Headaches
Most headaches are not serious. In many cases, you can treat your headache at home.
Phone 999 or go to A&E if you have a headache and:
- it began after a severe head injury
- it started suddenly and is very severe – it may feel like a blinding pain
- new sudden symptoms of a stroke, like being unable to walk, having weakness down one side of the face or body, or slurred speech
- symptoms of meningitis or sepsis, like a high fever with a stiff neck
- are not responding normally, or are very drowsy and struggling to stay awake
- visual problems that are new and different to any you’ve experienced before, and are not related to a migraine
Contact your GP practice immediately if you have a headache and:
- also feel more confused than usual
- the whole of your eye is red
- changes in your vision
- it does not go away and gets worse over time
- is triggered suddenly by coughing, laughing, sneezing, changing posture, or physical effort
- as well as a sore scalp, or jaw pain while chewing, and you’re over 50 years old
- that is new or getting worse, and you’re dizzy, vomiting or feeling weak
- are immunocompromised
- are pregnant or have just given birth
- have been in contact with carbon monoxide
- have a blood clotting disorder (haemophilia) or are taking blood thinning medicine (like warfarin or apixaban)
If your GP practice is closed, phone 111.
Speak to your GP practice if:
- a headache that is getting worse despite treatment
- frequent or painful headaches that affect your daily activities or cause you to miss work
- a headache that wakes you up when you’re sleeping
- a headache and currently have, or have had, cancer
Headache self-help guide
Advice for adults with headaches.
Complete our self-help guide to check your symptoms and find out what to do next.
Your local pharmacy can provide:
- advice about headache
- treatments to help relieve headache
How you can help your headache yourself
Do
- rest
- take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen
- drink plenty of fluids
- relax (if stress is the cause)
- take regular exercise
Tension type headache
Tension type headache is the most common type of headache. It’s what we think of as normal, ‘everyday’ headaches. It feels like a constant ache that affects both sides of the head, as though a tight band is stretched around it.
Normally, tension type headache is not severe enough to prevent you doing everyday activities. It can last from 30 minutes to several days.
What causes tension type headache?
The exact cause is unclear, but tension type headache has been linked to things like:
- stress
- poor posture
- skipping meals
- dehydration
How to treat tension type headache
You can usually treat tension type headache with painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen. Lifestyle changes may also help, for example:
- getting regular sleep
- reducing stress
- staying well hydrated
Migraine headache
Migraine headache is less common than tension type headache. It’s usually felt as moderate to severe throbbing pain at the front or side of the head. Some people also have other symptoms, like:
- nausea
- vomiting
- increased sensitivity to light or sound
Migraine headache can stop you carrying out your normal daily activities. It usually lasts at least a couple of hours without treatment. Some people find they need to stay in bed for days at a time.
Cluster headache
Cluster headache is a rare type of headache. It occurs in clusters of daily short lasting headaches for a month or two around the same time of year. Cluster headache is very painful and affects only one side of the head. The pain is usually around the eye, and can be accompanied by restlessness or other symptoms like:
- watering or red eye
- blocked or runny nose
These symptoms will happen on the same side of the head as the cluster pain.
Over-the-counter painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen do not usually ease the symptoms of cluster headache. Your GP can prescribe treatments to ease the pain and help prevent further attacks.
Medication overuse headache
You might experience chronic daily headache if you take painkillers frequently. It usually happens in people who experience frequent tension type headache or migraine. It may also happen if you take frequent painkillers for a different condition.
It’s important to try to reduce the number of days that you take painkillers to avoid this complication. Normally, you should not take painkillers on more than 10 days every month.
Medication overuse headache usually gets better a few weeks after you stop taking the medication causing it. But, pain may get worse for a few days before it starts to improve.
Speak to your GP if you’re experiencing headache frequently and are taking painkillers on a regular basis.
Hormone headache
There’s often a link between headache (migraine) and menstruation (periods). Contraception, menopause and pregnancy are also potential triggers.
If you’re experiencing headache around your period, it does not mean that there’s something wrong with your hormones. Speak to your GP if you experience severe headache around your period or after starting hormonal treatment.
Other causes of headache
Headache can also have a number of other causes, including:
- drinking too much alcohol
- a head injury or concussion
- a cold or flu
- temporomandibular disorders – problems affecting the ‘chewing’ muscles and joints between the lower jaw and the base of the skull
- sinusitis – inflammation of the lining of the sinuses
- carbon monoxide poisoning
- sleep apnoea – a condition where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep, interrupting normal breathing
Last updated:
14 March 2024