But stress doesn't have to go to your head. Taking simple steps to manage your stress can help keep your headaches at bay. The stress of a major life event — the birth of a baby, the death of a loved one, a career change, a divorce — is undeniable. But that's not usually the type of stress that triggers headaches. Instead, it's often the everyday irritants — searching for lost papers, sitting in traffic, tolerating petty annoyances at work — that may erode your ability to cope.
For some people, this triggers headaches. Responding to these daily stressors by tensing your muscles, grinding your teeth or stiffening your shoulders may only make your headaches worse.
You can't avoid daily stress. But you can keep stress under control, which can help prevent headaches. Relaxation techniques can reduce symptoms of stress, including headaches. Making time for pleasurable activities, such as listening to music, dancing, playing a sport, reading a book or playing with your pet can help.
In addition, set aside time, even if it's just 10 minutes a day, to practice relaxation. Techniques include:. Most headaches are nothing to worry about.
But if headaches disrupt your daily activities, work or personal life, ask your doctor for help. You may be stressed, but perhaps there's something else going on as well. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health. Error Email field is required. Error Include a valid email address. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information and to understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your e-mail and website usage information with other information we have about you.
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Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Some can last as long as a couple of days. They can feel worse when someone is doing physical activity or is around light, smells, or loud sounds. For some teens, hormonal changes can also cause headaches. For example, some girls get headaches just before their periods or at other regular times during their monthly cycle. Migraine headaches often run in the family.
So if a parent, grandparent, or other family member gets them, there's a chance you could get them too. Some people are sensitive to things that can bring on migraine headaches called triggers , such as some foods, stress, changes in sleep patterns, or even the weather. If you think your headaches may be migraines, you'll want to see a doctor to treat them and learn ways to try to avoid getting the headaches in the first place.
Sometimes relaxation exercises or changes in diet or sleeping habits are all that's needed. But if needed, a doctor also can prescribe medicine to help control the headaches. If you do see a doctor for headaches, he or she will probably want to do an exam and get your medical history to help figure out what might be causing them. The doctor may also do blood tests or imaging tests, such as a CAT scan or MRI of the brain, to rule out medical problems.
Sometimes doctors will refer people with headaches they think might be migraines or a symptom of a more serious problem to a specialist like a neurologist , a doctor who specializes in the brain and nervous system. It's very rare that headaches are a sign of something serious. But see a doctor if you get headaches a lot or have a headache that:. Most headaches will go away if a person rests or sleeps. When you get a headache, lie down in a cool, dark, quiet room and close your eyes.
We all get headaches from time to time. They can be brought on by annoying but manageable reasons such as stress, dehydration or your menstrual cycle, or they could be the result of an ongoing medical issue, such as migraines.
But how can you tell when a headache is a symptom of an even more serious or life-threatening problem? Here are some signs to look for. When a headache is more than just a simple headache, you will also have other symptoms.
If you also have changes in your vision, trouble speaking or walking, or weakness on one side of body, you could be having a stroke. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is cut off or severely reduced, causing cells to die almost immediately. Even if you get migraines, the pain you feel from a headache during a stroke will be different — for example, a headache that comes on very suddenly is likely not a migraine and could be caused by a stroke.
But it can be hard to tell the difference, so if you even suspect you may be having a stroke, call
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