What causes a headache?
Jun 24, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, headaches may be caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits, excessive mental exertion, temporal arteritis, migraine, cervical spondylosis, or other similar reasons. Symptomatic management usually involves general treatment and medication. It is recommended to maintain a regular作息 schedule in daily life to ensure adequate rest for the brain, avoid staying up late, and prevent the brain from remaining in a state of tension, which may worsen the headache.
Generally, headaches may be caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits, overuse of the brain, temporal arteritis, migraines, cervical spondylosis, or other factors. Symptomatic management usually involves general treatment, medication, and other approaches. If discomfort occurs, it is recommended to seek timely medical advice and undergo appropriate treatment under a doctor's guidance. A detailed explanation is as follows:
1. Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits
Long-term late-night activities, excessive fatigue, and other unhealthy lifestyle habits may lead to excessive nervous tension in the brain, causing headaches, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Additionally, unstable emotions may exacerbate headache symptoms. It is recommended to adjust sleep schedules, ensure sufficient rest, and avoid excessive fatigue.
2. Overuse of the Brain
Excessive mental activity over prolonged periods, such as thinking, studying, or working, can cause excessive nervous tension, leading to pain sensations, possibly accompanied by symptoms like mental fatigue and lack of concentration. It is recommended to take appropriate breaks and perform eye and head massages to relieve cerebral fatigue.
3. Temporal Arteritis
Temporal arteritis is an inflammatory disease that causes inflammation and thickening of the blood vessel walls, affecting blood flow and resulting in headaches. This type of headache is typically unilateral and worsens during chewing. It is recommended to follow medical instructions to use medications such as methylprednisolone tablets, compound cyclophosphamide tablets, methotrexate tablets, and others to alleviate symptoms.
4. Migraine
Migraine is a common type of neurological headache, often presenting as unilateral, pulsating pain, accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, or sound sensitivity. It is generally recommended to use medications such as ibuprofen tablets, indomethacin tablets, nimodipine tablets, and others under a doctor's guidance for treatment.
5. Cervical Spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis may cause nerve root compression, leading to neck muscle tension and pain, which can radiate upward to the head, causing headaches. It may also be accompanied by symptoms such as neck stiffness, shoulder and back pain, and arm numbness. It is recommended to follow medical advice to use medications such as chlorzoxazone tablets, eperisone hydrochloride tablets, naproxen sodium tablets, and others to relieve symptoms.
It is recommended to maintain a regular daily routine, ensure adequate rest for the brain, avoid staying up late, and prevent the brain from being in a tense state, which could worsen headaches.
