Headache

Headache includes many types of head and facial pain. It is the most common form of pain and a major reason people miss work or school. Most headaches are not a cause for concern but if you keep getting them, see your doctor to help find ways to reduce the impact on your life.

When to seek urgent medical care for headache

Sometimes a headache is a sign of a more serious problem. You should get a headache checked right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • a really severe headache that comes on suddenly and gets worse within minutes
  • changes in your vision or eyesight or changes in consciousness
  • feeling sick (nausea), a stiff neck, rash, fever, shakes or sensitivity to light (these are warning signs of meningococcal disease or meningitis)
  • red eye, feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting) – these are signs of some types of glaucoma
  • your headache follows a head injury.

Call Healthline 0800 611 116 if you are unsure what you should do.

What are the different types of headaches?

There are many types of headaches. These vary in their causes, how they feel, how severe they are, how long they last and how they respond to different treatments.

Type of headache Description
Tension headache
  • This is the most common type of headache.
  • It usually begins with shoulder or neck tension and may feel like a tight band around your head, a dull ache on both sides of your head, or a heavy weight on top of your head.
  • Tension headache can last for a few hours to days and they tend to develop later in the day.
  • They are usually brought on by lifestyle issues such as working too much or not getting enough sleep, poor posture and emotional stress or anxiety.
Read more about tension headache.
Migraine
  • In migraine the pain is usually one-sided, throbbing, quite intense and can make you feel weak and exhausted. They last from a few hours to days.
  • Migraine most commonly brings other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and aversion to light and noise.
  • Some people may have a migraine aura before the headache begins, which could be problems with your eyes such as seeing zig-zag lines, dizziness, or a pins-and-needles feeling.
  • More women than men suffer from migraine, and it is common in children, teenagers and young adults but may begin at any age.
  • Treatment of migraines includes lifestyle changes and using medications for relief or, in some cases, using preventive medicines to stop a migraine from happening.
Read more about migraine.
Cluster headache
  • Cluster headaches often occur at night and usually cause sudden pain on one side of your head – often around your eye.
  • They can happen several times a day for a period of time, then disappear for months or years.
  • If you get cluster headaches, try to identify the triggers and avoid those things. If they become a problem, see your doctor.
Sinus headache
  • Sinus headache is described as pain around the eyes, forehead, cheeks or teeth which gets worse when leaning forward. It can be dull or severe.
  • It is often associated with other symptoms of sinusitis such as a blocked or stuffy nose, feeling of pressure inside your head, mucus from your nose and a post-nasal drip.
Read more about sinusitis.
Medication overuse headache
  • Medication overuse (or rebound) headache can happen from using too much pain relief medication to treat headaches.
  • It may feel like a tension-type headache or migraine-like attack. Headaches often improve within 2 to 4 weeks of withdrawal of the overused medicine but can feel worse before improvement is seen.
  • To avoid this, limit the use of pain relief medication – use them for the shortest possible time, only when you have pain. For example, paracetamol and NSAIDs should not be taken for headache on more than 15 days per month and triptans for migraine should not be used for more than 10 days per month.

What causes headaches?

The cause of headache will usually depend on the type of headache. There are many different causes of headaches including:

  • muscle tension
  • an infection elsewhere in your body
  • inflamed arteries (which cause migraine or cluster headaches)
  • the toxic effects of alcohol or other substances.

Headaches can be triggered by stress, tiredness, dehydration, hunger, certain foods, constipation, eyestrain, noise or bright light.

When should I see my doctor about headaches?

Usually, headaches go away given time, rest and/or treatment with a pain relief medication. You should see your doctor if:

  • your headaches remain frequent, persistent or worsen
  • you get no relief from simple pain relievers
  • you take simple pain relievers more than twice a week
  • you were headache-free but now get them
  • your headache is triggered by standing up, coughing, straining, physical exertion or sexual intercourse
  • you are over 50 and start to get regular headaches or there is face or jaw pain.

If a friend or family member has any of the urgent symptoms listed in the box at the top of this page, seek immediate medical help.

Call Healthline 0800 611 116 if you are unsure what you should do.

When should I have an imaging test for headaches?

Not everyone with headaches needs to have an imaging test. In some cases, you may need a CT or MRI scan if:

  • your doctor could not diagnose your headache based on your history and examination
  • your doctor finds something abnormal in your examination
  • you have unusual headaches or headaches caused by a more serious problem. 

Your doctor will advise what is best for you. Read more about when you should have an imaging test for headaches Choosing Wisely, NZ

How can I describe my headaches?

  • Where is the pain? Is it on one side or both, behind your eye(s), forehead.
  • How severe are they? You can describe how severe your pain is using on a scale of 1 to 10. See ways to describe pain.
  • What do they feel like? Is it vice-like, stabbing, throbbing, splitting.
  • How long do they last? This could be minutes, hours or days.
  • How often do they occur?  Are they daily, monthly, only at certain times of the day, only on weekends or weekdays?
  • When do they occur? Is it on waking, in the afternoon or at work?
  • How do they start? Does the pain develop over hours or does it begin suddenly?
  • When did you start getting headaches? Was it childhood, adolescence or middle age?
  • What triggers them? This could be some foods, alcohol, caffeine, exertion, noise, bright light, hunger, stress, tiredness, weather.
  • What else do you feel? This may include neck or shoulder tension, sinus pain, tender scalp, jaw pain, being sick (nausea or vomiting).
  • Is your vision affected? For example do you have blind spots, strange lights or patterns?
  • What treatment do you take?
  • How effective was the treatment?

What can I do if I have a headache?

The treatment of your headache will depend on the cause and will vary depending on the specific type of headache. Here are a few general things you can do.

  • drink a large glass of water
  • take pain relief medication
  • rest in a dark, quiet room
  • have someone give you a head, neck and shoulder massage
  • relax in a warm bath
  • if headaches or migraines are recurring, track with a headache diary to help you look for triggers or patterns. This can also be useful to show your doctor.

If you get headaches three or more times a month, your doctor may recommend preventive treatment.

What can I do to prevent headaches?

Lifestyle changes can help prevent headaches. Getting more exercise, avoiding known stresses or triggers, improving your sleep and diet can all help a lot.

  • trigger avoidance
    • if you know what causes your headaches (eg, alcohol, chocolate, cheese) it’s best to avoid these things if you can.
  • dietary changes
    • keep your blood-sugar levels even by eating small amounts of a balanced diet regularly
    • you may find keeping a headache diary useful for identifying if certain foods trigger your headaches and need to be avoided.
  • stress reduction
    • try to make time in your day to do something you find relaxing – have a bath, go for a walk, laugh with friends.
  • regular exercise
    • activities such as swimming or vigorous walking can help reduce the frequency and severity of headaches.

Learn more

Headache Ministry of Health, NZ, 2012
Range of migraine and headache topics American Migraine Foundation

References

  1. Diagnosing and managing headache in adult in primary care BPAC, NZ, 2017
  2. Headache in primary care BPAC, NZ, 2007
Credits: Health Navigator Editorial Team. Last reviewed: 11 Apr 2018