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Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Types

Conditions

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

Secondary headaches are less common than primary headaches. For example, secondary headache is diagnosed in only 2% to 7% of people who go to the ER for headache symptoms.It’s essential to recognize secondary headaches, however, because they can be serious and, in some cases, even life-threatening.

This article discusses what you should know about secondary headaches, including types, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and coping strategies.

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Young woman touching bridge of nose to relieve headache while resting in bed

Types of Secondary Headaches

A secondary headache is any headache that arises from a specific medical issue. It differs from a primary headache, which is a headache that occurs on its own, such as a cluster, tension, or migraine headache.

A wide range of conditions can cause a secondary headache. The type and severity of a secondary headache depend on the condition causing it. The pain can range from mild to debilitating and can occur anywhere in the head or neck.

Secondary Headaches Causes

Many different medical issues or other causes can trigger a secondary headache. In some cases, they can be a symptom of a serious health condition. There is a long list of secondary headache causes that range from mild to severe.

Some of the less serious causes of secondary headache include:

In some cases, a secondary headache can signal a much more serious health condition, such as:

Secondary headaches can also result from mental health issues, such as:

What Does a Secondary Headache Feel Like?

Symptoms of a secondary headache may be similar to those experienced during a primary headache. However, you may want to see if some other signs and symptoms point to another medical condition that may be causing a secondary headache.

Some symptoms that may point to a secondary headache include:

If you are experiencing a headache of unknown cause or that seemed to show up without warning, consult your healthcare provider. They may recommend a physical examination or another diagnostic test to determine if there is an underlying medical condition.

It is difficult to distinguish between primary and secondary headaches without an examination from your healthcare provider. They may want to do a physical exam or other diagnostic tests, such as:

Your healthcare provider may also look at additional information to determine whether you are experiencing a primary or secondary headache, such as:

An essential part of diagnosing secondary headaches is determining what the underlying condition causing them might be.

SNOOP Detection ToolHealthcare providers will also use theSNOOPtool (which stands for systemic symptoms/signs and disease, neurologic symptoms or signs, onset sudden or onset after the age of 40 years, and change of headache pattern) to detect a secondary headache.

SNOOP Detection Tool

Healthcare providers will also use theSNOOPtool (which stands for systemic symptoms/signs and disease, neurologic symptoms or signs, onset sudden or onset after the age of 40 years, and change of headache pattern) to detect a secondary headache.

How Secondary Headaches Are Treated

Talk to your healthcare provider about treatment for your medical issue that is causing a secondary headache to determine the right course of action for you.

Summary

A secondary headache is a headache that can originate from a variety of underlying medical issues that cause pain in the head or neck. They are much less common than primary headaches. However, they are essential to recognize because they can be serious or even life-threatening in some cases.

5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wijeratne T, Wijeratne C, Korajkic N, Bird S, Sales C, Riederer F.Secondary headaches - red and green flags and their significance for diagnostics.eNeurological Sci. 2023;32:100473. doi:10.1016/j.ensci.2023.100473American Migraine Foundation.Secondary headaches.Sharma TL.Common primary and secondary causes of headache in the elderly.Headache. 2018;58(3):479-484. doi:10.1111/head.13252Do TP, Remmers A, Schytz HW, et al.Red and orange flags for secondary headaches in clinical practice: SNNOOP10 list.Neurology. 2019;92(3):134-144. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000006697American Headache Society.Red flags in headache—What if it isn’t migraine?

5 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wijeratne T, Wijeratne C, Korajkic N, Bird S, Sales C, Riederer F.Secondary headaches - red and green flags and their significance for diagnostics.eNeurological Sci. 2023;32:100473. doi:10.1016/j.ensci.2023.100473American Migraine Foundation.Secondary headaches.Sharma TL.Common primary and secondary causes of headache in the elderly.Headache. 2018;58(3):479-484. doi:10.1111/head.13252Do TP, Remmers A, Schytz HW, et al.Red and orange flags for secondary headaches in clinical practice: SNNOOP10 list.Neurology. 2019;92(3):134-144. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000006697American Headache Society.Red flags in headache—What if it isn’t migraine?

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Wijeratne T, Wijeratne C, Korajkic N, Bird S, Sales C, Riederer F.Secondary headaches - red and green flags and their significance for diagnostics.eNeurological Sci. 2023;32:100473. doi:10.1016/j.ensci.2023.100473American Migraine Foundation.Secondary headaches.Sharma TL.Common primary and secondary causes of headache in the elderly.Headache. 2018;58(3):479-484. doi:10.1111/head.13252Do TP, Remmers A, Schytz HW, et al.Red and orange flags for secondary headaches in clinical practice: SNNOOP10 list.Neurology. 2019;92(3):134-144. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000006697American Headache Society.Red flags in headache—What if it isn’t migraine?

Wijeratne T, Wijeratne C, Korajkic N, Bird S, Sales C, Riederer F.Secondary headaches - red and green flags and their significance for diagnostics.eNeurological Sci. 2023;32:100473. doi:10.1016/j.ensci.2023.100473

American Migraine Foundation.Secondary headaches.

Sharma TL.Common primary and secondary causes of headache in the elderly.Headache. 2018;58(3):479-484. doi:10.1111/head.13252

Do TP, Remmers A, Schytz HW, et al.Red and orange flags for secondary headaches in clinical practice: SNNOOP10 list.Neurology. 2019;92(3):134-144. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000006697

American Headache Society.Red flags in headache—What if it isn’t migraine?

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