When headaches are chronic, it can be hard for you or your loved one to work, socialize, exercise, read, or engage in other meaningful activities without treatment. Constant or frequently recurring pain can make it harder to function over time, decreasing quality of life. Chronic headaches also may indicate an underlying medical condition that could be serious if left untreated.
Recognizing warning signs and understanding potential causes of headaches can help seniors and their loved ones get a diagnosis and incorporate effective headache management strategies to relieve pain and live more comfortably.
- What Are Chronic Headaches?
- What Causes Chronic Headaches in Older Adults?
- When a Headache Signals Something More Serious
- How to Manage & Prevent Chronic Headaches
- Chronic Headaches FAQs
What Are Chronic Headaches?
Chronic headaches occur 15 or more days per month and can stem from muscle tension, stress, fatigue, and other factors, leading to throbbing temples, a stiff neck, watery eyes, and eye strain.
Types of Chronic Headaches
Chronic headaches can occur for different reasons and may vary in intensity, duration, and symptoms. Understanding the type of headache you or your loved one is experiencing can help you find the right treatment and prevention strategies.
Here are some common types of chronic headaches:
- Tension headaches: Stress and muscle tension in the neck and scalp trigger these headaches.
- Cluster headaches: Sudden-onset pain on one side of the head for short periods that then repeats several times daily.
- Medication-overuse headaches: Caused by taking headache-relief medication too often, which can change pain pathways in the brain.
- Caffeine-withdrawal headaches: If you drink beverages with caffeine on a regular basis, quitting suddenly can cause a headache
- Dehydration headaches: When you don’t drink enough water, it can affect your blood pressure, blood flow, and pain receptors, causing headaches
- Sinus headache: A sinus infection or severe allergies can cause pain or pressure in the head.
Chronic Headaches vs. Migraines
Though often conflated, chronic headaches and migraines are different conditions. The main difference is that a migraine is more severe with pulsing or throbbing pain on one side of the head that can last for hours or days. Migraines are typically triggered by hormones, weather changes, certain foods, sleep disturbances, and stress.
While there are several types of migraines, the most common are:
- Migraine without aura: Typical migraine pain, such as throbbing or pulsing on one side of the head, nausea, and sensitivity to lights, sounds, and odors.
- Migraine with aura: Typical migraine pain preceded by a migraine aura, which can include neurological symptoms like dizziness, vision changes, numbness or tingling, tinnitus, or not being able to speak clearly.
What Causes Chronic Headaches in Older Adults?
Chronic headaches in older adults are usually caused by lifestyle factors, such as stress, poor sleep, too much caffeine, dehydration, poor posture, physical inactivity, and more. Family history of chronic headaches or migraines can also contribute.
Additionally, seniors are more likely to develop chronic health conditions with age, which may lead to chronic headaches. For example:
- Unmanaged high blood pressure can trigger hypertension-related headaches.
- People with diabetes are more prone to migraines, and poorly managed blood sugar levels can cause headaches.
- Untreated sleep apnea makes it hard to sleep well, increasing the risk of headaches.
- Arthritis pain that alters posture can lead to tension headaches.
- Ignoring vision loss can lead to headaches from eye strain.
- Withdrawal symptoms of alcohol dependency can include severe headaches.
When a Headache Signals Something More Serious
Serious conditions that can cause headache-related symptoms include stroke, hypertension, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
If you’re wondering when to be concerned about a headache, consider these factors:
- Does the pain keep coming back?
- Are headaches paired with nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light or sound?
- Do you see visual disturbances, such as an aura, flashes of light, or blind spots?
- Are you experiencing dizziness or balance problems?
- Do you have a stiff neck, fever, nausea, and vomiting?
- Did symptoms start after a fall or a bump on the head?
If headaches are associated with the following symptoms, seek emergency care:
- A sudden, intense headache
- The worst headache of your life
- Extreme dizziness or confusion
- Numbness or weakness in your extremities
- Head pain after a car accident, fall, or other head injury
- Slurred speech
How to Manage & Prevent Chronic Headaches
It isn’t possible to prevent every headache, but you can work to reduce their frequency and severity. These strategies can help you or your loved one manage chronic headaches:
- Adopt healthy lifestyle habits, such as staying hydrated all day, eating nutritious foods, and getting enough sleep.
- Manage stress with mindfulness meditation or other relaxation techniques.
- Maintain a regular fitness routine that includes senior-friendly cardio and mobility exercises. Be sure to consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise program.
When headache symptoms become too severe to handle alone, consider these options:
- Medications: Over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription pain relievers may help ease symptoms. Before taking any new medication, ask a healthcare provider or pharmacist about potential drug interactions and proper usage to reduce the risk of medication-overuse headaches.
- Physical Therapy: If tense muscles or poor posture are contributing to headaches, physical therapy can provide simple exercises, stretches, and posture training to alleviate pain.
- Geriatric Massage: Massages specific to senior needs can reduce stress, loosen tight muscles, and improve mobility to address pain.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chronic Headaches
How can I tell if a headache is serious?
A headache is serious if it comes on quickly, causes extreme dizziness or confusion, leads to numbness or tingling in extremities, and/or occurs after a fall or injury to the head. If you or a loved one are experiencing any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical care.
What’s the difference between a chronic headache and a migraine?
A chronic headache is defined as mild to severe head pain occurring 15 or more days per month. Chronic headaches can be caused by muscle tension, stress, caffeine withdrawal, dehydration, sinus infections, and more.
A migraine is more severe head pain that lasts anywhere from a few hours to a few days that’s felt on one side of the head along with nausea and sensitivity to light, sound, and/or odor. Migraines are categorized by “with aura” or “without aura” and can be caused by hormonal changes, shifts in the weather, poor sleep, stress, and more.
How can I support someone with frequent headaches or migraines?
If your loved one experiences frequent headaches or migraines, there are many ways you can support them. You can encourage them to get plenty of sleep, maintain healthy eating habits, stay physically active, and focus on reducing stress. Additionally, you can recommend that they speak with their healthcare provider about headache or migraine treatments.
When should in-home care be considered for headache management?
If you or a senior loved one struggles with completing activities of daily living (ADLs)—such as bathing, grooming, or eating—due to severe or chronic headache symptoms, in-home care can be a helpful solution. Professional caregivers and nurses can assist with senior health goals and proper medication usage at home, while also providing emotional support and companionship.
BrightStar Care® Can Help Seniors with Chronic Headaches
BrightStar Care’s in-home caregivers and skilled nurses can support seniors experiencing chronic headaches. Our compassionate team will be there to offer comfort during headaches or migraine episodes, assist with medication management, coordinate with healthcare providers, provide in-home therapies, and encourage headache management strategies.
Whether you’re looking for nurse-led home care services or a reliable medical staffing partner for your organization, our experienced local care team members are ready to help. Find a location near you, contact us online, or call (866) 618-7827 to learn more about how BrightStar Care offers A Higher Standard®.