Why always headache

Eyes tend to water, and a restless feeling is common. These headaches usually require prescription medicines. If you suddenly get frequent headaches, you may have NDPH. Often, people with NDPH can remember exactly when the onset happened.

This type of headache should always be evaluated by a physician whether it is associated with other symptoms or not. Concerned about your headaches? Others do well with prompt therapy for occasional attacks. But patients who suffer frequent migraine attacks often benefit from preventive medications. Effective prescription drugs include beta blockers such as propranolol, nadolol and atenolol , certain antidepressants such as amitriptyline , and certain antiseizure medications such topiramate and valproate.

Difficult cases may benefit from referral to a headache specialist. Cluster headaches are uncommon but very severe headaches, and they occur five times more often in men than women. Although anyone can get cluster headaches, the typical patient is a middle-aged man with a history of smoking.

The problem gets its name because the headaches tend to come in clusters, with one to eight headaches a day during a one- to three-month period every year or two, often at the same time of year.

The pain always strikes one side of the head and is very severe. The eye on the painful side is red and watery, the eyelid may droop, and the nose runs or is blocked. The attack starts abruptly and lasts for 30 to 60 minutes. Most sufferers become restless and agitated during the attack; unable to sit still, they pace, jog in place, or beat their head against a wall.

Nausea and sensitivity to light and sound may accompany the pain. Inhaling high flow oxygen soon after the onset of the headache can often stop the attack. Sumatriptan is often effective for cluster headaches, particularly when given by injection. Other triptans may also help. Some patients favor lidocaine nose drops, dihydroergotamine injections, or other treatments. The most effective medication for preventing cluster headache attacks is verapamil, a calcium-channel blocker.

Other drugs that may help include divalproex, topiramate, and lithium. Medication headaches. Many drugs number headaches among their side effects. And although it seems paradoxical, many medications used to treat headaches can also cause medication overuse headaches or rebound headaches. Migraine sufferers are particularly vulnerable to a vicious cycle of pain leading to more medication, which triggers more pain.

If you have frequent headaches and use medication, OTC or prescription, or both, for more than 10 to 15 days a month, you may have medication overuse headaches. The way to find out is to discontinue or taper your medication — but always consult your doctor first.

A corticosteroid such as prednisone may help control pain during the withdrawal period. Sinus headaches. Acute sinusitis causes pain over the forehead, around the nose and eyes, over the cheeks, or in the upper teeth. Stooping forward increases the pain.

Thick nasal discharge, congestion, and fever pinpoint the problem to the sinuses. When the acute infection resolves, the pain disappears. Sinusitis is not a common cause of chronic or recurrent headaches. Ice cream headaches. Some people develop sharp, sudden headache pain when they eat anything cold. The pain is over in less than a minute, even if you keep eating.

If you are bothered by ice cream headaches, try eating slowly and warming the cold food at the front of your mouth before you swallow it. Headache from high blood pressure. Except in cases of very high blood pressure, hypertension does not cause headaches. Do drink plenty of water get plenty of rest if you have a cold or the flu try to relax — stress can make headaches worse take paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:. Show references Garza I, et al. Overview of chronic daily headache. Accessed Jan. Chronic daily headache: An overview. American Migraine Foundation. Yancey JR, et al. Chronic daily headache: Diagnosis and management. American Family Physician. Chronic daily headache and chronic migraine. American Headache Society. Headaches and complementary health approaches.