Cold or Flu
Secondary headaches come from problems in the surrounding environment. This includes the weather (sunburns), food allergies, stress, and common illnesses that affect our body systems, like flu.
Viruses attack our brain cells, causing them to swell up. The pressure exerted against the surrounding tissues causes pain in our heads. It’s estimated that viruses cause at least 25% of all cases of tension headaches. In addition, flu can cause a secondary headache to surface due to inflammation (swelling) on our brain or optic nerve surface.
Flu-related inflammation can make it uncomfortable for cranial nerves to travel freely from one part of the brain to another, which is why some people experience pain when they move their eyes. This can cause headaches that feel like pressure or throbbing in one area of the head, usually on one side.
