Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of HeadachesWhat Do Headaches Feel Like?What Causes Headaches?Headache TriggersWhen Does a Headache Indicate Something Serious?Diagnosing a Headache DisorderTreating Headaches at HomeHow to Get Rid of a Headache That Won’t Go AwayTips for Managing Regular HeadachesNext in Headache GuideWhat Your Headache Location Means
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types of Headaches
What Do Headaches Feel Like?
What Causes Headaches?
Headache Triggers
When Does a Headache Indicate Something Serious?
Diagnosing a Headache Disorder
Treating Headaches at Home
How to Get Rid of a Headache That Won’t Go Away
Tips for Managing Regular Headaches
Next in Headache Guide
Headachesare among the most common health concerns people experience, and healthcare providers encounter. Though rarely life-threatening, headaches are debilitating and the second leading cause of years lived with disability globally.
Headaches can be acute (short-term) and resolve independently or chronic (long-term), in which pain and other symptoms recur regularly or persist. Chronic headaches, such as tension, cluster, or migraine, may imply a headache disorder.
This article provides an overview of headaches and their symptoms and discusses how to treat and manage them.
Ol’ga Efimova / EyeEm / Getty Images
Primary Headache
Major primary headache disorders include:
Secondary Headache
Other conditions cause secondary headaches. The most common types of secondary headaches include:
Headache vs. MigraineThe triggers, pain, and duration of headaches and migraines are similar; however, important characteristicsdistinguish migraines from headaches. Migraines are neurological disorders, occurring independently of other conditions and include other symptoms, such as:Nausea and vomitingSensitivity to light, sound, and smellsAura
Headache vs. Migraine
The triggers, pain, and duration of headaches and migraines are similar; however, important characteristicsdistinguish migraines from headaches. Migraines are neurological disorders, occurring independently of other conditions and include other symptoms, such as:Nausea and vomitingSensitivity to light, sound, and smellsAura
The triggers, pain, and duration of headaches and migraines are similar; however, important characteristicsdistinguish migraines from headaches. Migraines are neurological disorders, occurring independently of other conditions and include other symptoms, such as:
Headache Behind Eyes
Headaches cause a variety of symptoms. Depending on the type of headache you have, you may experience the following:
Headache pain is the result of the stimulation of thetrigeminalnerve, which relays sensory signals from the scalp, blood vessels inside and outside of the skull, and themeninges(the membranes that surround and protect the brain), as well as the face, and mouth, neck, ears, eyes, and throat.
When exposed to headache triggers, receptors of the trigeminal nerve callednociceptorsrelay signals to the brain region responsible for processing pain sensations throughout the body (the thalamus).This physiological process can result from either other diseases, injury, or a primary headache disorder.
What Causes Headaches That Last Multiple Days?
Chronic headaches—those occurring 15 or more days a month—and those that persist multiple are debilitating. Causes of headaches that last multiple days include:
Risk Factors for Headache DisordersCertain populations are more at risk for developing primary headache disorders. They are more common among people assigned female at birth, those between the ages of 25 and 50, and people who drink alcohol. People with the following conditions are also at increased risk:ObesityHigh blood pressure(hypertension)DiabetesSleep disordersDepression
Risk Factors for Headache Disorders
Certain populations are more at risk for developing primary headache disorders. They are more common among people assigned female at birth, those between the ages of 25 and 50, and people who drink alcohol. People with the following conditions are also at increased risk:ObesityHigh blood pressure(hypertension)DiabetesSleep disordersDepression
Certain populations are more at risk for developing primary headache disorders. They are more common among people assigned female at birth, those between the ages of 25 and 50, and people who drink alcohol. People with the following conditions are also at increased risk:
Why Do I Wake Up With a Headache?
Your brain’s activity pattern changes as you shift from sleeping to waking, making you more sensitive to pain. Waking up impacts the brain region responsible for sleep cycles and pain processing (the hypothalamus).Factors that lead tomorning headachesinclude alcohol or drug use,sleep apnea(snoring), and insufficient or interrupted sleep.
