5 potential causes of regular headaches

Headaches are one of the most common health complaints in the UK, with the NHS estimating around 10 million people get headaches on a regular basis. Whilst most headaches are easily treatable with mild, over the counter pain relief, some are more severe and require further medical investigation.

Some of the common causes of headaches can be medically related, with issues such as migraines, allergies and stress cited as common causes. However, some of the causes of regular headaches may not be what you might have thought… 

1.      Poor posture

If you work at a computer or in a job that requires you to stay in one position for extended periods of time, you could be putting pressure and tension into your back and shoulders, which in time can manifest itself as a headache.

To fix this, try to sit straighter at work and ask for a back support or footrest to help you achieve a better posture. Try to alter your position or go for a walk from time to time. If the problem persists, you could see a physical therapist or take up a posture enhancing activity such as Pilates to help.

2.      Perfume

You might think that your housework is enough to give you a headache, but in truth it really is. Air fresheners, perfumes and household cleaners all contain certain chemicals that, in some people, can cause headaches. Try using fragrance free cleaners and changing your perfume for something less potent to see if that helps. 

3.      Relaxation

With stress so often blamed as the cause of headaches, you would think that relaxation would have the opposite effect. But if you are a regular headache sufferer, how many times have you had a long lie in on your day off, only to be greeted by a pounding head when you finally do surface?

The reason for this is that as you chill out, your stress hormones drop, causing a quick release of neurotransmitters that, in turn, cause blood vessels to dilate and constrict, bringing on a thumping headache. To tackle this, try not to lie in for too long on your day off. Instead, do some exercise or yoga during the week to spread your relaxation more evenly.

4.      Sex

You might not be using your headache to try and avoid sex, but do you ever get one during? It’s actually quite common for both men and women to experience headaches during sex, usually due to tension in their neck and shoulders. Luckily, a simple paracetamol will serve to relieve the symptoms, so take one an hour or so before sex to stop this happening.

5.      Bad weather

It’s not an old wives tale when people say they can feel a storm coming on. Some people are more susceptible than others to changes in the air pressure and can succumb to headaches when it is humid and building up to a thundery storm. There’s nothing you can do about the weather, but usually the headache breaks at the same time as the storm, so it shouldn’t last too long.

This is a fairly light hearted look at some of the causes of headaches. Serious headaches that get progressively worse are no laughing matter though. If you have had a bump to the head and are now in pain, see a doctor or speak to NHS direct for more advice. 

If you have been injured in an accident and it is causing long term headaches and other problems, see a specialist lawyer in the field of brain injury compensation to see if you can make a claim.