How to relieve a headache with home remedies and when should you see a doctor? Headache: causes and methods of treatment A person has a headache.

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Headache is the body’s most common signal about the presence of physiological disruptions or organic problems. Even his one-time appearance deserves attention. People who have headaches regularly or severely need to undergo a thorough diagnosis and identify the causes of the symptom. In 10-20% of cases, the symptom turns out to be one of the secondary consequences of serious disorders in the functioning of organs. Such situations require immediate initiation of adequate therapy. Otherwise, there is a high risk of developing chronic diseases or emergency conditions that can lead to a decrease in quality of life, disability, and death.

Why does my head hurt?

Pharmacies offer drugs for cephalalgia that vary in price, composition, type of action and rules of use. In some cases they quickly relieve discomfort, in others they do not give the desired result. The effectiveness of funds depends not so much on their quality as on their suitability for a specific situation. The mechanism of development of pain in the head can be different, and it is according to this that the medicine must be selected.

There are five common causes of the symptom:

muscle strain – the result of prolonged physical activity or being in an uncomfortable position;
decreased functionality of cerebral vessels - pathological narrowing or expansion of blood channels, increased permeability or stretching of their walls. Excessive blood thickness, atherosclerotic plaques, tissue swelling, tumors, and blood clots increase the risks. They interfere with normal blood flow, which disrupts metabolic processes;
impaired circulation of cerebrospinal fluid - most often the result of compression of certain areas of the brain by a cyst, hematoma, tumor, or displaced bone;
failures of a neuralgic nature - appear when nerve fibers are irritated (pinching, compression, malnutrition, infection);
the effect of psychogenic factors - the consequences of mental disorders in the form of depression, apathy, stress, genetic diseases, chronic fatigue.

One-time or regular pain in the head can occur under the influence of two hundred more factors. This list includes smoking, drinking alcohol, drinking harmful products and caffeine.

Cephalgia occurs as a result of prolonged exposure to heat and high humidity. Often headache occurs due to a lack or excess of sleep, wearing incorrectly selected glasses or contact lenses. The danger is posed by strict diets, head injuries, hypothermia, and sludge in the body.

Symptoms

Headache manifests itself in different ways. Its intensity, localization, and character are influenced by provoking factors, the mechanism of development, stage, and features of the course of the pathology. An experienced doctor is able to make a preliminary diagnosis based only on the specifics of the clinical picture.

The type of pain in the head depends on the causes of cephalalgia:

vascular - most often the patient is tormented by pulsation or aching sensations. They are accompanied by dizziness and decreased quality of vision. The symptom intensifies when changing body position, physical activity, tilts;
liquorodynamic – the pain comes in waves, reminiscent of pressure from the inside. Complemented by nausea, dizziness, weakness, general deterioration of health;
neuralgic – acute and severe cephalalgia of a local nature. Often, when you press on the affected area, the sensations intensify, becoming cutting or piercing, unbearable. The sensitivity of the skin in the problem area increases or decreases. The symptom does not respond well to conventional analgesics and may persist for several days or weeks;
tension – constant, moderate or mild, aching. Accompanied by irritability, dizziness, and neck pain. Goes away quickly after a light massage of the collar area or rest;
psychogenic – capable of acquiring the most different type, supplemented by obsessive states and decreased mental abilities.

In each case, special therapy is required, selected by a specialized doctor. If you suddenly have a headache, you can try to cope with it folk ways or taking analgesics. If there is no effect or the symptoms soon return, you should seek medical help.

The most common reasons why a headache

Doctors identify dozens of factors whose action can lead to the appearance of cephalgia. This list includes not only diseases of the head, but also pathologies of distant localization. Five conditions are worth mentioning separately - they account for about 95% of all cases of symptom occurrence. You should not diagnose yourself, even when clinical picture obvious. Some diseases follow a similar pattern, but require different approaches to treatment. It is better to initially visit a specialist and strictly follow his instructions.

Tension headache

If you have a headache for a long time and obsessively for no apparent reason, this diagnosis should be considered first. The sensations occur in the afternoon or after a long stay in an uncomfortable position. They are similar to pressure due to a tight hairstyle or a tight headdress. Most often, the pain covers the skull like a hoop. Initially, only one side of the head or the frontal part hurts, gradually the symptom spreads along the perimeter. It is accompanied by dizziness, decreased mental activity, and impaired attention.

