Eating certain foods, weather influences, and inappropriate sexual activity can become triggers for headaches.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recorded that in 2021, about 3.1 billion people suffered from headaches, accounting for 40% of the population. Prolonged headaches negatively affect health and reduce quality of life.
Dr. Tran Le Thanh Tam, Department of Neurology, Center for Neuroscience, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that there are more than 150 different types of headaches. The effective way to reduce the frequency of headaches is to identify the cause. Stress, insomnia, and alcohol intoxication are the most common causes of headaches, but there are many other less unexpected causes.
Odor: Many people who are sensitive to the smell of perfume, paint, or gasoline often experience headaches when they smell these odors. Their brains are sensitive to external changes, including changes in the environment, extreme weather, alcohol, and certain foods. Any change in smell from the usual can trigger a migraine attack.
A doctor examines a neurological disease at Tam Anh Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hospital provided
Weather: Changes in atmospheric pressure or altitude alter the area of the brain that controls pain, causing headaches. Changes in external pressure alter the pressure inside the sinuses and inner ear, increasing the feeling of pain for people with sensitive constitutions. Gray skies, high humidity, and high temperatures are factors that often alter pressure.
Bright sunlight, high humidity, high temperatures and dry air can also lead to headaches.
Fermented or aged foods: Smoked fish, bacon, and some beers and wines are high in salt, preservatives, and irritants, which can trigger migraines.
Hair tie style: Tight ponytails, braids, wigs or headbands, and high buns put pressure on the scalp. Migraine sufferers are very sensitive, and pressure on the scalp can trigger or worsen headaches.
Sexual activity: Sex headache syndrome is one of the most unpleasant types of headaches. It can manifest in two ways. One is a dull ache in the head and neck that gradually increases as sexual excitement increases. The other is a sudden, thunderclap headache that occurs just before orgasm and suddenly feels like your head is about to explode.
Most headaches during sex are severe but not dangerous, will go away on their own, and are not an underlying medical condition. However, in some cases, the pain may be caused by an underlying medical condition such as a brain tumor. If the condition occurs frequently, the patient should see a doctor and have a brain MRI to rule out serious causes.
Overdosing: Also known as rebound headaches. Medication overuse headaches occur when certain medications are used too frequently (e.g. more than 10-15 days a month), especially pain relievers. Patients should take medications as prescribed by their doctor to avoid headaches.
Dr. Tam recommends that patients should see a doctor regardless of the cause of their headaches. Avoid letting the condition last longer, worsen, cause insomnia, stress, and reduce quality of life. Headaches can also be a sign of other dangerous neurological diseases that need to be diagnosed and treated promptly.