Contents:
- Medical Video: Migraines in children: Guidelines for primary care management of headache
- The causes of headaches are unpredictable and often not realized
- 1. Body posture
- 2. Food
- 3. Irregular sleep schedule
- 4. There are problems that are being considered
- 5. Stare at the gadget screen
- 6. Sensitive to certain odors
- 7. Tie the hair too tight
- 8. Light of the sun
- 10. Immersing anger
- 11. Chewing gum
- 12. Having sex
- 13. Exercise without heating
- 14. Exposed to bad weather
- 15. Talk to the phone in the wrong way
- 16. Having excess weight
- 17. Eat ice cream
- 18. Use a bag that is too heavy
- How to deal with headaches?
- 1. Relaxation
- 2. Perform a light massage on the head
- 3. Stretching
- 4. Compress
- 5. Rest in a dark room
- 6. Drink lots of water
- 7. Eat
- 8. Keep the gadget for a while
- 9. Avoid sharp things
- 10. Loosen the hair tie
- When should I visit a doctor?
- 1. Not treated properly
- 2. Suddenly appears and feels very painful
- 3. Symptoms get worse when changing positions
Medical Video: Migraines in children: Guidelines for primary care management of headache
Headaches are usually caused by another disease, such as flu or fever. Headaches can also occur because you lack sleep or eat late. Even so, it turns out that there are several other causes of headaches that you may never have noticed. Anything? See here the answer.
The causes of headaches are unpredictable and often not realized
Headaches are a common health condition. Usually, this condition is a symptom of one particular disease. But in addition to the possibility of certain diseases, headaches can also be caused by unexpected trifles. Here are some of the causes of headaches that you often don't realize:
1. Body posture
Don't get me wrong, bad posture can be a cause. Bending too long or a certain sitting position that causes tension in your upper back, neck and shoulders can be the cause of your headaches.
2. Food
Foods that are smoked, acidified, dried, or heated several times, tend to contain sulfites which can dilate your blood vessels. This can be the cause of your headaches, especially those that appear right after eating. Cheese also contains sulfite which can be a cause of headaches in some people.
3. Irregular sleep schedule
Many people who "reply" when staying up during the workday by waking up during the weekend. Secretly, this can cause your headaches to recur frequently. The schedule of getting up and going to bed irregularly can disrupt the body's circadian rhythm which then triggers a sudden headache.
It's best to stay up at the same time every day, including weekends. This is the best way to keep your cyclic rhythm consistent. If you want to sleep more, add a nap on your weekend.
4. There are problems that are being considered
Fighting with your partner, work problems in the office, or thinking about a sick parent for a long time can make you anxious and stressed.
When you are stressed, you tend to breathe more shallowly and quickly. The less oxygen is received by the brain, the more blood vessels that narrow. This is what can cause a sudden headache relapse. Stress can also cause muscle tension behind the head, causing a tense headache.
5. Stare at the gadget screen
Staring at a computer screen all day can put excessive pressure on your eyes. The same goes for your smart phone screen. Variations in light and screen brightness will activate the retina and nerves behind the eyes. Well, this is what can be the cause of your headache.
6. Sensitive to certain odors
Some people are more sensitive to certain odors, especially those with strong smells such as gasoline, cigarettes, and perfume. Without realizing it, breathing this smell can be a cause of headaches.
7. Tie the hair too tight
The causes of other headaches often may not be noticed by women. Yes, some women can also experience headaches because they tie hair too tight or arrange their hair in a way that makes their scalp attracted and causes tension.
8. Light of the sun
The glare of sunlight or even even seeing the reflection of the sun can be a cause of headaches. Reflection of light directly into the eye can stimulate the work of the thalamus, the part of the brain that sends pain signals to your body to cause pain.
10. Immersing anger
When you are angry, the muscles behind your neck and scalp will tighten. This will cause a sensation like wearing a very tight head tie. This is a sign of headaches when the muscles tighten.
11. Chewing gum
Repeated chewing movements can cause headaches. But, more surprisingly, the main ingredients of gum, such as aspartame, can cause sudden headaches.
These artificial sweeteners are commonly found in popular sugar-free gum. This material can also trigger a variety of serious health problems. Therefore, we must be careful when choosing gum.
12. Having sex
Many men and women experience headaches when they are at the peak of passion. Doctors think that sexual headaches are caused by pressure on the head and neck muscles. Sexual headaches can occur duringforeplay or for a moment and before orgasm. This can last for several minutes for up to 1 hour.
13. Exercise without heating
Warming up before exercising not only helps protect your muscles, but also provides an opportunity for the brain to adjust to increased adrenaline. Avoiding headaches by stretching for 5-10 minutes can be the right solution.
14. Exposed to bad weather
If you are prone to headaches, high humidity, increased temperature, and heavy rain and storms can also cause you headaches.
Changes in pressure that cause weather changes are thought to trigger changes in chemical compounds and electrical compounds in the brain, and can interfere with nerves that lead to headaches.
15. Talk to the phone in the wrong way
Holding the phone between the ear and shoulder for long-lasting conversations can cause tension in your neck resulting in a headache. Use headset or earphone if possible.
16. Having excess weight
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that someone who is obese has 2 times more headaches than people who have a healthy weight.
