Why do people get headaches and migraines? A child neurologist explains the science of head pain and how to treat it

December 11, 2025 – 2:10 PM

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Whether sharp and stabbing or dull and throbbing, a headache can ruin your day. But your

brain doesn’t actually feel pain

I am a child neurologist

– that is, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the brain in kids. Most of my patients are kids and adolescents who are struggling with headaches.

Head pain

is complicated, and there is still a lot to learn about what causes it and how it can be treated. But researchers know there are a few key players that take part in generating pain.

What are headaches?

Nerves

through electrical signals between the body and the brain.

While the brain itself doesn’t have any nerve sensors to feel pain,

blood vessels in the head and structures

that protect and surround the brain do sense pain. When these tissues detect injury or damage, they release chemicals that trigger transmission of electrical signals through nerves to tell the brain the head is hurting.

The brain will also use nerves to signal the body to

respond to pain with symptoms

why humans evolved to feel these symptoms

, but some scientists theorize that this can lead to healthier lifestyle choices to decrease the chance of future headache attacks.

Weather changes are one of the most commonly reported migraine triggers. Danielle Wilhour, a neurologist and headache specialist at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, explains why shifts in weather can bring on migraines — and what you can do to ease the pain.

What causes headaches?

Often, headaches are a sign that the body is under some kind of stress. That stress triggers

chemical and physical changes

to the nerves and blood vessels around your brain, head and neck that can cause headaches.

Many types of stresses can cause headaches

pressure in your sinuses

due to changes in the weather can cause your head to hurt.

One in 11 kids

before the head pain starts

and after the pain is gone.

Migraines occur when the nerves and other structures used in signaling and interpreting pain aren’t working properly, leading to pain and discomfort from stimulation that wouldn’t normally provoke this. There are many

environmental and genetic

factors that contribute to this dysfunction. Some people are

born with a higher risk

of developing migraines. Most people with migraines have someone in their family who also experiences them.

What can treat and prevent headaches?

Identifying what type of headache you’re experiencing is crucial to making sure it is treated properly. Because migraines can be severe, they’re the type of headache that

most often leads to doctor’s visits

for both kids and adults.

There are several ways to

reduce your chances of having headaches

, such as drinking plenty of water and limiting caffeine. Eating, sleeping and exercising regularly are other ways you can help prevent headaches.

prescription medications are sometimes necessary

to make head pain more bearable. Some medications can also help control or prevent headache episodes.

Physical therapy

to exercise the body or

behavioral therapy

to work on the mind can also help you manage headache pain. There are even

electronic devices

to treat headaches by stimulating different parts of the nervous system.

It is important to talk with a doctor about headaches, especially if it’s a new problem or you experience a change in how they usually feel. Sometimes, brain imaging or blood tests are needed to rule out another health issue.

Recognizing a headache problem early will help your doctor get started on helping you figure out the best way to treat it.

Katherine Cobb-Pitstick

, Assistant Professor of Child Neurology,

University of Pittsburgh.

The Conversation

under a Creative Commons license. Read the

original article