What exactly is a Headache?

Question

I know that many different things CAUSE headaches but what in our body makes us have them??AND is there anything that can help with them without having to take drugs for it??(I dont drink coffee)

Answer 1

#1 drink about 1/2 gallon of water per day - the head of neurorology at UCDavis (about 10 years ago) likened a car low on oil to a body low on water (engine siezing up).
#2 Daily muscle relaxer (1 or 2 swigs of molasses or 1 or 2 bananas) they contain magnesium and potassium.
#3 Massage therapy - professional or read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies (it teaches you how). The principle that causes the headaches regardless of how severe is that muscles get knots (trigger points), which make the muscles stay tight, which press on nerves.
Your back, shoulders, neck and everywhere on your head will definitely play into the cause and it will take a while to get all the trigger points to go away

Answer 2

Most headaches happen outside your skull, in the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles that cover your head and neck. Sometimes the muscles or blood vessels swell, which means they get larger.

They also can tighten or go through other changes that stimulate or put pressure on the surrounding nerves. The nerves send a rush of pain messages to your brain, and you end up with a headache.

Different Kinds of Headaches
The most common type of headache is a tension, or muscle-contraction, headache. This happens when stressed-out head or neck muscles keep squeezing too hard. When you get this kind of headache, the pain is usually dull and constant. It might feel as though something is pressing or squeezing on the front, back, or both sides of your head.

Pain that's especially sharp and throbbing can be a sign of a different kind of headache called a migraine. Migraine headaches aren't as common as tension headaches, especially in kids, but they can still happen. Sometimes, just before a migraine happens, the person sees wavy lines or bright spots of light. This is called an aura. Also, people who get migraines often feel sick to their stomachs and sometimes throw up.

What Causes Tension and Migraine Headaches?
Sometimes a headache is just a part of another illness, such as a cold or flu or strep throat. When you get better, the headache gets better, too. If you're not sick, other triggers may cause a headache. For example, staying up too late, skipping a meal, or playing in the hot sun too long can set off a headache.

Excitement about a special event or worry about something (a school exam, for instance) can also cause headaches. Some people get headaches from riding in a car or bus or from straining their eyes by spending too much time watching TV or using a computer.

Strong odors, such as perfume, smoke, fumes, or the smell of a new car or carpet, can start a headache.

Some foods can cause headaches in some kids, such as bacon, bologna, and hot dogs. The caffeine in sodas, chocolate, coffee, and tea may cause headaches, too. Kids don't need caffeine, so it's a good idea to limit it in your diet.

Sometimes no one knows why a kid gets headaches, but if you get them, chances are someone in your family gets them, too. The tendency to get headaches is often inherited. In other words, it runs in the family.

SOURCE: http://kidshealth.org...
NOTE: This source is directed at kids, but the answer is the clearest I could find anywhere

Answer 3

Headache is a pain in the head, scalp or neck. Headaches can be
caused by minor problems like eyestrain, lack of coffee or more
serious reasons like head injury, brain tumors, encephalitis and
meningitis. Taking painkillers continuously can have harmful side
effects, so it is better to modify your lifestyle. More information
available at

Answer 4

any symptom that is located on the cranian level.
The cause could be only a nevralgy but not a phisical one (injury). The injury could determine a headache.
a tooth ache is a local sensation but could be associated with a headache.

Answer 5

The brain swells and is pressed against the inner skull, Thats what causes the pain. As you probably know it is caused by different factors, Stress, infection, injury, etc..

Answer 6

When you are dis interested/short of sleep/indigestion so many things affect blood supply to brain and causes headache.Close your eyes,sit in a dark room and breath the name of your fond god.

Answer 7

I think your blood vessels constrict blood flow. I have never gotten rid of one without taking Excedrin.

Answer 8

J D 's question about two women on PMS.. :~)