What Are the Causes of Chronic Headaches?

Everyone has had at least one headache in their lives. Headaches can be mild, persistent or severe. They can reduce your quality of life or force you to stop working. There are many causes of chronic headaches and some of them are more serious than others.

Neck Pain

• Many people who suffer from chronic headaches report a pain in the back of their neck. The neck pain sometimes causes the headaches. This pain comes from very tight muscles in the back of the neck and shoulders. It may also be caused by pinched nerves. Some people find there is little relief from this tightness once it occurs and rely on frequent visits to massage therapists or muscle relaxants to control the problem. This type of neck pain can cause mild, recurring headaches or more severe migraine headaches that can be debilitating.

Pain Medication

• Chronic headaches can also be caused when a person takes too much pain medication. The Mayo Clinic reports that even people that take too much over-the-counter pain medication can pay a price. This is frequently seen in migraine sufferers that have taken emergency pain medications to relieve the pain. As a result, a person may experience rebound headaches which can be quite unpleasant. This leads to a cycle in which a person tries to rid themselves of a headache but actually causes additional ones to occur.

Brain Injury

• Brain injuries occur when a person has an accident or fall and suffers a blow to their head. Knowing when a brain injury has occurred can be difficult. The person may simply think that they have bumped their head and may not seek treatment. The injury may simply be disguised and may be much more serious than believed. Once a brain injury occurs, blood may start filling up the space between the brain and the skull. This can put pressure on the brain and cause brain damage. It is imperative to get medical help as soon as possible when a brain injury occurs.

Brain Tumor

• A brain tumor is a mass in the brain and can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Brain tumors often cause painful headaches because as the masses grow they put pressure on the brain. The headaches caused by brain tumors can cause thunderclap headaches. These are headaches that come on suddenly and cause significant pain.

Infections

• Infections such as encephalitis and meningitis cause severe headaches. These illnesses cause inflammation in the brain that results in brain swelling. As the brain swells it presses against the skull and causes headaches. These headaches are so severe that many people describe them as the worst of their lives. These infections require immediate emergency intervention. If left untreated they can result in permanent damage or even death.