely to suffer from migraine-style headaches, according to a study at the Headache Centre of Turin University in Italy.
Ponytails: The "Croydon facelift", favoured by Victoria Beckham, among others, can also bring on a banging headache — usually after a couple of hours.
When the hair is pulled back tight and tied in a ponytail it strains the connective tissue in the scalp, leading to pain. Plaits, tight-fitting hats and Alice bands can have the same effect.
Hot showers: That comforting warm shower in the morning may bring on a headache for some. It's thought that the change in temperature alters the body's blood pressure — including that in the head, leading to a stabbing pain in the forehead that peaks about 30-60 seconds after it has begun.
Lack of sleep: Grumpiness, an inability to function properly and a poor memory are most obviously associated with sleep deprivation. But in a study at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases in London, variable amounts of sleep loss (one to three hours over one to three nights) was also to blame for causing headaches, lasting from an hour to all day.
Warm weather: Studying more than 7,000 patients diagnosed with headaches, researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston found headache complaints increased along with rises in temperature. According to the study, the risk of getting a headache jumped by an average of 7.5 per cent with every increase of 9°F.
