Why do people get headaches and migraines? A child neurologist explains the science of head pain and how to treat it

Curious Kids^[1] is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com^[2]. Why do people get headaches? – Evie V., age 10, Corpus Christi, Texas Whether sharp and stabbing or dull and throbbing, a headache can ruin your day. But your brain doesn’t actually feel pain^[3]. So what is going on when it feels like your head is in a vise or about to explode? I am a child neurologist^[4] – that is, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the brain in kids. Most of my patients are kids and adolescents who are struggling with headaches. Head pain^[5] is complicated, and there is still a lot to learn about what causes it and how it can be treated. But researchers know there are a few key players that take part in generating pain. What are headaches? Nerves communicate information like pain^[6] through electrical signals between the body and the brain. While the brain itself doesn’t have any nerve sensors to feel pain, blood vessels in the head and structures^[7] that protect and surround the brain do sense pain. When these tissues detect injury or damage, they release chemicals that trigger transmission of electrical signals through nerves to tell the brain the head is hurting. The brain will also use nerves to signal the body to respond to pain with symptoms^[8] like feeling tired, teary eyes, runny nose, upset stomach and discomfort in bright or loud environments. It’s not clear why humans evolved to feel these symptoms^[9], but some scientists theorize that this can lead to healthier lifestyle choices to decrease the chance of future headache attacks. Weather changes are one of the most commonly reported migraine triggers. Danielle Wilhour, a neurologist and headache specialist at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, explains why shifts in weather can bring on migraines — and what you can do to ease the pain. What causes headaches? Often, headaches are a sign that the body is under some kind of stress. That stress triggers chemical and physical changes^[10] to the nerves and blood vessels around your brain, head and neck that can cause headaches. Many types of stresses can cause headaches^[11], including an infection, allergies, hormone changes during puberty and menstrual cycles, not getting enough sleep, not drinking enough water, skipping meals or drinking too much caffeine or alcohol. Sometimes, headaches happen with emotional stress, like feeling anxious or depressed. Even pressure in your sinuses^[12] due to changes in the weather can cause your head to hurt. One in 11 kids^[13] have had a type of severe headache called a migraine. They feel like a pulsing and pounding pain in your head and come with other symptoms, including nausea or being sensitive to lights and sounds. During a migraine, it can be hard to do everyday activities because they can make the pain worse. It is also very common to feel unwell or irritable before the head pain starts^[14] and after the pain is gone.

Migraines occur when the nerves and other structures used in signaling and interpreting pain aren’t working properly, leading to pain and discomfort from stimulation that wouldn’t normally provoke this. There are many environmental and genetic^[16] factors that contribute to this dysfunction. Some people are born with a higher risk^[17] of developing migraines. Most people with migraines have someone in their family who also experiences them.

What can treat and prevent headaches?

Identifying what type of headache you’re experiencing is crucial to making sure it is treated properly. Because migraines can be severe, they’re the type of headache that most often leads to doctor’s visits^[18] for both kids and adults.

There are several ways to reduce your chances of having headaches^[19], such as drinking plenty of water and limiting caffeine. Eating, sleeping and exercising regularly are other ways you can help prevent headaches.

References

1. ^{^} Curious Kids (theconversation.com)
2. ^{^} CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com (theconversation.com)
3. ^{^} brain doesn’t actually feel pain (nba.uth.tmc.edu)
4. ^{^} I am a child neurologist (www.pediatrics.pitt.edu)
5. ^{^} Head pain (doi.org)
6. ^{^} communicate information like pain (openbooks.lib.msu.edu)
7. ^{^} blood vessels in the head and structures (doi.org)
8. ^{^} respond to pain with symptoms (doi.org)
9. ^{^} why humans evolved to feel these symptoms (doi.org)
10. ^{^} chemical and physical changes (doi.org)
11. ^{^} Many types of stresses can cause headaches (americanmigrainefoundation.org)
12. ^{^} pressure in your sinuses (health.clevelandclinic.org)
13. ^{^} One in 11 kids (doi.org)
14. ^{^} before the head pain starts (doi.org)
15. ^{^} Viktoriya Skorikova/Moment via Getty Images (www.gettyimages.com)
16. ^{^} environmental and genetic (doi.org)
17. ^{^} born with a higher risk (doi.org)
18. ^{^} most often leads to doctor’s visits (doi.org)
19. ^{^} reduce your chances of having headaches (americanmigrainefoundation.org)
20. ^{^} DjelicS/iStock via Getty Images Plus (www.gettyimages.com)
21. ^{^} prescription medications are sometimes necessary (doi.org)
22. ^{^} Physical therapy (doi.org)
23. ^{^} behavioral therapy (doi.org)
24. ^{^} electronic devices (doi.org)
25. ^{^} CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com (theconversation.com)