According to Yale Medicine there probably is no malady more common than a headache. Statistics show that 20% of women and nearly 10% of men report experiencing a headache or migraine in the previous three months. While occasional headaches are not cause for alarm, the pain and discomfort can disrupt sleep, and interfere with work and daily life. To avoid the negative effects of headaches, it is important to be aware of triggers, especially some of the lesser-known causes of headaches:
• Blurry vision. According to WebMD, headaches can develop when you try to focus on objects close to your face. This can be due to a genetically flat cornea or short eyeball, but the condition becomes more prevalent after the age of 40. Your optician or ophthalmologist can help with a prescription for eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery.
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• Tension in neck and shoulders. Spending hours hunched over a computer can cause stiffness in your neck and shoulders that brings on headaches. These tension headaches can be relieved by a hot shower, heating pad, or massage. Often over-the-counter medications can reduce the symptoms. Regular stretching and exercise can also help.
• Hunger. If you forgot to eat lunch, you may feel a headache coming on as the afternoon progresses. Keep snacks on hand to stave off low blood sugar levels that can cause headaches. A handful of mixed nuts, or apple slices with peanut butter are good choices.
• No morning coffee. If you skipped your usual morning cup of coffee, your head may start to throb. If you can’t get a cup of Joe, drinking green or black tea or eating some chocolate will help.
• Sex. In rare cases, headaches can be brought on by sexual activity, says the Mayo Clinic. People sometimes experience a sudden, severe headache just before or during orgasm. Most sex headaches are nothing to worry about but have your doctor check for problems with blood vessels that feed the brain.
• Cough headaches. Head pain may be triggered by coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, laughing or singing. This type of straining may cause a primary headache, which is harmless and will get better without treatment. But if the headache persists, check with your doctor to rule out an underlying cause that could be serious.
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• Swollen sinuses. This swelling behind your cheekbones and forehead causes pain that worsens when you bend over. Over-the-counter sinus medication can usually ease the suffering.
• Too much alcohol. Alcohol disturbs your sleep and could cause a throbbing headache the next morning. Make sure to hydrate with water, broth or sports drinks. Avoid taking acetaminophen, which is hard on your liver, especially when you’ve been drinking. If you suffer pounding headaches after sipping red wine, you are not alone. It turns out many people are affected by a flavanol found in red wine that can trigger a painful, pounding headache within 30 minutes to three hours after drinking.
Other causes for headaches include extreme exercise, eating food triggers, such as aged cheese and those that contain nitrates or MSG, or overdoing pain relievers.
In rare cases, a headache may signal something serious, such as a brain tumor. Call 911 if the pain is sudden and severe and you notice any of the following symptoms:
• Numbness or weakness on one side of the body.
• Confusion or garbled speech.
• Vision difficulties.
• Dizziness or loss of balance.