Headache Sufferers ...

So, who are the headache sufferers and who are more likely to suffer with headaches?

While the exact causes of headaches of all kinds is still the subject of ongoing research, many studies point to some likely culprits. However, those factors vary with the different types of headache - tension, cluster or migraine.

Tension headaches are so-called because they are believed to be the result of different kinds of muscle tension. The risk factors for that are, not surprisingly, related to the different ways that muscle tension can happen.

Something as simple as holding a phone for an extended period between the ear and shoulder, for example, can contribute to a headache. The muscles are stretched and compressed in a fairly unnatural position and the result is inflammation, constriction of blood flow, stretched fascia and tendons, etc. The end result is often a headache.

Or, in those who have chronic habits; teeth clenching or grinding are common risk factors.

This is similar to TMJ disorders in which the temporomandibular joint connecting the jaw to the skull is irritated. This can often happen at night while sleeping when you have little or no no conscious control of your actions.

But with headache sufferers it seems there are more subtle and surprising risk factors are at work too.

Family history ... is one of the clearest indicators of whether you are at risk of headaches, of all types. Migraines have a strong tendency to run in families, while 40% of those with tension headaches share a family history with sufferers. It seems, genetics is clearly a factor.

Depression ... whether genetic or environmental is another factor. Which is the cause and which is the effect can be difficult to sort out, but depression is correlated with 70% of those who suffer chronic daily headaches. In all likelihood there is a reciprocal relationship. Those who suffer from anemia, more often women (who tend to need extra iron), are at greater risk of becoming headache sufferers.

If you suffer from insomnia or sleep apnea you are more prone to headaches. Though both may be the result of underlying factors they are frequently associated. Anxiety, whether during the day or at night, often accompanies both causes.

Gender is a factor, in all types of headaches and in all headache sufferers.

Women are at greater risk than men of both tension headaches and migraines. In the latter case, around 17% of women get them, while only about 6% of men, according to one large study. Cluster headaches, in which pain occurs for short periods every day for weeks, frequently affects more men than women.

The reasons, the precise differences that produce the different percentages are unclear. But differences in lifestyle can largely be discounted these days, with women in the workplace as often as men.

Some lifestyle differences that are common to both sexes are definite risk factors.

Skipping meals, drinking excess alcohol (especially red wine, though 'excess' varies from person to person), stress and sometimes even excess exercise can increase the risk of headache.

Though family history, gender and other factors can't be controlled they can be dealt with by proper treatment. In the case of lifestyle issues, the ability to change it and control it is even stronger.

For chronic headache sufferers, the first step should always be proper diagnosis...