Causes and Triggers of Chronic Daily Headaches

Are you concerned about your chronic headache symptoms and wonder about the causes and triggers? Dr. Tipu Sultan M.D. of Environmental Health & Allergy Center in St. Louis, MO is here to help you understand chronic daily headaches a little better.

Causes of Chronic Daily Headaches

Genetic Predisposition

One’s genetic makeup has a very strong influence on chronic daily headaches (CDH). The research shows that if one’s family members are suffering from the problems of headaches, including migraine, the risk of getting CDH will also be high. The American Headache Society underlines that people with genetic predispositions get chronic headaches because genes that define pain pathways and neurological reactions are inherited.

Central Nervous System Dysregulation

These are headaches that are present daily, and their main cause is usually irregularities in the CNS. The National Headache Foundation notes that the causes of chronic headache disorders include changes in the composition of the brain and chemicals referred to as neurotransmitters including serotonin, dopamine among others. It is within this context that the severity of the chemical imbalances may enhance pain sensitivity, and hence establish chronic headache patterns.

Possible CDH Triggers

Stress and Emotional Factors

Stress and the resulting emotional disorders can be considered as some of the main causes of CDH. Therefore, long-term stress, anxiety, and depressive disorder are endorsed by both the American Headache Society and the National Headache Foundation as potential influencers to increase both the intensity and frequency of headaches. Stress causes tension of muscles, including muscles that are covered, and enables the brain to heighten the perception of pain thus elongating headaches.

Sleep Disturbances

Another factor that has been identified to be a cause of chronic daily headaches is sleep, especially if it is insufficient and/or of poor quality. Lack of sleep or nap at the wrong time may alter the patient’s pain tolerance and make them prone to headaches. According to the National Headache Foundation, primary sleep disorders include insomnia, sleep apnea, and shift work disorder which causes chronic headache disorders.

Medication Overuse

Patients with chronic daily headaches have been noted to abuse as well as overuse medication, especially analgesics and triptans. The American Headache Society reports that taking headache medications for too long will result in medication overuse headache where the effect of the medication is to make the headache get worse with time, frequently, and severely.

If you would like to talk further about your symptoms and possible treatment options, contact Dr. Tipu Sultan M.D. at the Environmental Health & Allergy Center in St. Louis, MO at (314) 921-5600 today.