Exposure to certain stimuli and health conditions can trigger headaches. Triggers vary from person to person and depend on your headache type. Here’s a breakdown of commonly reported headache triggers:
Pregnancy and HeadachePregnancycauses drastic changes inestrogenlevels. As a result, primary headaches like migraine, tension headaches, and trigeminal autonomic cephalgia are more common when you’re expecting, especially in the first trimester andpostpartum period.
Pregnancy and Headache
Pregnancycauses drastic changes inestrogenlevels. As a result, primary headaches like migraine, tension headaches, and trigeminal autonomic cephalgia are more common when you’re expecting, especially in the first trimester andpostpartum period.
Certain headache symptoms may indicate a severe orlife-threatening conditionrequiring emergency medical attention. Call 911 if you or a loved one experiences the following:
There is no specific test for diagnosing headaches. A healthcare provider diagnoses the condition based on a physical assessment and evaluation of your symptoms. They may check vital signs, such as body temperature or blood pressure, to rule out an infection or another condition.
In addition, a healthcare provider, such as aneurologist, will ask about the following:
Imaging isn’t typically necessary to diagnose a headache disorder. However, a healthcare provider may use imaging or additional tests to rule out stroke, hemorrhage, aneurysm, infections, or blood vessel damage. These approaches include:
If you experience a headache, there are some things you can do at home to manage the condition. Steps that you can take include:
Headaches can be difficult, especially if they aren’t going away. If you’re suffering from a persistent headache, such as a migraine orchronic daily headache, medication can help.
Healthcare providers frequently recommendnon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Motrin (ibuprofen), or other over-the-counteranalgesics(painkillers), such as Tylenol (acetaminophen).However, you shouldn’t take these more than three times a week.
A healthcare provider may also prescribe medications to treat persistent headaches, including Ultram (tramadol) and triptans likeOnzetra(sumatriptan),Axert(almotriptan), and others.
Frequent or daily headaches can impact your quality of life. However, various strategies can help prevent or reduce the frequency of attacks, including:
11 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.Saylor D, Steiner TJ.The global burden of headache.Semin Neurol. 2018;38(2):182-190. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1646946National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Headache.Wootton RJ, Kissoon NR.Headache causes and diagnosis in adults. UpToDate.Rizzoli P, Mullally WJ.Headache.Am J Med. 2018;131(1):17-24. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.09.005Rammohan K, Mundayadan SM, Das S, Shaji CV.Migraine and mood disorders: prevalence, clinical correlations and disability.J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2019;10(1):28-33. doi:10.4103/jnrp.jnrp_146_18Schramm S, Tenhagen I, Schmidt B, et al.Prevalence and risk factors of migraine and non-migraine headache in older people: results of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study.Cephalalgia. 2021;41(6):649-664. doi:10.1177/0333102420977183Singh NN, Sahota P.Sleep-related headache and its management.Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2013;15(6):704-722. doi:10.1007/s11940-013-0258-1Kesserwani H.Migraine triggers: an overview of the pharmacology, biochemistry, atmospherics, and their effects on neural networks.Cureus. 2021;13(4):e14243. doi:10.7759/cureus.14243Saldanha IJ, Cao W, Bhuma MR, et al.Management of primary headaches during pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding: a systematic review.Headache. 2021;61(1):11-43. doi:10.1111/head.14041Viera AJ, Antono B.Acute headache in adults: a diagnostic approach.Am Fam Physician.2022;106(3):260-268.Yancey JR, Sheridan R, Koren KG.Chronic daily headache: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician.2014;89(8):642-648.
