What’s Causing That Mystery Headache?

While some headaches have an obvious cause (such as a heavy night of drinking or a head injury), others can be more mysterious. Finding the cause behind such headaches can help you to treat them and prevent them in the future. If you’ve been experiencing unexplained headaches, here are some of the potential causes that could be worth considering. 

Dehydration

Not drinking enough water throughout the day can actually cause your brain to shrink. This can lead to a headache which can get worse the longer you don’t drink anything. Consider whether you have been drinking enough fluids throughout the day and whether the remedy could be a cold glass of water. 

Stress

Stress headaches - also known as ‘tension headaches’ - typically feel like wearing a tight band around the head, often causing achiness in the forehead, temples and back of the head. Consider whether you’ve been very stressed recently and whether you need to take a break. There are many different ways of relieving stress from taking a hot bath to trying herbal supplements (like chamomile tea from a grocery store or even cannabis products from a dispensary). 

Poor posture

If the pain is based in the neck and the base of the skull, poor posture could potentially be to blame. Such a headache could occur if you’ve been sitting or walking with a stoop. Looking down at one’s phone has become a common trigger for such headaches. 

Eyestrain

On the topic of phones, bright screens could also be to blame for your headache. A headache caused by eyestrain will usually cause pain behind the eyes, in the temples and in the forehead. The solution to prevent this headache is to reduce your screen time. If you have to look at a screen as part of your job, consider adjusting the brightness and taking regular small breaks to focus your eyes on other things. 

Caffeine withdrawal

Caffeine withdrawal is a common cause of mystery migraines. Many people drink coffee at a particular time of day. Skipping this coffee can be a migraine trigger for some people. Migraines are classed as extremely painful headaches that may affect one side of the head more than the other. Like allergies, they are believed to be a body malfunction rather than a logical headache. Drinking a cup of coffee can sometimes instantly relieve these migraines (if this is the trigger). 

Lack of sleep

Lack of sleep can lead to tension headaches that are similar to when you are stressed. If you’ve not been getting a good night’s rest recently, this could be the cause. The solution? To take a nap (if you can). 

Hormones

Hormonal shifts caused by puberty, pregnancy or menopause can all lead to headaches. These can range from minor headaches to full-blown migraines. The bad news with these headaches is there’s not much you can do to prevent them. Lying in a dark room is often the best way to ride out a migraine. Painkillers may help some people if taken early enough. 

Something else?

Most headaches are nothing serious, but there are rare cases when they can be. Always talk to a doctor as soon as you can if you experience a sharp, sudden headache. A chronic headache is also worth seeing a doctor about.