To get rid of the problem, just breathe fresh air, relax, and drink soothing tea. Prolonged, persistent sensations indicate a violation of blood flow. In this case, you may need to take medications to protect nerve cells, increase brain activity, and improve circulation (nootropics, neuroprotectors).

Migraine

A neurological disease of a vascular nature is more often diagnosed in women of childbearing age. It manifests itself in the form of cephalalgia, nausea and vomiting at the peak of sensations, and an increased reaction to external stimuli. The head usually hurts on one side, the sensations are pulsating, intense, aggravated by loud sounds and strong odors. Attacks last from 2-4 hours to 3 days. In a quarter of cases they are preceded by an aura. Depending on the specifics of the case, the headache occurs every few months or up to several times a week. Therapy is required to be comprehensive, aimed at alleviating the patient’s condition and preventing subsequent exacerbations.

Histamine headache

The disease is also called Horton's or cluster cephalgia. It is especially susceptible to middle-aged, strong-built men who drink alcohol and have an impressive smoking history. The pain is unilaterally localized, radiates to the eyeball, and lasts from 15 minutes to 2 hours. The sensations are sharp, sharp, burning. They prevent a person from doing normal activities and react poorly to taking any type of medication. The onset of an attack may be preceded by lacrimation, nasal congestion, dull pain in the head, and drooping of the upper eyelid in one eye.

Occipital headache

When cephalgia is localized in the back of the head, there is a high probability of disruption of the process of blood flow to the brain. This often happens due to problems in cervical spine spine. The picture in this case is complemented by dizziness, pain and crunching in the neck, decreased skin sensitivity, and numbness in the fingers. The patient has a headache mainly in one place, but the sensation radiates to the ear, jaw, eye or shoulder on the affected side. The symptom increases during the day and intensifies over time. It worsens with sudden movements, bending, turning the head.

The therapy involves combating pathological changes in the spine with the help of chondroprotectors, massage, physiotherapy, and exercise therapy. Additionally, the patient is prescribed medicines to normalize the functioning of brain vessels, protect nerve cells from toxins, improve circulation in tissues.

Arterial hypertension

With high blood pressure, your head may hurt in different places.

Cephalgia can be bursting or pulsating, constant or increasing. It is accompanied by nausea, flashing spots before the eyes, redness of the face, changes in the frequency and quality of breathing, and increased heart rate. To confirm the diagnosis, it is enough to measure blood pressure. Treatment is carried out strictly under the supervision of a doctor. The fight against arterial hypertension is not limited to taking medications. Be sure to introduce changes to the diet and take measures to reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Diagnostics

Features of the manifestation of diseases allow the doctor to make a preliminary diagnosis. Then various research methods are used to confirm or refute suspicions. Only after this is a treatment regimen developed, aimed not at cephalgia, but at its cause.

Diagnosis of headache may include the following measures:

MRI and/or CT;
Ultrasound of the vessels of the brain and neck;
EEG, REG;
X-ray of the head and neck;
Lumbar puncture.

General and biochemical blood tests are mandatory. They help evaluate the composition of biological material, its viscosity, cholesterol level, and eliminate the presence of infection in the body.

Medicines that can be used to treat headaches

If possible, you should consult your doctor before taking any medication. When you suddenly have a headache, it is better to start fighting the symptom with the safest and most accessible approaches - rest, a walk in the fresh air or ventilating the room, tea with lemon and sugar. Massaging the head and collar area, inhaling aromatic oils or rubbing them into the temples have a good effect.

If you still have a severe headache, you can use the following medications:

NSAIDs - Ibuprofen, Aspirin;
analgesics – “Paracetamol”, “Pentalgin”;
antispasmodics – “No-Shpa”, “Baralgin”;
antihypertensives - only after measuring blood pressure and preferably those that were previously prescribed by a doctor;
nootropics - Piracetam, Phenibut.

Experts have developed a simple and accessible program for the prevention of cephalalgia. To never have a headache, just follow healthy image life, walk a lot in the fresh air, play sports, follow a daily routine and refuse to eat harmful foods. You should also be attentive to your health and promptly report complaints to doctors. You should not self-medicate; it is recommended that you take any medications in consultation with your healthcare provider.

