6 Reasons You Still Have a Headache—and How to Cure It for Good
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4. Category 5 Skull Buster
Feels like...a pounding pain typically on one side of your head that can bring on nausea, light-headedness, and blurry vision.The Cause: A migraine, a chronic disorder that triggers severe headaches, can last anywhere from four hours to three days if untreated. "Nearly half of migraine sufferers don't even know they have them—they think they're just dealing with a really bad headache," Goadsby says.
The Cure: Over-the-counter headache remedies can treat infrequent (fewer than two a month) migraines, but for the 40 percent of sufferers who have several bad attacks a month, prescription meds, including beta-blockers and certain antidepressants, can help minimize the frequency, as can supplements like vitamin B2 and coenzyme Q10.
5. Post–Cocktail Party Fog
Feels like...a really bad hangover.The Cause: Alcohol and foods containing the chemical tryamine (think beer, red wine, and cheese) have been shown to bring on migraines. Dinner party fare like processed meats preserved with sodium nitrate can dilate blood vessels in the head, causing pain.
The Cure: Pace yourself if you're drinking, and keep a food journal to look for patterns between certain meals and headaches so you know which foods to avoid.
6. Eye-Strain Pain
Feels like...an ache that's usually concentrated behind your eyes.The Cause: Staring at a computer screen all day may cause your eye muscles to eventually fatigue and tighten up, which can lead to a tension headache, says Dallas-based neuro-ophthalmologist Deborah Friedman, MD.
The Cure: "If you get frequent headaches, take a 15-minute computer break every two hours," says Friedman. Getting up from your chair to walk around is already a heart-healthy practice, and your eyes will thank you, too.
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