Individuals who are living or have lived with headaches every day understand how painful and life-altering the condition can be. While headaches are often seen as a simple condition that can be easily treated, in some cases they are a symptom of a more serious condition. One of the most common causes of painful headaches that occur each day includes neck pain associated with a pinched nerve or tight muscles. Other, more serious causes include a brain injury or tumor. In some cases, overdosing of medications may also lead to severe headaches that occur on a regular basis.
One of the most common causes of headaches every day is neck pain. Often, this pain is caused by tight muscles in the back of the neck. In some cases, chronic neck pain can also be caused by a pinched nerve in the neck. Treating this type of neck pain is often very difficult, and those who suffer from it often rely on muscle relaxants, massage, or physical therapy in order to treat it effectively. Chronic neck pain that is not treated can result in recurrent headaches that range in severity from mild to quite severe.
In some cases, pain medications may be the cause of headaches every day. While this occurs most commonly among individuals who take emergency pain medications in an attempt to stop migraine pain, it can also occur with over-the-counter medications. Though these medications will typically provide relief to the original source of the pain, they may trigger a rebound headache that can be just as severe.
A brain injury is another condition that can cause headaches every day. Brain injuries occur when an individual experiences an accident, fall, or other type of blow to the head. Often, it can be difficult to determine when a brain injury has occurred; what may seem like a simple bump on the head may actually cause pooling of blood between the brain and skull. This puts pressure on the brain, which can cause severe pain and even brain damage. In these cases, it is essential that affected individuals seek medical help as soon as possible.
Another possible cause of headaches every day includes a brain tumor. A brain tumor can be either benign, meaning non-cancerous, or malignant, meaning cancerous, though both types of masses can be very dangerous. Often, brain tumors grow in size, causing pain as they put pressure on the brain and skull.