Headaches affect both men and women to some extent. However, studies have shown that some types of headaches are more common in women.
What causes headaches?
There are many causes of headaches, one of which is ‘tension’ or pressure. In medical terms, it is called ‘tension headache’ or ‘stress headache’. Headaches can also occur due to sinusitis. Migraine is also one of the causes of headaches. There are some other causes. However, the cause of sudden headaches is different. Especially if there is no history of headaches, if someone has such a severe headache, it may be due to stroke, blood pressure or trauma.
Do girls really get headaches more often?
Some headaches can affect both men and women equally. However, some types of headaches, such as migraines, are more common in women. Studies have shown that hormonal changes are the main cause. This can be due to the hormone estrogen in women’s bodies. For this reason, many girls start having migraine problems with their first period during puberty. Experts say that women who take birth control pills have an increased risk of migraines. For this reason, doctors advise those who have migraines not to take birth control pills.
Apart from this, there are some headaches, where the pressure in the brain increases. One such type of headache is called ‘idiopathic intracranial hypertension’. It is seen that it is relatively more common in women. Again, blood clots in the brain increase the pressure, which is called venous thrombosis in medical terms, this is also relatively more common in women. Hormonal factors or some rheumatic diseases are responsible for this. Again, some physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause headaches.
No type of headache should be taken lightly. Some tests are required to determine the cause of the headache. Migraine or tension headaches are diagnosed by knowing the patient’s history. There are some headaches, which are somewhat similar to migraine symptoms, but are more complex than migraine. In such cases, the exact cause of the headache needs to be determined through a CT scan of the brain. Apart from this, some routine blood tests may also be required.
