Atypical Headache Triggers

We all know what headaches are, but many times we don’t really know what triggers them. There are atypical headache triggers.

We immediately think of fatigue, stress, high blood pressure, or even a bad posture.

However, other factors that you may never have heard of can also cause headaches.

For this reason, we will present to you in this article the atypical triggers of headaches.

In this way, you can take them into account on a daily basis, to avoid these annoying pains. Indeed, these headaches can really decrease the quality of life.

1. Unusual physical exertion

There is a type of primary headache, which experts call tussigene. It is very common and occurs especially in the usual periods of colds and allergies.

Its triggers are:

• Cough for a long time.
• Sneeze several times a day.
• Blow your nose frequently.
• Cry for several hours.

As you can see, these are small physical efforts that we initially consider normal. However, they are unusual due to the duration of their occurrence. This is why they are on the list of atypical headache triggers.

You’ve probably had times in your life when you get a lot of colds, you sneeze all the time, and you end up having a really bad headache.

2. Headaches caused by cold

Doctors call this condition an ice cream headache. This is an unusual headache trigger. We have all experienced it, but we know it very little.

How does this happen?

• By exposure to very low temperatures. It is common, for example, to experience it in summer. This is particularly the case when we turn on the air conditioning, and we end up feeling cold.
• By taking a very cold shower.
• By exposing yourself to a very cold rain.
• If you drink frozen drinks.

The cold onset of a headache is very common in people who already have migraines on a regular basis. This is why they must be taken into consideration.

3. Excess pressure as one of the atypical triggers of headaches

This is a common problem, which a lot of people seem to totally overlook. Indeed, they can cause very violent headaches.

What causes headaches due to excess pressure?

• By wearing a helmet or hat for a long time.
• The headband can also cause headaches, if we wear it every day.
• Sunglasses, eyeglasses or scuba can also trigger severe headaches. 

4. Headaches during or after sleep

These are called hypnic headaches, and they can appear at any age. It is certain that you have already suffered from it.

Their main causes are as follows:

• You wake up in the middle of the night with a headache. Even if it is not very intense, it keeps you awake for at least half an hour.
• This kind of headache can also appear after taking a nap during the day. You wake up a little smeared, with some kind of aura around your head. This can bother you in particular.
• The cause of these headaches is not known, but it is mild and infrequent.

5. Headaches caused by electronic devices

It is one of the headaches that has developed the most in recent years. However, doctors alert us to the harmful consequences of excessive use of cell phones and computers.

It is important to know that the screens of all these devices emit electromagnetic waves which can affect our visual health. It just causes headaches.

Tips for reducing headaches

Keep the following information in mind:

• According to a recent study from the University of Michigan in the United States, we spend between 5 and 6 hours a day in front of a computer, not to mention the time we spend looking at our smartphones.
  All of this leads to eyestrain, red eyes, pain in the neck and back, as well as headaches.

• To avoid this type of problem, experts recommend lowering the light intensity of these electronic devices. We also need to place the phone and computer below our line of sight.
  You should also avoid looking at a laptop screen if there is a lot of sunlight reflected on it.
  The combination of sunlight and the light emitted by the screen acts as a headache trigger. For this reason, always view your screens in places protected from direct sunlight.
• It is important to take breaks every 20 minutes.  If you are working on your computer, it is important to rest for 3 minutes every 20 minutes. You can look out the window, or close your eyes to relax.
  Remember to blink frequently to hydrate them. Indeed, when we are on our screens, we tend not to close our eyelids.
  This consequently leads to visual fatigue, and headaches.

To conclude, you can see that there are many atypical headache triggers that you didn’t know about. You can now take them into consideration.