• Question: What causes head aches, and how do they effect the brain (if they do)?

    Asked by katherinecorner to Fiona, Jane, Joanna, Michelle, William on 22 Jun 2010 in Categories: . This question was also asked by andyyyyy.
    • Photo: Joanna Brooks

      Joanna Brooks answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Hello again! Headaches are caused by inflammation in the brain – blood vessels or nerves in the brain can become inflamed (swell up) and can cause pressure which is often described like a pulsing sensation. This causes pain and happens because of dehydration, stress, a virus, eye or ear problems for example.

      Some scientists think that as headaches affect the brain by causing inflammation or pressure people who suffer from severe headaches over a long period of time may be more at risk from stroke (disturbance to the blood supply in the brain). But this would depend on many other factors as well like the person’s genetic make-up and their general health.

    • Photo: Michelle Murphy

      Michelle Murphy answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Hey Catherine
      Great question. There are lots of causes for headaches. The most common are tiredness, eye strain (bright lights, reading in the dark, sitting too close to tv), to much caffine or too little water, weather (high pressure) and stress or anxiety. In some cases the blood vessels around the brain constrict which reduces the oxygen to the brain and this can also cause headaches but in the case of head injuries it can be a build up of pressure between the skull and the brain.

    • Photo: William Davies

      William Davies answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      The brain itself cannot actually feel pain. A headache is normally due to swelling of the membranes around the brain (which do have pain receptors), possibly because of infection or a chemical imbalance. Most headaches are probably caused by dehydration due to earlier heavy drinking or to metabolites of alcohol such as acetaldehyde

    • Photo: Fiona Randall

      Fiona Randall answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Hi, there are lots of causes of headaches. Some are caused by eyestrain, when you are trying to do work and need glasses or by stress. Migraines are well studied as they can affect things like your vision and ability to function so these affect your brain. When you feel ill it is hard to focus too.

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