Constant Headache

Most headaches are an occasional experience, but some occur over protracted periods. In medical circles, there are two classifications for these differing kinds — occasional headaches of less than 15 times a week are called episodic headaches whereas a headache over this amount is classified as chronic.
There is some misunderstanding regarding the definition of chronic. Many people understand it to mean serious in terms of the amount of pain experienced or a “bad” headache, while in actual fact it is possible for a chronic headache sufferer to have mild headaches that simply occur frequently.
For people suffering from a chronic headache it is always wise to consult a physician as the underlying causes of chronic headaches are many, and while many are not life-threatening protracted periods without treatment could cause complications further down the line.

Many constant headaches are classified using an acronym CDH or Constant Daily Headache. There are two types of CDH — high grade and low grade, each referring to the severity of the experience.
The possible causes for low-grade CDH are: mild dehydration, long-term or excessive stress, mild allergic reactions (such as to pollen or mold), low-grade carbon monoxide poisoning, eye strain (needing glasses), sinusitis, dental problems and high or low blood pressure to name a few.
Some food allergies can also cause headaches, and it may be that a person needs to change their diet in order to avoid these from continuing. If you think this might be the case look at excluding some of the following items to help eliminate causes: aged cheese, red wine, luncheon meats, artificial sweeteners/colors/preservatives, nuts or grains, caffeine (not just coffee, as various drinks such as coke as well as energy drinks and snacks such as snickers and mars bars all contain caffeine).

Obviously it is tough to know or remember exactly what you may or may not have done to cause a headache. The recommended practice for chronic headache sufferers is to write a headache diary in order to help you to identify the triggers for your headaches and also allow your doctor to have a much clearer idea of what is happening as it is difficult to recall every instance.

You should record the following items:

  • What you ate and drank: Write down the what you ate, both on the day and, if possible, the day before the headache.
  • Any medications you took before the headache: This includes both prescription and non-prescription medications, as well as possible recreational or everyday drug usage, including caffeine and nicotine.
  • The actions you were doing at the time and on the same day preceding the onset: This is sometimes tricky but it is important to include any unusual activities as well as the more everyday mundane ones.
  • How much sleep you got: This doesn’t just include the amount of sleep you got, but also can cover the quality of the sleep too. Was it interrupted? Did you feel tired when awakening?
  • Stress: Make a record of any stressful or out-of-the-ordinary occurrences. It is also helpful to record your feelings at this time – were you angry, sad, depressed?

Keeping a diary is the first key step towards both identifying and curing a persistent headache.