What Are the Causes of Ongoing Headaches?

Headaches are characterized by pain or discomfort that occurs in the neck, head, or scalp. Headaches are common, but chronic headaches can be debilitating. Headaches are considered chronic if you have a headache for at least 15 days a month for three months.

Types

• The most common types of chronic daily headaches include chronic migraines, chronic tension headaches, hemicrania continua, and new daily persistent headache.

Conditions

• Chronic daily headaches are occasionally caused by underlying conditions, including meningitis, brain tumor, pinched nerves in the neck, traumatic brain injury, and high or low intracranial pressure. However, chronic daily headaches do not usually have a physical cause.

Pain Medication

• Chronic daily headaches are often caused by taking pain medication too often. Taking pain medication (including over-the-counter painkillers) more than two days a week heightens your risk of rebound headaches.

Risk Factors

• Chronic daily headaches occur more commonly in women than men. Anxiety, obesity, snoring, caffeine overuse, painkiller overuse, depression, and sleep disturbances increase your risk of developing chronic daily headaches.

Prevention

• Prevent headaches by getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, not skipping meals, not smoking, and reducing your level of stress.