It is difficult to find a person who does not have a headache at least from time to time. A one-time occurrence of a symptom is not a reason to panic. Unpleasant sensations after a hard day or stress indicate the body's need for rest and relaxation. Sometimes colds or colds begin with cephalgia. inflammatory diseases. The body reacts with pain in the head to toxin poisoning, slagging, and changing weather conditions. The main thing is not to grab the pills every time, even if it is not clear what caused the symptom. Independent experiments pose a great risk to the body and make it difficult for doctors to make a diagnosis.

Every person has experienced a headache at least once in their life. Regardless of the cause and intensity, this symptom always adversely affects daily activities. A person suffering from a headache becomes irritable, absent-minded, his performance decreases, and he cannot absorb new information. Frequent occurrence of this problem can significantly impair the quality of life. Why does headache occur and how to deal with it?

Types of headaches

Not many people know that headaches can hurt in different ways. It is important to be able to differentiate the symptoms that arise, as this greatly facilitates the establishment of the cause and the development of a treatment regimen. The most common types of pain are:

Tension pain. Every person has experienced it at least once in their life. It occurs when the neck is in an awkward position or when there is a long static load on it. For example, if you sit at a table for a long time and write, read, or work at a computer. In this case, the muscles of the neck and back experience prolonged tension, which is transmitted to the tissues of the head. Such pain can be compared to a tight hoop or hat that squeezes the head from the outside inward.
Hypertensive. Headaches often occur in people suffering from arterial hypertension. It usually has a pulsating nature, often localized in the temples or occipital region. The main way to diagnose it is to measure blood pressure.
Hypotensive. Lack of cerebral circulation also leads to the development of headaches. It occurs when arterial hypotension or compression of the vessels supplying the brain. This pain is accompanied by dizziness, and in some cases, syncope. To diagnose it, it is also necessary to measure arterial pressure. Sometimes it is worth additionally examining the functioning of the blood vessels in the neck.
Migraine. How and why it appears is not known exactly. This is one of the most unpleasant types of pain. It occurs suddenly and differs in that it is localized in one half of the head. Such pain is accompanied by a fear of light, intolerance to loud sounds and a pronounced decrease in ability to work. It is very intense, difficult to treat and can last for several days.
Cluster pain. They occur predominantly in representatives of the stronger sex. There is an opinion that cluster or cluster pain affects men who try to appear strong, despite their internal vulnerability and sensitivity. A distinctive feature of this type is the paroxysmal pain. They appear as if in bunches, go away after a few minutes, and then can repeat again.

Pathological conditions and diseases that can cause headaches

It is worth saying right away that the brain itself does not have pain receptors. Even operations on this organ can be performed without anesthesia, after first anesthetizing all overlying tissues, which is often done by neurosurgeons. But the membranes of the brain have a lot of pain receptors and are a powerful reflexogenic field. Nerve endings also contain blood vessels in the brain.

There is an opinion that a headache can be a symptom of encephalitis, but in fact this is not the case. Even an extensive pathological focus with many other symptoms may not hurt at all until the inflammation spreads to the membranes of the brain. This phenomenon is also true for other diseases. This often prevents the diagnosis of tumor processes in the brain. What diseases can cause headaches? The following deserve special attention:

Meningitis. This is an inflammation of the meninges with specific changes in the cerebrospinal fluid. It can occur for many reasons, but is most often caused by a bacterial infection. The pain is intense, accompanied by photophobia and phonophobia, muscle rigidity and specific meningeal symptoms.
Meningism. Subjective symptoms are similar to those observed with meningitis, but there are no changes in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Tumor. The development of cancer cells in the cranial cavity is not always accompanied by pain symptom. But there are multiple signs of focal brain damage: paresis, paralysis, decreased sensitivity.
Concussion. Occurs as a result of hitting the head on a hard surface. Moreover, a slight concussion can occur even with a minor impact. Often this condition is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sometimes loss of consciousness.
Fracture of the skull bones. This injury is more dangerous than a regular concussion and requires urgent hospitalization. In this case, not only the membranes of the brain hurt, which may not be affected, but also the bones themselves and the tissues surrounding them.

