Are Recurrent Headaches Serious?
While many people may consider headaches to be a minor issue, the reality is that headaches can be intense and frequent enough to disrupt your life. And even if you can ignore the pain, should you? Could your headaches be a sign of something else?
In this blog, the heath experts at Northview Medical discuss whether or not frequent headaches indicate something serious, and they also discuss the most common headaches as well as treatment options.
Are frequent headaches a sign of something dangerous?
Here’s the good news: Although frequent headaches can be debilitating and disruptive, they don’t usually indicate that you have a dangerous underlying issue. There are more than 300 types of headaches, but most of them don’t occur due to serious underlying problems.
However, while frequent headaches may not be dangerous, they can still be debilitating. Here at Northview Medical, we treat many people who get frequent headaches. Here are the two most common types of headaches and how they’re usually treated.
Tension headaches
Tension headaches are incredibly common. The good news is that they’re usually mild to moderate in severity, and there are effective treatments, especially if you only have them occasionally.
If you get frequent tension headaches, you may be able to reduce their number by practicing relaxation techniques and undergoing chiropractic care and massage therapy.
Migraine headaches
Migraine headaches are less common than tension headaches, but they’re usually far more severe. Women are more likely to experience migraines than men. Genetics may also play a part, as most people who have migraines also have family members who have them.
Furthermore, migraines often have triggers, such as specific foods, drinks, or scents. Some of the most common migraine triggers include:
- A change in the weather
- Not getting enough sleep
- Getting too much sleep
- Being tired
- Emotional stress
- Bright lights
- Strong smells
- Alcohol, especially red wine
- Some cheeses
- Nitrates in cured meats
There can be other triggers as well, and the best way to identify your triggers is to keep a headache diary. By recording what happens on a daily basis, such as what you eat, what the weather is like, and what you’re doing, you may be able to see patterns in when you have migraine headaches.
The treatment for migraines may include chiropractic care, massage therapy, nerve blocks, and avoiding your triggers.
If you get frequent headaches, we can help find the cause and provide effective solutions to relieve the pain and reduce or eliminate the number of headaches. To learn more, book an appointment over the phone with Northview Medical today.
