Why do we get headaches? | Head Squeeze

This week on #AskHeadSqueeze, Greg Foot is answering the question "What are headaches, and how do we get them?". Subscribe for more fascinating science videos: http://bit.ly/SubscribeToEarthLab

Now, we here at Head Squeeze are absolutely not doctors, and if you're having serious or regular headaches you should see your physician. But if you're interested in why headaches happen, then Greg wraps his head around that, and more, in this video.

Why do we get migraines and vascular headaches?
Vascular headaches actually happen because of changed blood flow to your brain. Science doesn't quite know why, but we've got links to some of the theories below. Is it because of a localised lack of oxygen caused by a spasm in the cerebral arteries?

GREG'S FOOT NOTE 1:
Cerebral blood flow in migraine and cortical spreading depression.
ActaNeurolScand Suppl. 1987;113:1-40.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3324620

Sprenger T, Supronsinchai W, Goadsby P.

Or is it caused by blood vessel swelling?

GREG'S FOOT NOTE 2

New onset migraine with aura after treatment initiation with ivabradine
The journal of headache and pain 14.1 (2013): 1-4.
http://www.thejournalofheadach....eandpain.com/content

GREG'S FOOT NOTE 3:
AddicottMA, Yang LL, PeifferAM. et al
The effect of daily caffeine use on cerebral blood flow: How much caffeine can we tolerate?
Hum Brain Mapp. 2009 Oct;30(10):3102-14.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pm....c/articles/PMC274816

GREG'S FOOT NOTE 4
Katsarava Z, Dagny H, DienerH-C.
Medication overuse headache.
Current neurology and neuroscience reports 9.2 (2009): 115-119.
http://link.springer.com/artic....le/10.1007%2Fs11910-

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