Stress Headache

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace consultation with a healthcare professional. If the headache is sudden and severe, or accompanied by fever, neck stiffness, or visual disturbances, seek immediate medical attention.

Does Rilassáre's complementary medicine replace traditional medicine?

No. Our complementary medicine protocols (nutrition, psychological support, and general medicine) are designed as an adjunct to the treatment a patient may already be receiving, never as a substitute. Every case is individually assessed by our medical team, since no intervention is free of risk and its suitability depends on each person's clinical history.

What is a headache?

A painful sensation in any part of the head, ranging from sharp to mild pain, which may occur along with other symptoms.

Most people experience headaches from time to time. However, if you experience headaches almost every day, you may have chronic daily headaches, which should be evaluated by a doctor.

Rather than a specific type of headache, chronic daily headaches comprise a variety of subtypes. "Chronic" refers to the frequency with which the headaches occur and the length of time the condition lasts.

The constant nature of chronic daily headaches makes them one of the most disabling. Appropriate initial treatment and consistent medical follow-up can reduce pain and its frequency.

Symptoms of headache:

By definition, chronic daily headaches occur 15 or more days per month, for more than three months. True (primary) chronic daily headaches are not caused by another condition.

There are chronic daily headaches of short duration and long duration. Long-term headaches last more than four hours. These include:

• • Chronic migraine.
• • Chronic tension-type headache.
• • Chronic daily headache.
• • Continuous hemicrania.

Causes of headache

The causes of many chronic daily headaches are not well understood. True (primary) chronic daily headaches have no detectable underlying cause.

Some conditions that may cause non-primary chronic daily headache, and which should always be evaluated by a doctor, include:

• • Inflammation or other problems of the blood vessels in and around the brain, such as stroke.
• • Infections, such as meningitis.
• • Intracranial pressure that is too high or too low.
• • Brain tumor.

Types of headaches

Chronic tension-type headache

These headaches generally:

• • Affect both sides of the head.
• • Cause mild to moderate pain.
• • Cause pain that feels like pressure or tension, but is not throbbing.

Chronic daily headache

These headaches appear suddenly and usually occur in people with no history of headaches. Starting on the third day after the first headache, they become constant. These headaches:

• • Frequently affect both sides of the head.
• • Cause pain that feels like pressure or tension, but is not throbbing.
• • Cause mild to moderate pain.
• • May have characteristics similar to chronic migraine or chronic tension-type headache.

Continuous hemicranial headache

Characteristics of these headaches:

• • Affect only one side of the head.
• • Are daily and continuous, with no pain-free periods.
• • Cause moderate pain with sudden intense pain spikes.
• • May respond to prescription pain relievers, always as indicated by a doctor.
• • May become severe with migraine-like symptoms.

Additionally, headaches caused by continuous hemicrania are associated with at least one of the following characteristics:

• • Red and watery eyes on the affected side.
• • Nasal congestion or runny nose.
• • Drooping eyelid or narrowed pupil.
• • A sense of restlessness.

Managing headaches

There are some general steps that may help relieve mild discomfort at home, as long as they have been evaluated by your doctor. When symptoms begin, the following recommendations can be followed:

• • Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
• • Rest in a dark, quiet room.
• • Apply a damp cloth to the forehead.

It is also recommended to keep a headache diary, which can help identify patterns. You can write down:

• • Date and time when the headache started.
• • Foods and drinks consumed in the past 24 hours.
• • Number of hours slept.
• • Activities done before the pain began.
• • Duration of the headache and how it stopped.

As long as the headache is not caused by any of the serious conditions mentioned earlier, a specialist may recommend certain treatments or preventive medications, pain relief, or suggest lifestyle changes including relaxation techniques and stress management.

Headache complications

If you suffer from chronic daily headaches, you are also more likely to experience depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and other physical and psychological issues, which makes medical follow-up important.

Headache prevention

Taking care of yourself can help reduce the frequency of chronic daily headaches.

• •Avoid headache triggers. Keeping a headache diary can help you identify triggers. Include details about each headache, such as when it started, what you were doing, and how long it lasted.
• •Avoid overusing medications. Taking headache medication, even over-the-counter ones, more than twice a week can increase headache frequency and severity. Talk to your doctor about how to taper off medications, as doing so improperly may cause side effects.
• •Get enough sleep. The average adult needs seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Talk to your doctor if you have sleep disturbances like snoring.
• •Don't skip meals. Eat healthy meals at regular times and avoid foods or beverages that seem to trigger headaches.
• •Exercise regularly. Regular aerobic physical activity, with your doctor's approval, can improve your physical and mental well-being and reduce stress.
• •Reduce stress. Stress is a common trigger for chronic headaches. Get organized, simplify your schedule, and try stress-reducing techniques such as yoga, tai chi, or meditation.
• •Cut back on caffeine. Try to minimize or eliminate caffeine from your diet, as in some cases it can worsen headaches.

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