There are many types of headaches. Although not all headaches are the same, they all involve pain. But many headaches also cause other unwanted symptoms, including nausea and vomiting. Headache symptoms can vary depending on the type.
Migraine Headache Symptoms
If you feel throbbing pain that begins on one side of your head, along with nausea or sensitivity to sound and light, you may have migraine.
Symptoms vary from person to person and from episode to episode. Different phases can often be identified:
Prodrome. You may have a variety of warnings before a migraine attack. These include a change in mood (for example, feeling "high," cranky, or depressed) or a subtle change in sensation (such as noticing a funny taste or smell). Fatigue and muscle tension are also common. Some people have food cravings, constipation, or yawning.
Aura. This is usually a visual disturbance. Some people with migraines get blind spots (called scotomas), see geometric patterns or flashing colorful lights, or lose vision on one side (hemianopsia).
Headache. Most people with migraine headaches feel nauseated, and some may vomit. Most also become sensitive to light (photophobia) and sound (phonophobia) during a migraine episode. This phase may last 4-72 hours.
Headache termination. Even without treatment, the pain usually goes away with sleep.
Postdrome. Other signs of the migraine (for example, inability to eat, problems with concentration, or fatigue) may remain even after the pain has disappeared.
Sinus Headache Symptoms
If you feel a steady pain in the area behind your face that worsens if you bend forward, along with nasal congestion — you may have a sinus headache. This type can lead to:
Tension Headache Symptoms
If you feel a dull, steady pain that feels like a band tightening around your head, you may have a tension headache. There are different types:
Episodic tension headaches (happening less than 15 days per month)
- There is mild to moderate, constant, band-like pain or pressure.
- Pain affects the front, top, or sides of the head.
- Pain usually begins gradually and often happens in the middle of the day.
- Pain may last 30 minutes to several days.
Chronic tension headaches (happening more than 15 days per month)
- The level of pain may vary throughout the day, but the pain is almost always present.
- Pain comes and goes over a long period.
Symptoms of tension headaches include:
- Headache when you wake up
- Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep
- Chronic fatigue
- Crankiness
- Trouble concentrating
- Mild sensitivity to light or noise
- General muscle aching
Cluster Headache Symptoms
With this type of headache, you’ll probably notice:
- Intense pain on one side of your head. People often describe it as burning, piercing, throbbing, or constant.
- Pain behind or around one eye that doesn’t change sides.
- Pain that lasts a short time, generally 30 to 90 minutes (but can last three hours). The headache may disappear, only to come back later that day. (Most people with this type get one to three headaches, and some even get up to eight per day, during a cluster period.)
- Headaches happen very regularly, generally at the same time each day, and often awaken the person at the same time during the night.
Hormonal Headache Symptoms
Also called a "menstrual migraine" or "period headache," this type occurs before or after your menstrual cycle begins. As its name implies, these headache symptoms come from the hormonal changes that take place during your menstrual cycle.
When do these headache symptoms begin?
Right before your period, your estrogen hormone levels undergo a big drop. This can cause you to have a headache. About 60% of people who menstruate report having migraine headaches at the onset of their periods.
These headaches tend to be more painful than common headaches. They typically occur on one side of your head and may last several hours or days.
Hormonal headache symptoms
- Sensitivity to light, noise, and smell
- Dull to severe pain, usually around the forehead
- Dizziness
- Loss of appetite and fatigue
- Scalp tenderness or pain
- Blurry vision
- Nausea, vomiting, or stomach upset
- Feeling very hot or cold
Anyone who menstruates is at risk for a hormonal headache, especially if they're otherwise prone to migraine headaches.
Hypertension Headache Symptoms
In cases of mildly or moderately high blood pressure, there are mostly no symptoms. However, if your blood pressure is 180/120 mm Hg or higher (what doctors call a hypertensive crisis), you may have a headache as a symptom. A hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency, and you should seek help right away.
There's no convincing evidence that symptoms of hypertension headache are different from those of other headaches. However, a headache from highly elevated blood pressure may come with other symptoms such as:
- Blurry vision
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Chest pain
Rebound Headache Symptoms
Also called medication overuse headaches, these come from longtime or daily use of headache medication such as those used to treat migraine. Taking these meds more than a couple of times a week can trigger a "rebound" in headache symptoms.
Rebound headaches from pain relievers only tend to happen in people with a history of headaches. People who take pain relievers daily for other medical issues (such as arthritis) typically don't get these headaches.
