An estimated 3-5% of adults across the globe are saddled with chronic headaches. To be classified as chronic, daily headaches must occur at least 15 days a month for more than three months. They are considered episodic if they occur less frequently.

The uninterrupted and unending nature of these headaches causes them to be some of the most disabling of all headache disorders. Chronic daily headaches are more common in women than men and there are certain factors that seem to increase the risk of them developing. Mental and emotional stresses such as depression and anxiety can be precursors to the disorder as can a lack of sleep, obesity, excessive caffeine, and overuse of analgesics.

It’s important to bear in mind that two-thirds of chronic sufferers not only don’t eliminate their pain when taking medication, they experience an increase in the intensity of their pain which is directly caused by the pain killing medications that were developed to relieve them. These medications include, but are not limited to, ibuprofen (the pain killing ingredient in Advil and Motrin IB), acetaminophen (the analgesic in Tylenol), and even common aspirin. Eliminating these drugs can often eliminate the headaches.

Experiencing a headache now and again is a common occurrence, but chronic pain can often signify a more serious underlying health problem. You should consult a doctor if you suffer from three or more headaches each week, if you take pain killers almost every day, or if your headaches are growing more intense and severe.

There are other circumstances where immediate emergency medical care should be sought. These include the sudden onset of a severe headache or a headache caused by a fall or head injury. It’s also important to seek immediate care if the headache is accompanied by a fever, stiff neck, mental confusion, speech difficulties, seizures, double vision, muscle weakness, or rash.

There is usually greater success when prevention is the goal as opposed to waiting until there are symptoms and then treating the pain after they have appeared. Some common sense approaches to improving your health, and thereby eliminating the symptoms, are getting enough sleep, eating regular nutritious meals, drinking enough liquids, exercising regularly, relaxing and reducing stress whenever possible, and quitting bad habits such as smoking or alcohol abuse.

If you cannot determine what is causing your chronic daily headaches you should try keeping a headache diary. A diary can often help you discover what’s triggering your headaches. Keeping a diary is easy, but it must be done consistently. Don’t get discouraged if your diary doesn’t unmask your headache trigger after a few days or weeks because it can often take months to find a trigger.

The diary should contain details about everything from the food you eat to your daily activities. Include details about every headache, when they started, what you were doing at the time, what you were thinking about at the time, what you ate that day and at what time, how you slept the night before, what your stress level was, how long the headache lasted, how severe it was, and what, if anything gave you relief. Look for patterns that can lead you to discover the cause of some or all of your headaches.

Many times chronic headaches are the end result of other underlying diseases or disorders and cannot be corrected until the underlying condition is known. If after all your effort you still can’t find the cause, you should look at how often you’re taking medication for your pain. If it’s two or three times a week or more, it may be possible to relieve your symptoms by simply discontinuing the pain medications. However, it’s always a good idea to consult a physician first.