FAST FACTS: Headache
A headache is pain in the head or neck. There are over 200 types of headaches which can be a symptom of many different conditions with causes ranging from harmless to life-threatening. Description of the headache along with other findings by a healthcare professional will determine the most appropriate treatment.
Types of Headaches
- Primary Headaches occur on their own with no detectable underlying cause
- Migraine - pulsating in character, affecting one side of head, associated with nausea, can be disabling in severity, lasting 3 hours to 3 days
- Trigeminal Neuralgia - a shooting pain in face
- Tension - band-like or squeezing; may be brought on by stress
- Cluster - severe pains that occur together in bouts
- Secondary Headaches are caused by an underlying condition or disease
- Brian tumor
- Stroke
- Medication overuse
- Head injury
Red Flag Symptoms: These should be reported to a healthcare provider immediately
- Sudden onset, new or different headache in someone over 50
- Mental confusion and/or vision problems
- Headache made worse by exertion, coughing, or straining
- Headaches in people with HIV, cancer, or at risk for blood clot
- Headache with fever, vomiting, weakness, or neck stiffness
Assessment is Key
- Treatment of a headache depends on the underlying cause
- Not all headaches require medical attention, and most respond with simple over the counter pain medications such as acetaminophen, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen
What Else You Should Do
- Write down and share information about your pain with your healthcare provider
- Use a Pain Diary to note important information useful to the healthcare provider
- Try a non-drug treatment and document the impact on their pain in their Pain Diary
References:
- WebMD. September 14, 2020. Headache Basics. Accessed 3.13.2022. https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/migraines-headaches-basics
- Cleveland Clinic. June 3, 2020. Headaches. Accessed 3.13.2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9639-headaches Revised 3/2020