17. Eat ice cream
Who would have thought eating ice cream turned out to also be the cause of headaches that you experience, you know. If you have ever felt a sharp pain in your forehead when eating ice cream, then you are sensitive to cold food.
Headaches can occur due to cold material moving on the roof of the mouth and back of your throat. Besides ice cream, other cold foods and drinks can cause the same effect.
18. Use a bag that is too heavy
If the weight of the bag you are carrying exceeds 4 kg, this can increase tension in the neck and cause headaches. Lightening the load in a bag or dividing two loads will be an effective solution.
How to deal with headaches?
Here are some things you can do to deal with headaches due to various habits mentioned above:
1. Relaxation
If you usually meditate, you can use meditation techniques to relieve your headaches. Close your eyes, adjust your breath. Try to take a deep breath on the count of four, hold your breath for 5-7 seconds, then exhale. Repeat several times.
Imagine you are in your favorite place that is comfortable and your headache is gradually disappearing. If you are feeling anxious and have many thoughts, keep your breathing as usual.
2. Perform a light massage on the head
If you feel a back headache, you can try massaging the affected part using your index finger or your thumb. Give a light massage constantly for 7-15 seconds, then release. Repeat again until you feel less pain.
Try asking for help from others to massage your head, neck and shoulder area. Ask to massage with the right pressure, because if it is too slow it will not relax the tense muscles, but if too hard will add to your headache.
3. Stretching
Your headache may be caused by the tense muscles in the shoulder and neck. This tension can be caused by the same sitting position for too long.
If this is the cause of your headache, avoid sitting or standing for a long time with the same position. Sitting up straight can support your spine to remain stable so that it doesn't receive a lot of pressure. Occasionally, get up from sitting and walking to relieve tense muscles.
While if the cause of your headache is due to fatigue or stress, you can do a simple stretch. It's easy, first bend your head to one side and then slowly turn downward to form a semicircular movement. Then, let your chin touch the chest. You can repeat it back to the opposite side.
4. Compress
You can do cold compress techniques and hot compresses. Try compressing your forehead and back of your neck using a warm cloth, this will help blood flow and relax stiff muscles.
After that, continue by compressing the section with cold compresses. You can use some ice cubes wrapped in a handkerchief. This cold effect will shrink the blood vessels. When the blood vessels shrink, the pressure on the sensitive nerves contained in the head will decrease.
5. Rest in a dark room
If a back headache arises when you are on the move, immediately look for a place to lie down or to just sit. Try to rest in a quiet and rather dark room. Avoid noise coming from the surrounding environment. Calm yourself and try to relax your head and shoulders.
6. Drink lots of water
One sign of dehydration is a rare backache, try to drink a glass of water. After your condition improves, try to find out what caused it.
You may be late for food, lack of drinking, stress, or you sit too long in an uncomfortable position. These things are usually the cause oftension headache.By knowing the cause of this condition, you can avoid future headaches.
7. Eat
If the cause of the headache is due to the food factor you consume, then record any food that you eat every time you make headaches. After you narrow it down, try to avoid the food until you are free of headaches.
In addition, a decrease in blood sugar levels can cause back or both sides of the headache. If that's the reason, try eating a snack or drinking warm sweet tea first. Try to eat always in time to avoid headaches caused by a decrease in blood sugar levels.
8. Keep the gadget for a while
If your job requires you to stare at the computer screen more often, give your eyes a break of about 10 minutes per hour. You can take a walk, chat with friends, and read magazines or books.
You can also use anti-radiation glasses while in front of a computer screen. Also, pay attention to your sitting position. Sit or stand in an upright position, so you don't have to bend your neck to look at the screenhandphone.
9. Avoid sharp things
If the cause of your headache is due to smelling certain odors, then avoid places that might cause odors that you don't like. However, usually you cannot control the smell that arises around you.
Therefore, you should bring a small bottle of essential oils such as lavender or peppermint. Both can help reduce headaches and make you feel comfortable and calm.
10. Loosen the hair tie
Try to do a more varied hair styling model. For example, today a horse is locked, tomorrow it is ground, tomorrow is braided. But remember don't tie your hair too strong. You just need to loosen the hair tie to reduce the pressure and the pain in the head.
Also make sure to let your hair loose at night. Don't tie your hair during sleep to let your head crown breathe for a moment.
When should I visit a doctor?
Although most of these conditions can disappear with rest and relaxation, severe right or overall head pain can indicate a serious problem. Therefore, pay close attention to the symptoms you are experiencing. Here are some conditions that must be examined by a doctor:
1. Not treated properly
If painkillers do not also make your condition improve, then consult your doctor immediately. This is done so that you immediately get treatment that suits your condition.
You are also advised to see a doctor if the attacking back or side headache does not subside too even though it has been more than 24 hours and you have taken painkillers.
2. Suddenly appears and feels very painful
If you are suddenly attacked by a severe and irresistible back or side headache, immediately seek emergency health services. Especially if this condition has never been experienced before.
According to a neurologist from Hartford HealthCare Headache Center in the US, Dr. Brian Grosberg, usually this condition feels like your head has been hit hard and the pain level can get worse in just a few minutes.
3. Symptoms get worse when changing positions
Note, does the pain in the attacking head become more painful if you change position? For example if you bend, get up, or sit down.
If your condition feels more severe if you change position, it could be one of the symptoms of leaking cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. Consult your doctor to make sure there are any symptoms.
