Symptoms

Seek emergency care if you have:

• A very severe, sudden headache
• Headache after a head injury or fall
• Fever, stiff neck, rash, confusion, seizure, double vision, weakness, numbness or difficulty speaking
• Pain that worsens despite treatment

These symptoms suggest a more serious condition, so it’s important to get a prompt diagnosis and treatment.There are many types and sub-types of headaches. Chronic daily headaches, which occur 15 days or more a month, are one sub-type. Tension-type headaches and migraines are also common sub-types of headaches. They can both be chronic, though they aren’t always. Other types of chronic daily headaches include:

• Hemicrania continua, a one-sided headache that can feel like a migraine
• Primary stabbing headaches, which last for a few seconds and can occur several times throughout the day
• Primary exertional headaches, caused by exercise
• Chronic paroxysmal hemicranias, sharp, one-sided headaches that can cause tearing or a congested nose
• Medication overuse headaches, which occur from overusing pain medications for headaches for at least three months. These headaches occur at least 15 days out of the month.

Other headache types include:

Cluster headaches, which cause severe pain on one side of the head and occur off and on for weeks over the course of a few months. Cluster headaches are associated with one or more signs and symptoms, such as tearing, nasal congestion and nasal discharge. These occur on the same side as the pain.

Tension-type headaches, the most common variety of headaches:

• Might be felt as a tight band of pain around your head, a dull ache or pressure
• Might cause mild to moderate pain on both sides of the head
• Vary widely in frequency
• Can be occasional
• May occur more than 15 days a month (chronic)
• Last from 30 minutes to a week

Causes

Primary headaches

Dysfunction or over-activity of pain-sensitive features in your head cause primary headaches. They’re not a symptom of or caused by an underlying medical condition. Some people may have genes that make them more likely to develop primary headaches.

Types of primary headaches include:

• Tension-type headaches (most common type of headache).
• Migraine headaches.
• Cluster headaches.
• New daily persistent headaches (NDPH).

Some primary headaches can be triggered by lifestyle factors or situations, including:

• Alcohol, particularly red wine.
• Certain foods, such as processed meats that contain nitrates (food-triggered headaches).
• Consuming nicotine (nicotine headache).
• Changes in sleep or lack of sleep.
• Poor posture.
• Physical activity, such as exercise (exertion headaches).
• Skipped meals (hunger headache).
• Coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, straining (such as when having a bowel movement), or laughing or crying vigorously (primary cough headaches).

Primary headaches typically aren’t dangerous, but they can be very painful and disrupt your day-to-day life.

Secondary headaches

An underlying medical condition causes secondary headaches. They’re considered a symptom or sign of a condition.

Types of secondary headaches that aren’t necessarily dangerous and resolve once the underlying condition is treated include:

• Dehydration headache.
• Sinus headaches.
• Medication overuse headaches.

Treatments

Treatment for headaches depends on the type.

One of the most crucial aspects of treating primary headaches is figuring out your triggers. Learning what those are — typically by keeping a headache log — can reduce the number of headaches you have.

Once you know your triggers, your healthcare provider can tailor treatment to you. For example, you may get headaches when you’re tense or worried. Counseling and stress management techniques can help you handle this trigger better. By lowering your stress level, you can avoid stress-induced headaches.

Not every headache requires medication. A range of treatments is available. Depending on your headache type, frequency and cause, treatment options include:

• Stress management.
• Biofeedback.
• Medications.
• Treating the underlying medical condition/cause.