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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffThe causes of chronic daily headaches are not well understood. Some may be caused by various underlying diseases or conditions, including:
- Inflammation or other problems with the blood vessels in and around the brain
- Infections, such as meningitis
- Intracranial pressure that's either too high or too low
- Pinched nerves in the neck
- Brain tumor
- Traumatic brain injury
In most cases, however, chronic daily headaches don't have an underlying physical cause. They may occur if you develop a heightened response to pain signals or if the part of your brain that suppresses pain signals isn't working properly.
Many people who have chronic daily headaches are actually experiencing a rebound effect from taking pain medication too frequently. If you are taking pain medications — even over-the-counter analgesics — more than two days a week, you're at risk of developing rebound headaches.
