Why do we get headaches? | Greg Foot | Ask Head Squeeze

This week on #AskHeadSqueeze Thursdays, Greg Foot is answering a question that came from both YouTuber Michobebemckawi and G+ community member Haydn SHYick. They asked us to explain "What are headaches, and how do we get them?"

Now, we here at Head Squeeze are absolutely not doctors, and if you're having serious or regular headaches you should see your physician. But if you're interested in why headaches happen, then Greg wraps his head around that, and more, in this video.

00:29 What sort of headache do you have?
There are a whole range of different types of headaches, from the dull ache of a tension headache to the migraines and cluster headaches that are called "vascular headaches."

01:19 Why do we get tension headaches?
Well, you might say that your brain aches after watching Greg, but the brain itself actually cannot feel pain. Different headaches are caused by different things. Tension headaches come from holding your muscles in a semi tense semi-contracted state for quite a long period of time. Those muscles could be anywhere from the neck, or the face, or actually the meninges -- the tissues around your brain. And the tension can come from anywhere, from the pain of a broken heart to eye strain caused by bad glasses!

02:55 Why do we get migraines and vascular headaches?
Vascular headaches actually happen because of changed blood flow to your brain. Science doesn't quite know why, but we've got links to some of the theories below. Is it because of a localised lack of oxygen caused by a spasm in the cerebral arteries?

GREG'S FOOT NOTE 1:
Cerebral blood flow in migraine and cortical spreading depression.
ActaNeurolScand Suppl. 1987;113:1-40.


Sprenger T, Supronsinchai W, Goadsby P.

Or is it caused by blood vessel swelling?

GREG'S FOOT NOTE 2

New onset migraine with aura after treatment initiation with ivabradine
The journal of headache and pain 14.1 (2013): 1-4.


03:46 What is going on during a migraine?
We do know that migraines can be triggered by the weather, by diet, bad sleep or stress.
They tend to last between 4 and 72 hours, and some people report bright flashes of light or other visual disturbances. Drugs that effect serotonin bonding can help, which makes some people think that serotonin is involved. And women are more likely to get them -- bad luck.

04:30 What about cluster headaches?
We don't know what causes these serious headaches that can last for weeks or months, but scientists reckon again that it's to do with the blood flow to the brain

04.53 Does caffeine give you headaches?
Yes, caffeine can cause headaches by restricting the blood flow to the brain.

GREG'S FOOT NOTE 3:
AddicottMA, Yang LL, PeifferAM. et al
The effect of daily caffeine use on cerebral blood flow: How much caffeine can we tolerate?
Hum Brain Mapp. 2009 Oct;30(10):3102-14.


05:08 And one more thing -- medication can actually give you headaches! Yes, if you take too many pain killers for too long they could switch off the brain's pain management system.
GREG'S FOOT NOTE 4
Katsarava Z, Dagny H, DienerH-C.
Medication overuse headache.
Current neurology and neuroscience reports 9.2 (2009): 115-119.

05:40 Bonus fact: You won't believe how the people of the Western Han Dynasty treated their headaches.
That's it for us, but remember, if you want one of your questions answered drop a comment below, or join our G+ Community 'Head Squeezers'.



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