11 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.Saylor D, Steiner TJ.The global burden of headache.Semin Neurol. 2018;38(2):182-190. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1646946National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Headache.Wootton RJ, Kissoon NR.Headache causes and diagnosis in adults. UpToDate.Rizzoli P, Mullally WJ.Headache.Am J Med. 2018;131(1):17-24. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.09.005Rammohan K, Mundayadan SM, Das S, Shaji CV.Migraine and mood disorders: prevalence, clinical correlations and disability.J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2019;10(1):28-33. doi:10.4103/jnrp.jnrp_146_18Schramm S, Tenhagen I, Schmidt B, et al.Prevalence and risk factors of migraine and non-migraine headache in older people: results of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study.Cephalalgia. 2021;41(6):649-664. doi:10.1177/0333102420977183Singh NN, Sahota P.Sleep-related headache and its management.Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2013;15(6):704-722. doi:10.1007/s11940-013-0258-1Kesserwani H.Migraine triggers: an overview of the pharmacology, biochemistry, atmospherics, and their effects on neural networks.Cureus. 2021;13(4):e14243. doi:10.7759/cureus.14243Saldanha IJ, Cao W, Bhuma MR, et al.Management of primary headaches during pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding: a systematic review.Headache. 2021;61(1):11-43. doi:10.1111/head.14041Viera AJ, Antono B.Acute headache in adults: a diagnostic approach.Am Fam Physician.2022;106(3):260-268.Yancey JR, Sheridan R, Koren KG.Chronic daily headache: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician.2014;89(8):642-648.
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.
Saylor D, Steiner TJ.The global burden of headache.Semin Neurol. 2018;38(2):182-190. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1646946National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Headache.Wootton RJ, Kissoon NR.Headache causes and diagnosis in adults. UpToDate.Rizzoli P, Mullally WJ.Headache.Am J Med. 2018;131(1):17-24. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.09.005Rammohan K, Mundayadan SM, Das S, Shaji CV.Migraine and mood disorders: prevalence, clinical correlations and disability.J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2019;10(1):28-33. doi:10.4103/jnrp.jnrp_146_18Schramm S, Tenhagen I, Schmidt B, et al.Prevalence and risk factors of migraine and non-migraine headache in older people: results of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study.Cephalalgia. 2021;41(6):649-664. doi:10.1177/0333102420977183Singh NN, Sahota P.Sleep-related headache and its management.Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2013;15(6):704-722. doi:10.1007/s11940-013-0258-1Kesserwani H.Migraine triggers: an overview of the pharmacology, biochemistry, atmospherics, and their effects on neural networks.Cureus. 2021;13(4):e14243. doi:10.7759/cureus.14243Saldanha IJ, Cao W, Bhuma MR, et al.Management of primary headaches during pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding: a systematic review.Headache. 2021;61(1):11-43. doi:10.1111/head.14041Viera AJ, Antono B.Acute headache in adults: a diagnostic approach.Am Fam Physician.2022;106(3):260-268.Yancey JR, Sheridan R, Koren KG.Chronic daily headache: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician.2014;89(8):642-648.
Saylor D, Steiner TJ.The global burden of headache.Semin Neurol. 2018;38(2):182-190. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1646946
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Headache.
Wootton RJ, Kissoon NR.Headache causes and diagnosis in adults. UpToDate.
Rizzoli P, Mullally WJ.Headache.Am J Med. 2018;131(1):17-24. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.09.005
Rammohan K, Mundayadan SM, Das S, Shaji CV.Migraine and mood disorders: prevalence, clinical correlations and disability.J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2019;10(1):28-33. doi:10.4103/jnrp.jnrp_146_18
Schramm S, Tenhagen I, Schmidt B, et al.Prevalence and risk factors of migraine and non-migraine headache in older people: results of the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study.Cephalalgia. 2021;41(6):649-664. doi:10.1177/0333102420977183
Singh NN, Sahota P.Sleep-related headache and its management.Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2013;15(6):704-722. doi:10.1007/s11940-013-0258-1
Kesserwani H.Migraine triggers: an overview of the pharmacology, biochemistry, atmospherics, and their effects on neural networks.Cureus. 2021;13(4):e14243. doi:10.7759/cureus.14243
Saldanha IJ, Cao W, Bhuma MR, et al.Management of primary headaches during pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding: a systematic review.Headache. 2021;61(1):11-43. doi:10.1111/head.14041
Viera AJ, Antono B.Acute headache in adults: a diagnostic approach.Am Fam Physician.2022;106(3):260-268.
Yancey JR, Sheridan R, Koren KG.Chronic daily headache: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician.2014;89(8):642-648.
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