Headache

Introduction: Headache

Almost everyone gets an occasional headache and they are usually harmless. On the other hand, headache is a symptom of numerous conditions ranging from common cold, flu, or a hangover to very severe conditions such as meningitis, stroke, or a brain tumor (see full list of conditions with symptoms of headache). Because of the range of possible causes, correct diagnosis is very important.

Sudden headache depends on what is meant by "sudden" and can indicate some extremely severe conditions if its onset is rapid, severe, or seems unusual. A headache that comes on reasonably slowly over a period, such as in the afternoon at work, is most likely common headache or a tension headache. But the very rapid arrival of a headache, particularly an excruciating headache, can be a variety of very serious conditions like cerebral aneurysm or other brain condition. Also surprisingly common but not well-known is the sexual headache from sexual exertion that can cause a severe headache that can come on very quickly. Sudden and severe headache can also indicate numerous dangerous conditions (e.g. meningitis, stroke); seek professional medical advice immediately for persistent headache, excruciating headache, headache not responding to medication, or a "worst ever headache". A severe headache that wakes you in the night or a severe headache on waking up in the morning can also indicate a severe brain condition that may have occurred during sleep. If there is any doubt, seek immediate professional medical help. Sudden headache can also be the first instance of a chronic headache problem and hence caused by the various causes of chronic headache.

Chronic headache affects millions of people. There are various headaches that can occur chronically such as migraine, cluster headache, or tension headache. Chronic headache can also occur due to various underlying conditions, medications, or toxins.

Symptoms of Headache

• Confusion
• Memory problems
• Headaches
• Vision problems

Medical Textbooks Online about Headache

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Headache

• Blood tests
• Thyroid function tests
• CBC - for anemia
• Head X-rays
• Head CT scan

See full list of 9 diagnostic tests for Headache

Wrongly Diagnosed with Headache?

• Misdiagnosis of Headache
• Failure to diagnose Headache
• Underlying causes of Headache (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose Headache

Misdiagnosis and Headache

Migraine an undiagnosed cause of headache: It is surprising that many migraine sufferers are not initially diagnosed. Although the condition is fairly well known, there are also...read more »

Leg cramps at night a classic sign: The symptom of having leg muscle cramps, particularly at night, is a classic sign of undiagnosed diabetes. However, there are also various other causes. See...read more »

Mild traumatic brain injury often remains undiagnosed: Although the symptoms of severe brain injury are hard to miss, it is less clear for milder injuries, or even those causing a mild concussion diagnosis. The...read more »

MTBI misdiagnosed as balance problem: When a person has symptoms such as vertigo or dizziness, a diagnosis of brain injury may go overlooked. This is...read more »

Post-concussive brain injury often misdiagnosed: A study found that soldiers who had suffered a concussive injury in battle often were misdiagnosed on...read more »

Children with migraine often misdiagnosed: A migraine often fails to be correctly diagnosed in pediatric patients. These patients are not the typical migraine sufferers, but migraines can also...read more »

Hypertension misdiagnosis common in children: Hypertension is often misdiagnosed in adults (see misdiagnosis of hypertension), but its misdiagnosis is even...read more »

Pituitary conditions often undiagnosed cause of symptoms: There are a variety of symptoms that can be caused by a pituitary disorder (see symptoms of pituitary disorders). For example, ...read more »

Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See ...read more »

Glaucoma-red eye: Acute angle closure glaucoma is a medical emergency and can very often be misdiagnosed when it makes an atypical presentation.It occurs...read more »

Pheochromocytoma can mimic an anxiety attack: Pheochromocytoma is a tumour of the adrenal glands which secretes excessive amounts of catecholamines such as epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. It usually occurs in young patients and is not...read more »

Weil's disease has poor outcome in severe cases: Leptospirosis( Weil's disesase) is a zoonotic condition which occurs due to the entry of spirochetes called leptospira. Transmission occurs by direct contact with the body fluid of...read more »

Rash of Dengue can be misdiagnosed: Dengue fever also known as 'breakbone fever' is a mosquito borne viral infection. The most common clinical presentation is that of severe headache, eye pain, fever, joint pain and the...read more »

Immediate care in extradural haematoma: Extradural haematoma is a surgical emergency because it can lead to death if the clot is not removed promptly. It usually occurs following a head injury that has resulted...read more »

Rare cases of headache: Headache is one of the common symptoms presenting in general practice. It needs a sound diagnostic and management strategy as the...read more »

Ross river fever an epidemic polyarthritic condition: Ross river fever is prevalent in mosquito prone areas and in tropical regions. It can occur in all age groups but presents most commonly between 20- 30...read more »

Hidden cancer- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: This is a cancer which occurs in the nasopharynx - an area located behind the nose and above the throat. Vague...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Headache

Causes of Headache

• See also causes of symptom headache
• Infection
  • Common cold
  • Flu
  • Fever - headaches are common with fever from any type of infection

See full list of 67 causes of Headache

More information about causes of Headache:

• Triggers for Headache
• Medications, drugs, or substances causing Headache (2776 listings)
• Drug interactions causing Headache (2307 listings)
• Underlying causes of Headache
• Headache as a complication caused by other conditions
• Headache as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Headache

Treatments for Headache

• Aspirin
• Acetaminophen
• Ibuprofen
• Paracetamol
• Biofeedback

See full list of 10 treatments for Headache

Videos for Headache

Patient Surveys for Headache

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Headache
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Prognosis for Headache

Prognosis for Headache: Depends on subtype and cause of headache; common headache usually harmless.

More about prognosis of Headache

Reseach about Headache

Visit our research pages for current research about Headache treatments.

Clinical Trials for Headache

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Headache include:

• Propofol Injection for Daily Headache - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Propofol
• Psychological Assessment and Treatment of Chronic Benign Headache - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Sumatritpan 4 mg Statdose in the Acute Treatment of Cluster Headache - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Sumatriptan 4mg Statdose injection
• A Study Comparing the Effectiveness and Safety of ULTRACET (Tramadol HCl/Acetaminophen) Versus Placebo for the Treatment of Acute Pain From a Migraine Headache - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - tramadol HCl/acetaminophen
• Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Topiramate in Preventing the Transformation From Episodic Migraine to Chronic Daily Headache. - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Topiramate

See full list of 147 Clinical Trials for Headache

Statistics for Headache

• Medical statistics for Headache
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Headache
• Death and Mortality statistics for Headache
• Society statistics for Headache

Types of Headache

• Common Headache
• Migraine
• Sexual headache
• Cluster headache
• Tension headache

See full list of 13 Types of Headache

Stories from Users Related to Headache

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Definitions of Headache:

Pain in various parts of the head, not confined to the area of distribution of any nerve. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Pain in the head caused by dilation of cerebral arteries or muscle contractions or a reaction to drugs - (Source - WordNet 2.1)