Chronic Daily Headaches: Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Tips for Prevention

People who suffer from frequent headaches can know the type, cause and prevention tips for their problem.

Headaches are a common issue in one's life and it is normal to experience headaches once in a while. But if you begin to experience severe headaches on a regular basis, or even daily- that might be a problem. People don't realize the underlying reasons for these headaches but it might be due to their diet, lifestyle practices, or stress.

That is why we have brought together a list of common types of headaches that can trouble you daily and their causes. There might be instances when the problem is in front of you but you can't identify the cause thus it will help you recognize and tackle the signs and symptoms better.

Moreover, the prevention tips can be followed in your day-to-day life for a smoother existence because frequent headaches can hinder your progress, work life or personal life as well.

Types of Chronic Headaches 

According to the doctors of the Mayo Clinic, here are a few common headache types that result in frequent attacks:

1. Chronic Migraine: These may affect people with a history of episodic migraines and they might experience throbbing pain on one one or both sides of their head. The pain might be moderate to severe with a pulsating sensation. It may be accompanied by nausea, and vomiting, and the patient becomes sensitive to light or sound.

2. Chronic Tension headache: These types of headaches affect both sides of the head and the pain might be moderate to severe, characterized by a pressing or tightening feeling.

3. New Daily Persistent Headache: These headaches are a sudden guest and affect people with no history of headaches. These headaches might be continued for three consecutive days and might have features of chronic migraine or chronic tension-type headaches (though they have a pressing or tightening feeling, not a pulsating feeling).

4. Hemicrania Continua: These headaches affect one side of the head and the pain does not leave for a minute. There are spikes of severe pain that can be controlled by medications but if they have migraine-like symptoms, the problem has become severe.

5. Spinal headaches: These are intense headaches characterized by spinal fluid leaks out of the membrane covering your spinal cord, usually after a spinal tap. They can be taken care of at home itself but prolonged, untreated spinal headaches can cause seizures and life-threatening problems.

6. Thunderclap headaches: These are extremely painful headaches that affect a person suddenly, like a clap of thunder. They cause intense pain within one minute and last at least five minutes. Thunderclap headaches are often harmless but seeking immediate medical attention is advisable.

Chronic Daily Headaches: Signs & Symptoms 

According to US NIH, here are a few signs and symptoms that need immediate professional help:

• Two or more headaches a week

• You cannot do without a painkiller

• Need more than the recommended dose of OTC medicines

• Changes in headache pattern and pain

• Disabling headaches

• Sudden and severe headaches

• Headache accompanied by fever, stiff neck, confusion, seizure, double vision, weakness, numbness, or difficulty speaking

• Results in head injury at times

• Worsens despite rest and pain medication

Chronic Daily Headaches Causes

According to the doctors of Cleveland Clinic, the causes of many chronic daily headaches aren't well researched. Only the primary ones have underlying reasons, and other might be due to:

• Inflammation in the blood vessels in and around the brain

• Stroke

• Infections

• Too high or low Intracranial pressure

• Brain tumor

• Traumatic brain injury

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Sleep disturbances

• Obesity

• Snoring

• Extreme caffeine consumption

• Overdose of medications

• Other chronic pain conditions

Tips to Prevent Daily Chronic Headaches 

• Avoid triggers that are often the cause of daily pain. For this, you have to be a little observant as to what action, consumption of foods, or drinks is causing the headache. You can also note the timing of the headache, its duration, and what exactly caused it.

• Avoid over-consumption of medications since anything in extreme can be harmful. The regular use of medicines will do more bad than good. Taking the medicine more than twice a week can increase the severity and frequency of your headaches and can cause side effects.

• Do not avoid your need to rest. listen to your body and have a set routine for sleeping and waking up. Inconsistent sleep and waking time can also result in headaches, Moreover, snoring and sleep disturbances are the signs of underlying problems.

• Avoid skipping meals of the day. Also, try to stay consistent with the timings of the meal. You might also have certain allergies or triggers for headaches like caffeinated, or salty food. Stay away from these. Obesity may also be the cause.

• Lack of physical activity also results in headaches. Thus, ditch the sedentary lifestyle and make use of the little free time you get. It also helps fight stress-related headaches. Simple activities like walking, swimming or cycling can make a huge difference.