Headache does not necessarily indicate the conditions listed above, but it is worth remembering that it can be a symptom of these diseases.

Sometimes even the doctor himself cannot determine the type and cause of the headache. There are whole scientific institutes who are dealing with this problem. They look for the causes, development processes and possible treatments for headaches.

These rules will help reduce headaches until the main treatment takes effect. Sometimes with the help of these simple methods You can get rid of headaches altogether. If this symptom occurs, do the following:

Go out into the fresh air or open a window. This will increase the oxygen concentration in the blood and reduce the carbon dioxide content. Even if this technique does not get rid of the headache, it should definitely reduce it.
Remove anything that is squeezing your head. This applies to hats, headbands, hoops and even hair ties. Braids and ponytails should also be unbraided. Free your head as much as possible.
Do a little warm-up. This advice for those who suffer from tension headaches. A few exercises for the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle are enough.
Measure your blood pressure. If the pain is caused by a decrease or increase in blood pressure, just one tablet that normalizes blood pressure can solve the problem.
Lie down. This will help reduce discomfort regardless of the type of pain and the reasons that caused it. In this case, you should take the most comfortable position, preferably lying in a dark and quiet room.
Apply a cold compress. Soak a piece of gauze, a handkerchief or any other cloth in cool water and apply it to your forehead. Turn it over when it's hot, and then repeat the process again.
See your doctor. If the pain does not go away for a long time or often recurs, is accompanied by dizziness, nausea or other symptoms, contact your local physician. He will prescribe an examination plan to rule out everything possible types pathology and choose treatment tactics.

In fact, analgesics were invented to relieve pain. But, it is worth considering that they cannot cope with all types of pain; moreover, they have a number of contraindications and side effects. You should not get carried away with taking such drugs. In addition, they usually do not eliminate the cause of the symptom, but only reduce its manifestations. Headaches should be relieved with the following medications:

Paracetamol. The most famous remedy that is widely used specifically for headaches. Indeed, the drug copes with this symptom perfectly, but doctors do not like to prescribe it. This is because paracetamol has a bad effect on the liver and there is a risk of getting hepatitis while treating a headache.
Aspirin. Also often used for headaches. In addition to reducing discomfort, it can reduce body temperature. This useful property if pain is a symptom colds. With frequent uncontrolled use, it can cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure.
Analgin. It acts similarly to aspirin, but the antipyretic effect is less pronounced.
Trigan. It is an antispasmodic that effectively combats pain caused by muscle tension and vascular spasm.
Solpadeine. Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antitussive drug. Most often used for colds.
Ibuprofen. Belongs to the same group as analgin and aspirin, but less often causes side effects and has a more powerful analgesic effect.
Pentalgin. It contains antispasmodics, stimulants and analgesics. It is a fairly strong drug, but has many side effects. It cannot be used often. In addition, it is contraindicated for athletes who are about to undergo doping control.
Migrenol. It is used to treat migraines. Conventional analgesics and antispasmodics rarely cope with this task. It is worth considering that the drug has a hypnotic effect.
Imigran. Its action is different from migrenol, but this drug is also used to relieve migraine symptoms.

It can be concluded that headache is a common symptom for many people. It can appear due to various reasons, most of which do not pose any threat to life and health. However, under certain circumstances, it is worth undergoing a number of additional examination methods to rule out serious brain pathology. Headaches can be treated using various methods.

Video: 8 ways to quickly relieve headaches

Anna Mironova

Reading time: 8 minutes

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“Headache” - we hear and pronounce these words so often that we have become accustomed to them, perceiving a headache as something annoying, but temporary and insignificant. “I guess I’ll take some pill” - this became the treatment for headaches. However, a headache is often a symptom of any serious diseases and problems in the body, some of which are life-threatening.

How to distinguish the nature of a headache and notice the disease in time?

The main causes of headaches - what can trigger them?

Headache can have different localization, character and intensity:

Headache of vascular origin – the cause is compression, narrowing of the lumen blood vessels heads, as well as their expansion.

Various factors can provoke this:

Thrombi or emboli closing the lumen of small or large vessels.
Atherosclerosis of blood vessels of the brain.
Edema, swelling of the brain and membranes, blood vessels.

