Risk Factors for Headache

Specific Lifestyle Factors

Poor posture, such as holding a phone between your shoulder and ear puts stress on the muscles and can result in tension headaches.

Medical Conditions

Certain conditions are associated with tension headaches and tightening of the muscles in the neck, face, and scalp. These include:

• ]]>Depression]]> (in 70% of people with chronic daily headache)
• ]]>Anemia]]>
• ]]>Anxiety]]>
• Teeth clenching or grinding
• ]]>Insomnia]]>
• ]]>Sleep apnea]]>
• Arthritis in the neck

Gender

Women are at greater risk of tension headaches than men.

Genetic Factors

Approximately 40% of individuals with tension headache have a positive family history.

Specific Lifestyle Factors

Several lifestyle factors may trigger a reaction in the blood vessels that brings on a migraine headache. These include:

• Lack of sleep
• Skipping meals
• Drinking alcohol, especially red wine
• Excessive exercise
• Eating foods with monosodium glutamate (MSG) or nitrates (such as red wine and nuts); eating cheese or chocolate
• Stress
• Travel

Medications

Use of certain medications may trigger a migraine, including:

• Birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy (There may be some relationship between female hormones and migraines.)
• Drugs that dilate the blood vessels (They change blood flow in the brain.)
• Headache remedies used on a daily or near daily basis

Age

The highest incidence is in teenage years.

Gender

Migraine headaches are more common among females—with a 3:1 female to male ratio.

Genetic Factors

Migraines seem to run in families. Approximately 90% of migraine patients have a positive family history.

Other

Migraines may be triggered by the blood vessels overreacting to a variety of factors, including:

• Menstruation
• Fatigue
• Changes in altitude, weather, or time-zone
• Glaring lights
• Perfumes or other odors

Specific Lifestyle Factors

Cluster headaches seem to occur more often in heavy ]]>smokers]]> , shift workers, and ]]>drinkers]]> . The reason is not understood.

Medical Conditions

Having head surgery or a ]]>head injury]]> increases your risk of cluster headache.

Age

Risk is greatest between 20-40 years old in men, whereas women have a later onset at age 60 and beyond.

Gender

Males are at greater risk for cluster headaches than females—with a male to female ratio of 6:1.

Medical Conditions

Certain medical conditions increase nasal secretions and cause swelling in the tissues lining the nasal passages. These changes lead to nasal congestion and stuffiness. The nasal passages become blocked and normal drainage cannot occur. Secretions that are trapped in the sinuses may become infected with bacteria or, rarely, fungus. The swollen tissues or infection may create pain and pressure.

Conditions that increase sinus pressure and increase your risk of sinus headache include:

• ]]>Allergies]]>
• ]]>Asthma]]>
• ]]>Persistent cold or upper respiratory infection]]>
• ]]>Ear infections]]>
• ]]>Nasal polyps]]>
• ]]>Tooth abscess]]> or infection
• Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
• Nasal deformities, such as a ]]>deviated septum]]>
• ]]>Cystic fibrosis]]>
• Problems with the immune system
• Prior sinus surgery
• Facial injuries that block sinus passages

Other

Swimming in dirty water can cause an infection leading to a sinus headache if the water enters the nasal passages.

Gender

Pseudomotor cerebri are more common in women.

Medical Conditions

Medical Conditions

• Thrombosis (blood clot) in veins of brain or neck (jugular vein)
• ]]>Addison’s disease]]>
• ]]>Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]]> (COPD)
• ]]>Hypoparathyroidism]]>
• Severe ]]>iron deficiency anemia]]>
• ]]>Renal failure]]>
• Heart failure with ]]>pulmonary hypertension]]>
• ]]>Sleep apnea]]>
• More common in people who are ]]>obese]]>

Medications

Use of certain medications may play a role including:

• Anabolic steroids
• Corticosteroid withdrawal after prolonged use
• Growth hormone
• Nalidixic acid
• ]]>Nitrofurantoin]]>
• ]]>Tetracycline]]>
• Vitamin A toxicity