Risks From Headaches!

Headache Relief.

Who Is At Risk From Headaches?

Headaches (Risks)

There are numerous different types of headache and, as things stand today, we still don't really know exactly what causes any of them. Even so, as a consequence of a lot of studies over the years, we do have a pretty good idea of just what some of the culprits are.

The more common type of headache is a tension headache so named because it's caused by muscle tension. That said, this class of headache is now believed to have an additional primary cause and has recently been renamed a tension-type headache. Nevertheless, although not believed anymore to be the principle cause, muscle tension remains a important factor.

So, something as elementary as sitting awkwardly while viewing television, not having your keyboard and mouse at the right height while working on your computer, cradling the telephone receiver between your ear and shoulder or sleeping on a worn mattress or with a pillow which doesn't properly support your head and neck may all give you a tension headache.

But there are a lot of other factors at work when it comes to ascertaining who is at risk of developing headaches.

Family history for instance is a strong indicator and migraines particularly tend to run in families. Indeed if you have a family history of migraine headaches then you're at about a 40 percent greater chance of developing migraines yourself than someone without a similar family history.

Gender is also a factor in the case of some headaches with women at greater risk of suffering from both tension and migraine headaches. However, the tables are turned for cluster headaches where you are far more expected to suffer if you are a man.

Depression also places you at substantial risk and while it's a bit difficult to separate cause from effect here there is about a 70 percent correlation between those people who suffer from clinical depression and those who have chronic daily headaches.

People who suffer from insomnia and sleep apnea are likewise far more likely to experience headaches, as are people with anemia which is most often seen in women. Anxiety and stress can also lead to headaches and there is often a combined effect here with people who are anxious or stressed during the day not sleeping well at night.

In conclusion, there are a lot of aspects of lifestyle which can induce a headache and perhaps two of the most common and food and drink. Skipping meals or eating certain foods, such as cheese or chocolate, can often spark a headache as can drinking certain forms of alcohol, such as red wine.

The crucial thing to remember here is that though we cannot select our gender or alter our family history, everything else is very much within our own control and we may take steps to reduce our risk of headaches considerably if we choose to do so. If you suffer from casual mild headaches you may not worry too much but if you are unfortunate enough to suffer from such things as ocular migraines or cluster headaches a few lifestyle changes may be a small price to pay to reduce the frequency or intensity of your headaches.