Rebound headache symptoms vary, but typical symptoms include:
- Waking up with daily headaches
- Relief with pain medicine, but the headache returns as the medicine wears off
- Problems with concentration and memory
- Restlessness and irritability
- Nausea
Inform your doctor if you think you have rebound headaches, if the pattern of your headaches changes, or if you use medicine for headache pain more than a couple of times a week or more pain relievers than recommended.
When to Call Your Doctor About Your Headache Symptoms
Call your doctor right away if you:
- Have a kind of headache that you've never felt before, especially if it occurs first thing in the morning, causes vomiting, and improves during the day
- Have a high fever and severe pain with nausea and a stiff neck, which may indicate meningitis
- Are drowsy with dizziness, vertigo, nausea, or vomiting after a head injury, which could indicate a concussion
- Have headaches that are very painful or keep coming back
When to Call 911 About Your Headache Symptoms
Call 911 immediately if you or someone near you has:
- A sudden, severe headache, which can be described as the "worst headache of your life." Or if you have had a seizure, are confused, have passed out, or have a behavior change. These may be signs of a stroke.
- A severe headache with vomiting, limb weakness, double vision, slurred speech, or trouble swallowing. This may signal a stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, or an aneurysm.
- A headache that feels more severe, frequent, or different from those you've had before.
- A headache with a high fever, stiff neck, or difficulty eating or drinking, which may lead to malnutrition or dehydration.
- A headache that develops or persists after a head injury or trauma.
Takeaways
Headache symptoms can vary according to type and cause. Their frequency and intensity can vary too. Primary headaches are ones in which the headache is the main medical issue. Secondary headaches are caused by an underlying medical problem. Migraine, cluster, and tension are types of primary headaches, each with its own specific symptoms. Typical headaches come on slowly and can include general symptoms, such as:
- Pain on both sides of the head
- Dull pain or tightness like a band around the head
- Pain at the base of the neck or back of the head
- Mild to moderate pain
Headache Symptoms FAQs
Why do we have headaches?
Several factors can trigger a headache. Your shoulders may tighten from stress, leading to tension headaches. Hunger can trigger a headache, and certain foods can cause migraine. Drinking alcohol, environmental triggers such as bright light, smoke, strong scents, cold, and hormonal changes can bring on headaches too.
How do I know if my headache is serious?
See a health care provider immediately if your headache:
- Interferes with daily life.
- Accompanies changes to your vision or speech, or if you have difficulty walking or weakness on one side. These can all be signs of a stroke.
- Gets increasingly worse and you notice changes in your behavior (or someone else's); this may indicate a benign or cancerous brain tumor.
- Is sudden and severe — "the worst headache of your life" — which could indicate an aneurysm, a weakening of blood vessels in your brain.
- Comes along with a high fever or stiff neck, which may indicate meningitis.
What is the cause of everyday headaches?
An everyday, or routine, headache can be caused by food and environmental triggers as well as stress, hunger, or lack of sleep. You should see a doctor if you have a headache every day.
How to get a headache to go away
Treatment can depend on the type of headache you have. Generally, rest, hot or cold compresses on your head, massage, over-the-counter pain relievers, or even a bit of caffeine may help relieve your headache symptoms. For migraines, you may have to take prescription medicines.
What type of headache is alarming?
Headaches that indicate a serious underlying condition such as stroke, a brain tumor, meningitis, or a brain injury are serious and call for immediate medical attention. Pay careful attention to a headache that's the worst pain you've ever had, one that gets progressively worse, one that changes your behavior or personality, or a headache that develops after a head injury or trauma.
How do you relieve a tension headache?
Start by making healthy choices in your lifestyle and diet. Limit stress. Eat healthy foods and try to eat meals on a regular schedule. Exercise and keep a regular sleep schedule. Try to avoid too much caffeine and stop smoking if you can. Limit your use of over-the-counter pain relievers to no more than twice a week.
How long should cluster headaches last?
These rare but recurring headaches occur in groups, or clusters, with a single attack lasting from about one to three hours. Cluster headache symptoms may appear several times a day, but they may go away as quickly as they appeared for months or years.
How do you make a migraine go away?
Migraines can be relieved by sitting or lying in a quiet, dark room and sleeping if you can. Use a hot or cold compress where the pain occurs or take a warm bath or shower. Sip a small amount of a caffeinated beverage. If you've been prescribed migraine medicine, take it at the first sign of your headache.
