Read through these and then make sure you think twice before skipping lunch during a stressful day and heading home to eat a salami and cheese sandwich with a glass of wine while slouching in the hot sun next to your best friend who happens to be a smoker wearing too much cologne. It's a recipe for disaster!
1. Over-the-Counter Pain Medication. Rebound headaches are very common. They occur when you take a medication for a headache, the headache goes away and then returns; and you take another pill and ultimately become dependent on the medication to avoid having the headache. Instead of taking the medication to get rid of the headache, you are now in a situation where the absence of the medication causes the headache.
2. Warm Weather. When the temperature climbs, so does the likelihood of developing a migraine or other severe headache. In one recent study, researchers found a 7.5% increase in headache risk for every 9 degrees Fahrenheit. Low barometric pressure, which often precedes rain, was linked to a small bump in non-migraine headaches
3. Perfume. Strong smells -- even nice ones -- trigger migraines in many people. Why this happens is unclear, but the odors may stimulate the nervous system. The most common culprits are paint, perfume, and certain types of flowers.
4. Hair Accessories. How you wear your hair can take a toll on your head. A tight ponytail may strain the connective tissue in the scalp, leading to a hairdo headache. Headbands, braids, and tight-fitting hats can create the same effect. If this is the cause of your headache, letting your hair down usually brings fast relief.
5. Intense Exercise. Strenuous exercise can sometimes lead to headaches. These types of headaches are most common in people who are susceptible to migraines.
6. Poor Posture. You don't have to work up a sweat to build pressure in the head and neck muscles. Slouching at your desk will do the job, too. Common forms of poor posture include hunching your shoulders, using a chair with no lower-back support, staring at a monitor that is too low or too high, and cradling a phone between your ear and shoulder. If you have frequent tension headaches, take a good look at your workspace.
7. Cheese. A migraine trigger for some people is aged cheese, including blue cheese, cheddar, parmesan, and Swiss. The culprit may be a substance called tyramine. The longer a food ages, the more tyramine it contains.
8. Red Wine. Tyramine is also found in red wine and other alcoholic drinks. Other ingredients in wine may contribute to headaches as well. Because alcohol increases blood flow to the brain, the effects may be even more intense.
9. Cold Cuts. Processed meats, such as cold cuts, have two strikes against them. They often contain tyramine, as well as food additives such as nitrites, which may trigger headaches in some people. Headaches caused by food additives are usually felt on both sides of the head (in contrast to a classic migraine, which strikes one side at a time).
10. Skipping Meals. Hunger headaches aren't always obvious. If you skip a meal, your head could start to ache before you realize you're hungry. The trouble is a dip in blood sugar. But don't try to cure a hunger headache with a candy bar. Sweets cause blood sugar to spike and then drop even lower.
11. Smoking. Smoking is known to trigger headaches -- and not just in the person holding the cigarette. Secondhand smoke contains nicotine, which causes blood vessels in the brain to narrow. Giving up cigarettes or reducing exposure to secondhand smoke appears especially helpful to patients with cluster headaches. These are extremely painful one-sided headaches that can also cause eye and nose symptoms.
12. Caffeine. For the headache-prone, caffeine fits firmly into the category of "can't live with it, can't live without it." In moderation, caffeine is often beneficial -- in fact, it's found in many headache medications. But chain-chugging coffee can be a cause of headaches. And, if you're hooked on caffeine, cutting back abruptly may only make things worse. Caffeine withdrawal is another headache trigger.
from www.medicinenet.com
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