Causes of Headaches in College Students

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

Many people experience headaches, often due to triggers related to their age, gender, health and overall lifestyle. College students are no different. In fact, these young and seemingly healthy individuals often lead lifestyles that put them at a very high risk for headaches.

Nearly all headaches experienced by college students are tension-type headaches. A tension-type headache causes non-throbbing, frequently bilateral pain. The underlying cause of a tension-type headache is likely due to chemical and neuronal imbalances in the brain and may be related to muscle tightening in the back of the neck and/or scalp.

It is no surprise that tension-type headaches present themselves so frequently in the college population. Students spend much of their time in straining positions, whether it be sitting in uncomfortable lecture hall seats or hunching over tables trying to catch up on reading assignments.

Moreover, college students are no strangers to the other common triggers of tension-type headaches, including temporary stress, fatigue and anxiety. From cramming for finals to worrying over grad school applications, from late night parties to early morning hangovers, from straining to read endless pages of small-print textbooks to staring at a computer screen for hours a time, college students need to know how to avoid the headaches that can easily occur as a result of their lifestyle.

The National Headache Foundation (NHF) has prepared a list of tips for the collegians out there to make it through the best four (or more) years of their life with fewer headaches:

• Studying for long periods of time can cause eyestrain. Take frequent breaks to give your eyes a rest!
• Invest in an ergonomic chair. Uncomfortable seating can cause neck and back pain that may lead to tension-type headaches.
• When it comes to alcohol, always drink in moderation, and with plenty of water in between drinks, to avoid hangover headaches in the morning. If hangovers do occur, treat with hydration and foods high in fructose (tomato juice, honey).
• If you are trying to stay awake to study, drink coffee only in moderation. Caffeine withdrawal can be a common source of headache for avid coffee drinkers.
• Though college students don’t always operate on a regular schedule, try not to vary your meal and sleep schedules too much. Irregular sleep cycles and missing or delaying meals can both trigger headaches.
• Practice relaxation and biofeedback techniques to help relieve the daily stress and anxiety of college life.

Taking these precautions may help avoid headaches. To understand more about how to get relief, visit www.headaches.org.

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Tags: anxiety, Caffeine, college, eyestrain, fatigue, food, hangovers, Headaches, health, irregular sleep, lifestyle, missing meals, muscle tightening, neck, scalp, Stress, students, tension-type, Triggers
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Economic Recession Can Cause Headache

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

A recent poll from the NHF Web site suggests that the economic recession not only takes a toll on our wallets, but on our health.

Poll respondents reported having higher stress and anxiety levels because of the world’s economic state. In fact, 82% of respondents claimed to have made budget adjustments because of today’s economy. Stress, anxiety and lack of sleep were cited as the top three triggers for headaches.

“It’s not the economy that causes headaches, it’s the impact of the economy on lifestyles that can potentially trigger a headache,” says Suzanne E. Simons, Executive Director of the NHF. “Most people are dealing with higher levels of stress and anxiety over their financial situations, but to a migraineur, those emotions can translate into debilitating pain. On top of it, those who are suffering financially may not have access to proper medical care. This translates into a more severe hardship.”

According to the survey, these tight times are changing how headache sufferers treat their headaches. Although 63% of respondents relied on prescription headache medications, 29% have either delayed purchasing or stopped taking their medications because of the economy.  Approximately 53% switched to over-the-counter medication in order to save money.

Consider the following NHF tips to avoid headaches during the economic recession:

• If you are unable to afford your medication, many pharmaceutical companies offer patient assistance programs. Talk to your doctor or visit the NHF Web site (www.headaches.org) and click on Headache Education-Tools for Sufferers for a list of available programs.
• Talk to your doctor about your financial situation; there may be a generic form of your prescription available.
• Also according to the survey 50% of respondents attributed diet changes to save money as having an effect on their headaches. Be aware of your individual food triggers. When making grocery choices, try to maintain a healthy diet and consider purchasing store brand items rather than name brand products.
• Practice relaxation techniques such as guided imagery or visualization.
• Include exercise in your daily routine, even a brisk walk can help to reduce stress. View our previous Stress blog to get some relief tips.

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Tags: anxiety, avoid, Economic Recession, financial situations, headache, migraine, Stress, suffer
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