Headache

Headaches are typically a response to muscle tightness (as in the case of tension headaches), or sensitive nerve endings (as in the case of migraine headaches). Tension headaches are commonly brought on by stress, insufficient sleep, fatigue, caffeine withdrawal, hunger, changes in the weather or environmental pressure, heavily-processed foods and drinks and alcohol. The triggers for migraine headaches are more challenging to pin down, though, some common culprits are the smell of smoke, bright or flashing natural or artificial light, changes in hormone levels and heavily-processed foods and drinks. Generally, both tension headaches and migraines may be treated with over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, or non-medicinal treatment, such as acupuncture.