You should call your doctor or visit the nearest emergency room for your headache if
- This is the severe and worst headache you have ever had in your life.
- The headache that develops immediately after activities such as coughing, sneezing aerobics, bending, or sex.
- Your headache develops after coughing or sneezing.
- You develop a sudden, explosive headache.
- You experience constant headaches always in the same location.
- Your speech becomes slurred.
- You experience visual disturbances.
- You feel weakness in your limbs.
- You lose balance while walking.
- You have memory loss.
- Your headache worsens over 24 hours.
- Your headache pain wakes you up at night.
- You also have a fever, stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting.
- Your headache occurs after a head injury.
- Your headache happens only on one side with redness in that side’s eye.
- You are experiencing new headaches after the age of 50 years.
- You have headaches accompanied by vision problems, pain while chewing, or weight loss.
- You had cancer in the past.
- Your immune system is weakened by a disease (such as human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection).
- Your headache intensifies by waking up in the morning or getting up from a lying position.
Schedule a visit to your doctor if
- Your headaches disturb your sleep.
- Your headache lasts more than a few days.
- Your headaches are worse in the morning.
- Your headaches have a changed pattern or intensity.
- You have headaches often whose cause is unknown.
- You need to take a pain reliever at least twice a week.
- You have headaches that interfere with your daily life.
- Your headache causes visual changes.
- Your headache causes personality or mood changes.
- Your headache is associated with the inability to move a body part.
What type of headaches are dangerous?
Almost everyone must have experienced a headache at some point in their life.
The most common reasons for your headache are migraines, tension headaches, cluster headaches, and sinus headaches. Headache is also most often experienced in some common viral infections such as the flu or even in something as simple as the cold.
However, it should be remembered that some headaches are a sign of a more serious problem that will necessitate medical attention right away.
Dangerous disorders in which headache presents as one of the symptoms are as follows:
- Arteriovenous malformation (AVM): It is an abnormal connection between the arteries and veins in the brain that occur by birth.
- Stroke: It is a blocked blood vessel or bleeding in certain areas of the brain resulting in weakness on one side of the body.
- Brain aneurysm: It is weakening of the wall of a blood vessel that causes it to bulge.
- Intracerebral hematoma: It is bleeding in the brain that results in the pooling of the blood.
- Intracranial hematoma: It is a collection of the blood in the skull, most often as a result of head injury.
- Bleeding around the brain: This can be in the form of a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a subdural hematoma, or an epidural hematoma.
- Acute hydrocephalus: It is a buildup of fluid in the skull that causes it to swell.
- Pseudotumor cerebri: It is a buildup of pressure inside the skull that results in signs and symptoms similar to a tumor but is not a tumor.
- Meningitis: It is an infection or inflammation in the tissue that surrounds the brain.
- Encephalitis: It is an infection or inflammation in the brain.
- Temporal arteritis: It is swelling of the arteries in the temple and behind the eye.
- Trigeminal neuralgia: It is a disorder involving irritation of the trigeminal nerve that connects the face and brain.
- Chiari malformation: Occurring by birth, these are structural defects in the base of the skull and cerebellum (the part of the brain that controls balance).
- Epilepsy: It is a brain disorder characterized by frequent, unpredictable seizures.
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Brain tumor
- Acute brain injury: It is due to trauma or toxic gas exposure.
- Severe altitude sickness
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References
Headaches - danger signs. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000424.htm
Headache “Red Flags”: When to See Your Doctor. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/headache-red-flags/
Headache. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/headache/basics/causes/sym-20050800
Headache “Red Flags”: When to See Your Doctor. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/headache-red-flags/
Headache. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/headache/basics/causes/sym-20050800
Complete List
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Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches are a type of headache that recurs over a period. Episodes can last one to three times a day during this time, which may last from 2 weeks to 3 months. The three main types of treatments for cluster headaches are, 1) Abortive medications that work to stop the process in the brain that causes migraines and stops the symptoms too. 2) Preventive prescription medications or 3) surgery that involves blocking the trigeminal nerve.
Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
Headache
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
Migraine Triggers
Do you have frequent headaches? Learn the most common headache triggers for tension headaches, sinus headaches, cluster headaches and migraine. They include red wine, skipping meals, and smoke. Find medical treatments that work, like diet, exercise, massage, and physical therapy.
Headaches Quiz
If you're plagued with headaches, our Headaches Quiz may help you identify causes, triggers, symptoms, and treatments for headache pain caused by different types of headaches such as migraines, sinus, cluster, tension, or stress.
How Long Does Headache Last With COVID-19?
Headache is a potential symptom of COVID-19 and can also occur after getting vaccinated. COVID-19 headaches typically last for a few days, although the duration depends on your age, immune system, and overall health condition. In mild cases of COVID-19, headaches will usually resolve within a few days. However, in more severe cases, mild or moderate headaches may come and go for up to 90 days.
How Long Does the Meningitis Vaccine Last?
Learn how the meningitis vaccine works and how long it is effective.
Migraine Headache
Migraine headache is a type of headache associated with a sensitivity to light, smells, or sounds, eye pain, severe pounding on one side of the head, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. The exact cause of migraine headaches is not known. Triggers for migraine headaches include certain foods, stress, hormonal changes, strong stimuli (loud noises), and oversleeping. Treatment guidelines for migraines include medicine, pain management, diet changes, avoiding foods that trigger migraines, staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep, and exercising regularly. Prevention of migraine triggers include getting regular exercise, drinking water daily, reducing stress, and avoiding trigger foods.
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What does a migraine headache feel like compared to a tension headache? Learn to spot migraine symptoms early, how to identify your triggers, and get more information on migraine headache medications and treatments. Learn to tell migraine from other types of headaches.
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Learn about 14 non-drug treatments for migraines. Acupuncture, biofeedback and massage therapy are among this list of non-drug migraine treatments that may help ease pain.
Sinus Headache
Sinus headache is caused by a sinus infection or inflammation of the sinus cavities. Symptoms of a sinus headache include pain, runny or stuffy nose, and chronic cough. There are many causes of sinus headaches including sinusitis or sinus infection, allergies, smoke, infections, or colds. Treatment for sinus headache depends on the cause. Some home remedies may relieve sinus headache pain symptoms.
Tension Headache
A tension headache is one of the most common types of headaches, and the exact cause is not known. Factors that may contribute to tension or stress headaches are lack of sleep, increased stress (referred to as a stress headache), skipping meals, dehydration, medical diseases or conditions, anxiety, or changes at home, work, or school. Treatment of tension headaches include prescription and OTC medications, stress management, and treating any underlying illness or condition.
What Are the Causes of a Headache Behind the Eyes?
A headache behind the eyes is an uncomfortable sensation that is felt around or on the back of the eye, which may or may not be a throbbing ache. Causes of headaches behind the eyes include tension headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, sinus headaches, occipital neuralgia, brain aneurysm, Grave's disease, scleritis, dry eyes, vision problems, eye strain and poor posture.
What Does a CT Head Scan Show?
A computerized axial tomography (CAT) or computerized tomography (CT) scan uses a series of X-rays taken at different angles to produce a detailed image of the head and brain. A CT scan is done to study the patient’s skull, brain, jaw, sinuses, and facial bones, and to investigate tumors, head injuries, aneurysms, and other conditions.