We’ve all been there. The pressure is in a band around your head. The dull ache is right behind both eyes and behind the nose. The dull throb in your temples that isn’t diminishing as the day goes on. Headaches are part of life.
For many people, headaches come and go. They’re temporary. Often, a decongestant or over-the-counter pain reliever eases the headache pain. When is a headache more than a “normal” headache? When is it a warning sign that something’s wrong and urgent care is essential? Premium Urgent Care dives in.
Common, Every Day Headaches: Causes and Solutions
Most headaches are no more than a literal pain. Normal headaches are distracting and uncomfortable, but they’re not anything to stress over. They happen for a number of reasons.
1. Cluster Headaches
Extremely painful headaches, typically near one eye, are cluster headaches: They often appear at the same time of day for days or weeks before vanishing again. Other symptoms like nasal congestion and red, watery eyes accompany the pain.
There’s no known cause of cluster headaches. Some medical experts believe they could be tied to the body’s release of serotonin or a histamine response. Treatment options include oxygen therapy, steroids, calcium channel blockers, nerve pain medications, and serotonin receptors.
2. Migraines
A headache that presents as a throbbing pain that can even make you nauseous or vomit is a migraine. Around 13.5% of the U.S. population experiences migraines. You might find they worsen in bright light or with loud sounds or with music. Some people experience an aura with their migraines.
A migraine with aura is often referred to as a classic migraine. About one in four migraine sufferers experience migraine with aura. In addition to the throbbing headache, you experience visual disturbances like bright lights or flashes, hear music or sounds that aren’t there, or feel pins and needles.
Common triggers of migraines are:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Anxiety and stress
- Bright lights
- Caffeine
- Exercise
- Heat
- Loud noises
- Menstruation
- Nitrates
- Poor sleep
- Skipping meals
- Smoke
- Weather
Avoiding triggers is important. It’s also important to make an appointment with your doctor, as there are effective migraine treatments.
3. Sinus Headaches
If you have allergies, a cold, or a sinus infection, you’ve experienced a sinus headache. It’s best described as pressure-pain behind the eyes, cheekbones, and bridge of the nose. Pressure is exactly why it happens.
Your face has four paired nasal cavities that are located:
- Ethmoid sinuses: along the lower bridge of the nose to the side of the eyes
- Frontal sinuses: above the eyes on the lower portion of the forehead
- Maxillary sinuses: near the cheekbones
- Sphenoid sinuses: along the upper bridge of the nose to the side of the eyes
When you have a sinus headache, you often experience other symptoms like a runny nose, nasal congestion, and watery eyes. A common cold, allergies, or sinus infection causes inflammation in the nasal cavities. That inflammation produces pressure from the swelling and congestion. It’s that inflammation that triggers the pain/pressure you feel.
Treating the sinus infection, cold, or allergy is the first step. Once those underlying issues are treated, sinus headache pain diminishes.
4. Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are common. You feel a band of pressure or tightness around the head. It’s linked to muscle tension in the neck, often due to stress and poor posture.
Because many Californians have long commutes and work behind a desk for hours each day, tension headaches are part of life. Poor posture in front of a computer or when driving a car helps increase the risk of tension headaches.
Over-the-counter pain medications help ease the pain of a tension headache. Improving your posture and taking frequent breaks from the computer screen are also important.
Headaches That Are Red Flags: What to Do Next
Most headaches are nothing to worry about. There are some headaches that are red flags that require immediate medical attention.
1. Headache Accompanied by a Fever and Stiff Neck
Meningitis is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes. When there is this inflammation, the key indicators are a stiff neck, headache, and fever.
Seek urgent medical care immediately, as the infection must be treated. Bacterial infections often require a hospital stay and IV medications. Other causes are viruses, fungal infections, and parasites. In each case, testing is necessary to determine the severity and type of meningitis.
2. Headache After a Head Injury
Following a head injury, it’s important to monitor for a worsening headache. Even a small bump to the head can become a dangerous situation if there is any brain bleeding.
If the headache is accompanied by dizziness, memory loss, or vomiting, seek medical attention at an urgent care practice. It’s likely you’re experiencing a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and need to be examined for bleeding in the brain.
3. Headache Appearing After the Age of 50
If you’re 50 or older and start experiencing new headaches with jaw or scalp pain, it can be a sign of giant cell arteritis, a condition that can cause blindness if it goes untreated. It’s a good time to go to urgent care.
4. Headache That Worsens or Doesn’t Go Away Over Time
When a headache keeps getting worse or isn’t diminishing, it’s important to seek medical care. There could be something wrong that needs to be treated. Schedule an appointment with your primary care provider or go to urgent care.
A headache that accompanies neurological symptoms can be a sign of a stroke or another neurological disorder. Symptoms to watch for include:
- Difficulty speaking
- Facial drooping
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Seizures
- Vision changes
FAST is an important acronym to memorize. It’s the action plan for a suspected stroke. F- Face, A – Arm, S – Speech, T – Take action by calling 911.
5. Thunderclap Headache
A thunderclap headache is one that comes on quickly and presents with severe pain. It’s important to get help, as this type of headache can indicate a vascular issue within the brain. You might be experiencing a brain hemorrhage. Call 911 to get immediate medical treatment.
Get Headache Care When You Need It
Headaches are part of life, but there are situations where a headache is a medical emergency. Understanding the differences between normal headaches and life-threatening emergencies helps make a difference in your health.
A good rule of thumb is to seek urgent care if you’re not sure. When you’ve had a headache for days that isn’t diminishing or simply aren’t sure it’s normal, Premium Urgent Care’s doctors are here, even on weekends. Check in before you arrive and be seen as quickly as possible.
While we hope your headache is no more than a normal headache, our doctors and nurses are here to help you get the care you need if it’s not.