Headaches can be a huge inconvenience. At best, headaches are annoying. At worst, headaches can leave you feeling helpless and unable to go on with your day. You don’t need to live with discomfort or fear of your next headache.
Sometimes, your headaches are caused by something curable like a muscle or nerve problem. Here are the top 5 muscle and nerve problems that cause headaches:
1. Jaw Problems
There are many jaw problems that go undiagnosed and untreated for years. Jaw problems are a known cause of headaches. One of the most common jaw problems that causes issues is temporomandibular joint or TMJ.
TMJ can cause a popping or clicking noise in your jaw, prevent you from being able to use open and close your mouth fully, and cause headaches, among other things.
You could have TMJ as a result of an injury, arthritis, or another natural cause. You may not be able to pinpoint a time or event when TMJ began to impact you, as it can worsen over time.
2. Pinched Nerve In The Neck Or Spine
Pinched nerves are very common. Most people don’t notice them and they can go undiagnosed for years. Many times pinched nerves in your spine or jaw can cause headaches.
But pinched nerves can often be helped by a doctor, so it’s best to get a consultation if you think you may have pinched a nerve.
3. Occipital Neuralgia
While the Latin term may seem quite foreign, you may suspect that you have occipital neuralgia, which shows its symptoms with pain behind your eyes, neck and head.
Headaches from occipital neuralgia can be frightening and debilitating, but there are treatments like nerve blocks and pain management.
4. Tension
A tension headache will present itself with head pain and muscle tension. Although some people believe that headaches cause muscle tension, the muscle tension is usually a symptom of the headache not the cause for it.
Tension headaches begin in your central nervous system and can cause aches and pains throughout your body. Sometimes, this is due to a hormonal imbalance that puts stress on your nervous system.
5. Secondary Headaches
While the list above has causes for headaches that are primary, secondary headaches can be a medical issue, too.
Secondary headaches can include simple things like hangovers and dehydration.
But the category also includes any condition that is not directly caused by the nerves in your head. This includes brain tumors, blood clots, concussions, and other medical issues and emergencies that require a doctor to treat.
Contact Us Today
Although most people dismiss their headaches as minor nuisances, headaches can be a symptom of a serious medical condition.
If you have a very bad headache that is preventing you from normal function or if you have a history of reoccurring headaches, you should get your symptoms checked out by a doctor as soon as possible.
Call the Head Pain Institute® today at 480-945-3629 for a consultation to find a way to be pain free.
