What causes the pain of a headache?

Question

Ive always wondered why you get pain ...my science teacher told me it has to do with nerves like when you get burned your brain tells you to immadetley take it away ..but what causes the pain

Thanks ill be sure to let my science teacher know that [=

Answer 1

Dilation of the blood vessels. When this happens, prostaglandins are released along with other chemicals that cause inflammation.

Seriously, caffeine causes the RESTRICTION, not dialation of blood vessels.

Answer 2

Pressure most from muscles some from sinuses.

Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).
Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas (natural muscle relaxers) daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).
Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.

Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.

The cure - start with a professional massage, (if this does not do it you probably need a chiropractor as well) you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. Press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).

For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.

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

There are a number of different types of head aches. Migraine are a restriction of the cranial arteries, so caffeine helps by forcing them to dilate. Stress can bring in real killer head aches too. They are often accompanied with pain in the back of the neck, and brace of the head. Sinus problems can bring them on, or late nights, or over exercising. (they are like HANGOVERS!!)