Headaches, like the common cold, are a familiar medical problem. No one is perfectly sure what causes them, and there is no single, sure-fire cure. Science has identified many causes and triggers for headaches, both foods you eat and activities. Both folklore and medical professionals offer ways to soothe and alleviate the symptoms. Perhaps you, too, are looking for the natural cure or medicine for your headache pain. Please consult your medical professional for specific help. Here you’ll find 25 known causes of headaches and 19 foods you eat that can trigger headaches. You’ll get relief from some of the 25 natural cures for headaches.Headache pain is almost never located in the brain. The brain itself does not feel pain, because it lacks pain-sensing nerve fibers. However, headache is a true biological disorder, and not a psychosomatic one. Headache is usually located in the muscles of the head and the network of nerves in the scalp. The pain also originates in the nerve endings in the shoulders, neck and scalp muscles, and in the muscles which surround blood vessels in these areas. Certain nerves in the face, mouth and throat can also be affected. When headache strikes, the membranes are stretched, while blood vessels, nerves and muscles are tightened and depleted of oxygen.
Most headaches are temporary and respond to home treatments. However, sudden severe headaches may be a sign of an aneurysm, stoke or other potentially fatal condition. Be watchful for headaches accompanied by vision problems, difficulty speaking, numbness, or loss of coordination. Seek emergency medical evaluation and treatment for any unusually severe headache
25 Causes of Headache Pain
Many headaches are brought on by some trigger. The most likely cause of a headache is tension and emotional stress. Other common causes of headaches are allergy, eyestrain, high blood pressure, a hangover, infection, low blood sugar, nutritional deficiency, and the presence of poisons and toxins in the body. Headaches are often nature’s warning that something is wrong somewhere else in the body. The headache accompanies many medical conditions as well as flu and colds. Here are other causes of headaches.
- In women, headaches accompany menses, ovulation, or pregnancy
- Birth control and hormone replacement (progesterone) therapy
- Illness
- Intense or strenuous activity or exercise
- Sleeping too much or too little, as in jet lag
- Fasting or missing meals
- Bright or flickering lights
- Excessive or repetitive noises
- Odors and fragrances such as tobacco smoke
- Weather and seasonal changes
- High altitudes
- Most medications list headaches as a possible side effect
- Too much of sun can also give you a headache. Try wearing a hat and avoiding bright sun.
- Dehydration also leads to a bad headache. Keep yourself hydrated at all times by having plenty of water and fluids, especially when you are outdoors.
- Tight hairstyles can cause headache. Hairstyles like a tight ponytail can lead to a tension-type headache.
19 Foods You Eat Can Cause Headaches
If you have headaches, you may have food allergies or food sensitivities, which are often the unsuspected cause of headaches. The foods to which some people are allergic can trigger headache pain. Sneezing and diarrhea are also indications of an allergy. Almost every prepared food product on the store shelves contains chemical additives and preservatives that can trigger headache pain. The first action to cure or relieve headache is to eliminate these items from the diet. Eating an organic diet may also cure and relieve headaches. Here are foods that often cause headaches.
- Sour cream, milk and other milk products.
- Ripened cheeses like cheddar, Stilton, Brie, and Camembert
- Sausage, bologna, salami, pepperoni, summer sausage, hot dogs
- Pizza
- Chicken and chicken liver, pate
- Herring, either pickled or dried
- Any pickled, fermented, or marinated food
- Monosodium glutamate, MSG, which is found in soy sauce, meat tenderizers and seasoned salt
- Freshly baked yeast products, sourdough bread
- Chocolate
- Nuts or nut butters
- Broad beans, lima beans, fava beans, snow peas
- Onions
- Figs, raisins, papayas, avocados, red plums
- Citrus foods
- Bananas
- Caffeinated beverages (tea, coffee, cola, etc.)
- Alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, whiskey, etc.)
- Aspartame or phenylalanine which is contained in many foods or beverages
I hope life brings you much success. I wish you a very happy day.