Headache due to muscle tension - occurs with prolonged uncomfortable position of the head, heavy loads and physical stress, after sleeping in an uncomfortable position, due to an incorrectly selected bed - mattress and pillow.
Headache of liquorodynamic mechanism of origin – occurs when certain areas of the brain are compressed.

Causes:

Pathological increase or decrease in intracranial pressure.
Compression of the brain by a hematoma, cyst, tumor.

Neuralgic headaches – occur when nerve fibers are damaged or when they are exposed to some pathological process.

Causes:

Various neuralgia (most often - the trigeminal nerve, occipital nerves).
Damage to the vestibular nerve.

Headache of psychogenic origin – usually develops against the background of mental disorders and apathy.

Causes of psychalgia:

Stress.
Depression.
Prolonged emotional experiences.
Chronic fatigue.
Parkinson's disease.

There are more than 200 factors that provoke headaches. If cephalalgia occurs against the background of complete health, then This most often occurs after:

Alcohol intake (vasodilation, intoxication).
Prolonged exposure to the sun, heat, sauna (overheating, sunstroke or heatstroke, sudden dilation of blood vessels, loss of fluid through sweat).
Consumption of products containing caffeine.
High humidity.
Sleep disturbances, after lack of sleep or a shift in the usual schedule.
Wearing contact lenses or incorrectly fitted glasses.
Intense mental activity.
Stressful situations, fear, strong excitement, worries.
Injuries, bruises, head concussions.
Excessive or uneven sports loads.
Visits to the dentist and dental treatment.
Massage sessions.
Smoking.
ARVI, other infectious, colds or inflammatory diseases.
Hypothermia, contrast shower.
Started a diet, fasting.
Intake of certain foods - chocolate, smoked meats and marinades, nuts, hard cheeses etc.
Sex.
Taking any medications or inhaling toxic fumes.

Headache diagnostic program - how to independently determine why your head hurts?

The headache itself does not require diagnosis. But it is always necessary to find out what causes this pathological condition. The doctor may prescribe an examination program, depending on the patient’s condition, age, nature and location of pain.

Diagnostic program for headaches

Laboratory diagnostic procedures , including general analysis blood, general urine test. Sometimes a study of cerebrospinal fluid is required, which is collected through a puncture.
X-ray the head in the required projections, the spine.
Magnetic resonance imaging head and spine.
CT scan head and spine (including positron emission CT).
Angiography cerebral vessels.
Ultrasound.
EEG, RheoEG, myography.

It's helpful to have a chart on hand that can help you guess the root cause of your headaches.

But do not try to diagnose yourself, much less self-medicate. Contact a specialist!

Table of primary diagnosis of headaches

If you often have headaches, keep a diary, in which note the time, nature of the headache and after what it began.

How to relieve a headache with home remedies and when should you see a doctor?

First of all, you should know about the dangerous diseases and conditions that accompany headaches.

Headache, increased blood pressure, irritability, sleep disturbances, and dizziness often indicate cerebrovascular accidents. It is unacceptable to tolerate such symptoms - they can result in a stroke. Moreover, in last years stroke has become much younger and is increasingly affecting people who every day face excessive workloads and a high degree of responsibility: managers, business owners, fathers of large families. When symptoms of cerebral circulatory disorders appear, doctors often recommend taking combination drugs to improve vascular function, for example, Vasobral. Its active components stimulate metabolic processes in the brain, improve the condition of blood vessels, eliminate the effects of oxygen starvation of brain tissue associated with deterioration of blood supply, and have a stimulating effect, which reduces the risk of stroke.

You should be wary and consult a doctor immediately if:

The headache appeared for the first time, suddenly.
The headache is simply unbearable, accompanied by loss of consciousness, breathing problems, rapid heartbeat, facial flushing, nausea and vomiting, and urinary incontinence.
With headaches, visual disturbances, muscle weakness, speech and consciousness disturbances are observed.
Due to a severe headache, a person partially or completely loses the ability to move.
Headache is accompanied by other symptoms - rash, high temperature, fever, delirium.
Severe headache in a pregnant woman, with epi-status and sharply increased blood pressure.
I have a headache for a long time.
Headache worsens with movement, changes in body position, physical work, going out into the bright light.
Each headache attack is more intense than the previous one.

