Headache is a sign from the body indicating a defect or pressure that needs attention and treatment, which is pain or discomfort that a person feels in the head or neck, and it may be light that goes away quickly or severely affecting the ability to focus.
Headache occurs as a result of changes in nerves, blood vessels, or head muscles, and it may be due to stress, lack of sleep, hunger, or sometimes due to a specific disease.
How to diagnose continuous headaches
Headache is diagnosed through medical history, clinical examination, and blood tests (to check anemia, infections, thyroid problems), or brain imaging if there are neurological symptoms, as well as eye examination, and blood pressure measurement.
The doctor must be referred to if the headache occurs on a daily or almost daily, or if it continues for more than 3 months, or if the headache is accompanied by changes in vision, loss of consciousness, severe vomiting, weak arm or leg, or a change in behavior.
Causes of continuous headaches
There are many causes of constant headache, and it may be a reason for other diseases, as we will explain:
Chronic migraines
Chronic migraine is a type of headache that occurs frequently and continuously, and it is diagnosed when
The headache lasts 15 days or more per month, and this type of headache occurs as a result of the development of ordinary migraines into a chronic form, and is caused by excessive use of analgesics (called a drug headache).
Or due to anxiety or chronic depression, lack of sleep or sleep disorders, psychological pressure and persistent tension, hormonal changes (especially in women), nutritional problems (such as excess caffeine, or meals), and genetic factors.
Chronic tension headaches
A common type of headache occurs due to the tension or tension of the heads of the head and the neck, and it occurs as a result of changes in the chemicals (such as serotonin), as well as psychological pressure or chronic anxiety, physical or mental stress, lack of sleep or irregular sleep, working for long periods in front of the screens or sitting in an incorrect position, skipping meals or dehydration, informative tooth (pressure at night).
Headache caused by excessive use of medications
It is a type of headache resulting from the use of analgesics or headache drugs excessively and regularly. After taking it repeatedly, the body gets used to, and when the effect of the drug is removed, the headache returns again not because of the original disease, but rather because of the withdrawal of the effect of the drug.
Among the types of these medications are: simple analgesics, non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs, migraines, and analgesics containing caffeine or codeine.
High blood pressure and headache
The headache caused by high pressure occurs in the event of very severe high blood pressure, specifically above 180/120 mm, a condition that requires immediate intervention, and it may be accompanied by severe and continuous headaches, two sons in the ears, lack of clarity in vision, dizziness or shortness of breath, chest pain or numbness in the face or hands.
Likewise, uncontrolled high blood pressure in the long term, it may lead to changes in the blood vessels in the brain, and causes headaches in the back of the head, especially when waking up in the morning.
Problems of the nervous system and headache
Headache may be a symptom of a serious nervous problem, such as brain tumors, skull bleeding, meningitis, intracranial hypertension, vascular expansion (or blood or blood clots, severe head injuries.
There are other symptoms of a headache in which you should consult a doctor immediately among them: a new or unusual headache, especially after the age of 40, a headache that increases continuously and quickly, changed in the usual headache, and a severe morning headache when waking up.
Sleep and headache disorders
Good sleep is the key to brain health, and when the sleep balance is disturbed, headaches may appear as one of the first symptoms. When sleeping disorder, a defect in substances such as serotonin and dopamine, which increases the brain sensitivity to pain.
Headache also causes insomnia, as it leads to brain fatigue, chronic morning headache, sleep apnea, as it leads to lack of oxygen, which causes headaches when waking up, along with periodic movement syndrome, and involuntary movements in the legs during sleep, causing sleep, and then headaches.
