Causes of Headache That Lasts 3 More Days

Migraines

Do you feel a pulsing sensation or severe throbbing on one side of your head and are often accompanied by vomiting, nausea and extreme sound and light sensitivity?

That's migraine.

Each attack is with severe pain, even to the point that it can be disabling, and lasts for hours up to days. Though severity of the pain varies per person, common symptoms are pulsing or throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head, blurred vision, vomiting and nausea, feeling of being lightheaded that sometimes lead to fainting.

Migraine occurs when there is a change in the interaction of brainstem with the trigeminal nerve which is the pathways for major pain. Other factors that can trigger the attack of migraine are foods, hormonal changes in women, medication, stress, changes in the environment and sensory stimuli.

Sinus headache

One of the causes of having a headache for 3 days or more is the sinus headache.

Sinus pain and congestion are always blamed as the culprit of headache, but 80-90 percent of these are actually migraines and not a sinus headache.

Sinus headaches are often caused when there is an obstruction in the sinus drainage and often start with an allergy or infection. Symptoms of this kind of headache are:

• headache that gets worse when you are bending over

• pain behind the eye or front of the face

• pain that gets worse during cold and damp weather

• pain that follows after a cold that does not get away after 7 to 10 days

• worst pain during mornings but gets better latter part of the day

Rebound headache

If you think rebound only applies to relationship, no, there is also a thing called rebound headache.

When we feel a random headache, most of us would often reach out for some over-the-counter medicines. Rebound headache occurs when we overuse prescription medicines or don't follow the recommended dosage.

This headache lasts for several days and may get worsen if you don't get the proper treatment.

Common symptoms are:

• Often occurs when you wake up in the morning and happens every day or almost every day

• Pain goes away when pain medication is taken but recurs when medication wears off.

• Feels restless and has difficulty concentrating

• Irritability and memory problems

Always follow the instructions at the back label of prescription drugs or follow your doctor's advice to keep this from happening.

Infections

If you have been diagnosed with an infection and are experiencing headache for 3 days or more, it is more likely that the headache is caused by the infection itself.

Headaches related to viral infections tend to be related to fever, production of interferon in the body and other elements caused by the immune system fighting off the infection.

Depressions

A patient with mild tension headache that goes away after some aspirin is not something that needs urgent attention to. However, it is a red flag if the headaches occur daily and has been recurring for months or even years.

This type of headache is a major symptom of depression. Diagnosis of depression is often missed since its presence is subtle. One of the most common physical complaints of patients diagnosed with depression is headaches and chronic pains.

Brain tumors

One of the most common symptoms of patients diagnosed with brain tumors is headache. Headache is the result of the pressure caused by the tumor and the buildup of tumor-related fluid on sensitive nerves and blood vessels within the brain.

Symptoms of headaches associated with brain tumors are:

• Pain that is worst when you wake up in the morning but gets better latter in the day

• Persistent headache that may be accompanied by vomiting

• Pain that gets worsen when coughing, shifting body position or doing some exercise

• Does not respond to common headache medication

Aneurisms

If a patient describes a headache for 3 days or longer as the "worst headaches of the life", brain aneurism may be the potential cause. Blood can irritate the brain and its surrounding membrane, which results to severe pain.

Headache can be accompanied by vomiting, nausea and change in vision. It is important that these complaints are backed up with physical findings for proper diagnoses and treatment.

A headache that does not go away for days can be exhausting. Nobody wants to live their day with constant throbbing pains.

What shall you do when your headaches last for days?

These ways are effective in coping chronic headaches:

• Treatment of pain and other related problems. When we feel a random headache, it is okay to take medication to ease the pain away. Always remember though that we should follow the dosage prescribed by our doctor. If you feel that the medicine does not work and wants to increase your dosage, always consult with your medical team first.

• If you're taking over-the-counter medicines, always read the instruction on the label first and don't take beyond the recommended dosage.

• Headache can be a symptom of an underlying disease or condition. Make sure that you get proper medical treatment to deal with other health concerns.

• Have some R&R. Getting proper rest and relaxation is not only important in providing relief for headaches, but also plays a crucial role in preventing migraines and headaches.

• Reach out for support. Having a headache that lasts for a few days can affect your work and your family. Make sure that you have a strong support system that can give a hand on some of your tasks and provide encouragement when you are in pain.