How to relieve headaches with home remedies?

If you are sure that your headache is caused by overwork or, for example, stress, then you can get rid of it in the following ways:

Head massage fingers, a special massager or a wooden comb improves blood circulation, relieves vascular spasm and soothes. Massage your head with light movements from the temples, forehead and neck to the crown.
Cold and hot compresses. Soak two cloths, one in hot water and one in ice water. Place a cold compress on your forehead and temples, and press a hot compress to the back of your head.
Potato compress. Cut the potato tuber into 0.5 cm thick circles. Place the mugs on your forehead and temples, cover with a towel and tie. Once the potatoes get warm, replace them with new ones.
Warm shower– neither hot nor cold! Stand in the shower so that the water hits your head. Can be combined with a head massage with a comb.
Chokeberry tea. Particularly useful for hypertensive headaches.
Compress on temples. Rub your temples and forehead with a lemon peel or a slice of cucumber. Then apply pieces of lemon peels or cucumber slices to your temples and secure on top with a scarf.

The website warns: the information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not self-medicate under any circumstances! If you have any health problems, consult your doctor!

Headache is a common complaint among people; pain can occur due to various reasons, so treatment and prevention of different types of pain must also differ. It is worth remembering that pain can be a sign of a serious illness, so it should not be ignored.

We will explain further how you can determine the causes of the disease based on the nature and location of the pain and prescribe the correct treatment.

Causes of headache: throbbing pain on the left or right side of the head

Usually the pain in this place is dull and pressing, sharp or burning. If, along with pain, you have a sharp reaction to light, nausea, chills or an acute reaction to smells, this is a migraine. In this case, to make you feel better, you should drink hot black tea and a triptan pain reliever.

Migraine - what is it?

A migraine is a severe headache that throbs on one side, worsens with activity, and lasts from two to 48 hours. Migraine attacks are characterized by: sensitivity to light, dizziness, nausea, temporary visual disturbances.

Causes of headaches: pain due to high blood pressure

This type of headache often begins in the morning and goes away over time. In this case, the pressure is 200/110, and you need to take medications to lower the pressure.

In Ukraine, most people with high blood pressure do not know about the problem, because hypertension can be asymptomatic. Some people know, but believe that they do not need to take medications. However, not all people with high blood pressure have headaches.

Causes of headaches: pain when tilting the head forward

If you feel as if your head is being squeezed in a vice, and the pain is accompanied by spasms, and when you tilt your head forward, the unpleasant sensation intensifies - this is tension pain. A relaxing massage and painkillers containing aspirin will help improve your well-being.

Causes of headache: sharp boring pain in the eye

Such pain often appears in combination with a burning sensation in the face and redness of the skin, a stuffy nose and tears. And such unpleasant sensations can haunt you up to 8 times a day - you most likely have a cluster headache.

You can escape pain with medications such as triptans and oxygen masks. In addition, it is imperative to consult a doctor, because a headache may indicate a serious pathology, in particular, of the blood vessels of the brain.

Causes of headaches: dull pain throughout the head

If you have such a headache accompanied by a buzzing in the ears, dizziness, weakness and coldness in the extremities - you have low blood pressure.

In this case, try eating a piece of dark chocolate or strong coffee. If this does not help you, then take a drug to normalize your blood pressure.

Causes of headaches: headache in the back of the head

If the back of the head hurts, then it is probably a secondary headache due to the condition of the neck, the so-called cervicogenic pain (cervix is the neck). The cause may be very high blood pressure, infectious disease or neck injury.

Nausea, stuffy ears, numb hands, spots in front of your eyes and pain that presses - you have high blood pressure.

It is necessary to measure your blood pressure, and if it is 140/90 or higher, call an ambulance, and while the doctors are on their way, take a drug to normalize your blood pressure.

Apnea

With this disease, breathing becomes very shallow during sleep or even stops for a short time. Symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring and frequent headaches in the morning.

You may have this problem if you:

often wake up at night;
feel during the day;
sweat a lot during sleep;
snore.

