Each year, about 90 percent of all people on Earth experience at least one headache. They are a nuisance for some and a life-altering, chronic malady for others. The World Health Organization says headaches are one of the most under-diagnosed and under-treated ailments in the world. About 40 percent of people suffer from severe, recurring, or debilitating headaches. The cause of many headaches is obvious — stress and sinus congestion are two of the most common, but there are less well-known causes of an aching head that may surprise you.
3-D movies and television. Experts advise getting your eyes checked before shelling out money for a 3-D television since minor eye strain may cause an aching head. Normally, each eye sees at a slightly different angle (just close one eye to see how your perception changes). "When that gets processed in the brain, it creates the perception of depth," Dr. Deborah Friedman, an ophthalmology and neurology professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, told Reuters. "The illusions that you see in three dimensions in the movies are not exactly calibrated the same way that your eyes and your brain are." If your eyes are a little off to begin with, she says, your brain needs to exert extra effort. "This disparity, for some people, will give them a headache," she said.
Chewing gum. Chomping away could put stress on the joints and muscles where your jawbone meets your skull and cause your head to ache. In addition, according to research from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Tulsa, chewing gum containing artificial sweeteners such as aspartame may cause headaches in some susceptible individuals.
Electromagnetic pollution. Do you live near major power lines? Or is your bed near a number of electrical applicances, such as televisions, computers, alarm clocks, and stereo equipment? If so, electromagnetic pollution may be causing your headaches. "Do what you can to minimize any of these factors, such as moving the bed or electric paraphernalia," say Brigitte Mars and Chrystle Fiedler, authors of "The Country Almanac of Home Remedies."
Painkillers. Surprised that the remedy could be the cause? Some painkillers, like Excedrin, contain a combination of ingredients that include caffeine. Frequent use can cause dependency resulting in a "rebound" effect that will cause your headache to come back as soon as the painkiller wears off, says CNN. Try using single-ingredient painkillers, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
Weather. A study published in Neurology found that higher temperatures and lower barometric air pressure increased the risk of headaches. Researchers found that the risk of headache increased by 7.5 percent for every increase in temperature of five degrees Celsius. Lower barometric air pressure also triggered headaches.
Sex. Not the "Sorry, I've got a headache" excuse, but a headache caused by the act of having sex. It's probably a form of "exertion headache," Stephen Silberstein, M.D., director of the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pa., told CNN. But be careful, he warns. This type of headache may warn of an underlying condition, such as an aneurysm, that needs medical attention.
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