Sleep apnea may indicate more serious illnesses, including heart problems and high blood pressure. If you notice these signs, consult your doctor.

Lack of sleep

Experts advise adults to sleep 7–8 hours a day. According to Sleep Disorders and Headache According to the American Headache Association, pain increases with less than 6 or more than 8.5 hours of sleep.

Here are some tips to help improve your sleep quality.

Go to bed and get up at the same time.
Avoid nicotine and alcohol. They disturb sleep.
Before going to bed, try not to stimulate your brain: do not watch TV or surf the Internet.
Do something calming, like meditation.
Keep a list of what helps you sleep well and what hinders you.
Create comfortable conditions for sleep. The room should be dark and quiet.
Take a bath to relax before bed.
Exercise regularly.

2. Depression and anxiety disorder

Mood disorders often lead to chronic headaches. Naturally, this negatively affects the quality of life. In addition, anxiety is often accompanied by insomnia.

Scientists have discovered Headache, depression and anxiety: associations in the Eurolight project relationship between affective disorders and headaches. They analyzed data from 6 thousand participants from different European countries, and it turned out that abuse (medicinal) headaches are most often associated with depression and anxiety. It occurs from excessive use of painkillers. In second place is tension headache, in third place is migraine.

It is considered safe to take NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. - Editor's note) for headaches no more than every other day. More frequent use already indicates that such a headache tends to become chronic. Painkillers will not correct this situation; they will only make it worse by masking the true nature of the pain.

Antidepressants are usually prescribed to treat mood disorders. Many of them help you sleep better, and some prevent migraines. Therefore, if you notice yourself or depression, be sure to contact a specialist. Don't try to treat yourself.

3. Alcohol and psychotropic substances

Researchers studied Prevalence and Risk Factors of Morning Headaches in the General Population connection between headaches and alcohol consumption, analyzing data from 19 thousand participants from different countries. Those who drank more than six drinks a day were more likely to suffer from morning headaches than those who drank only one or two drinks.

Headaches are also more common in those who take psychotropic drugs. medications- Xanax, Valium, Zyprexa, which are often used to treat depression, anxiety and insomnia. These study participants experienced morning headaches 7–17% more often.

4. Bruxism

People with this condition clench and grind their teeth excessively while sleeping. Sometimes this repeats itself unconsciously during the day. Bruxism is a movement disorder and causes serious headaches. In addition, it increases the risk of apnea.

People usually don't realize that they grind their teeth in their sleep. The following symptoms will indicate that you have bruxism:

loud grinding of teeth that wakes up the one who sleeps with you;
chips and cracks in teeth that appear for no apparent reason;
painful sensitivity in the jaw or face;
jaw muscles get tired;
the jaws do not open or close as expected;
ear pain;
, toothache;
it is unclear where the damage on the inside of the cheeks came from;
dull pain in the temples;
sleep disorders;
frequent headaches in the morning.

5. Serious health problems

Headache may be a symptom serious problems health problems, including brain tumors, trauma, high blood pressure or. This type of headache is called secondary.

Here are situations when you should see a doctor.

Headache occurs twice a week or more often.
Previously, my head didn’t hurt, but now it hurts often. This is especially dangerous if you are over 50.
A sharp, severe pain and stiffness appears in the neck.
The headache appeared after a head injury.
Along with the headache appear heat, nausea, vomiting, and this is not explained by another disease.
The headache is accompanied by clouding or loss of consciousness, weakness, and diplopia (you see double).
The nature or severity of pain changes dramatically.
Chronic headaches appear in a child.
The headache is accompanied by cramps or shortness of breath.
Frequent headaches occur in those who have HIV or cancer.

conclusions

Many factors that cause morning headaches are closely interrelated. Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety often lead to alcohol abuse and sleep disorders. This, in turn, causes headaches. Therefore, first you need to identify the cause and try to eliminate it.

Quite often, headaches are caused simply by an incorrect lifestyle. If you suspect that this is the case, first change something in your habits.

Any sane modern doctor will advise this first of all if he traces the connection with lifestyle.
Nikita Zhukov

If you're not sure whether to take a headache seriously, look at the 4-3-1-2 NSAID criteria. They signal the possible presence of serious problems. In this case, additional examinations are needed.