I'm A Doctor ― Here's How To Tell What Caused Your Headache And When To Worry

Thankfully, the NHS says that most headaches are benign. 

The common condition can be triggered by things like dehydration, poor posture, drinking booze, not eating enough, and staying up too late. 

However, according to surgeon Dr Reza T, not all headaches are created equal. 

Cluster headaches, tension headaches, and migraines are the three main groups, he says. 

A fourth type, sinus headache, may reveal you’ve got a cold ― and there are signs in all headaches that prove you need to see a GP.

How can I tell the four groups apart?

Tension headaches are the most common form of headache, Dr Reza T says.

Health information site Healthline says these are often brought on by stress. 

If this is what you’re dealing with, “you may feel a dull, aching sensation all over your head. Tenderness or sensitivity around your neck, forehead, scalp, or shoulder muscles also might occur,” Healthline writes. 

Then, there are cluster headaches, which Dr Reza T says are more likely to affect men. 

We aren’t sure what causes cluster headaches, but they can bring on severe burning or piercing pain and may only be felt on one side. You might also notice redness, swelling, and tearing up in one eye. 

Cluster headaches are called that because they appear in groups, each headache lasting from 15 minutes to a couple of hours. These might be far apart of close together and can last for days or longer.

Migraines, which usually last from 4-72 hours, cause “intense pulsing pain deep within your head,” Healthline says. They can make you sensitive to light and sound, appear on one side of the head, and can even cause nausea and vomiting. 

These can be genetic or caused by a condition of the nervous system. 

Then, there’s sinus headaches, which tend to be focused on the front of your head and cause muscle pain in the face. These are likely to be caused by colds, flu, or allergies. 

When should I worry?

Dr Reza T says you should see your doctor if you experience a headache for the first time over the age of 50, if a headache wakes you up, if your headaches rapidly worsen, if you notice major personality changes that are new, or if you get a “thunderclap” headache.

“This is the kind of headache which comes out of nowhere ― people can oftentimes remember exactly where they were and what they were doing” when they noticed the severe, sudden-onset signs, he says. This is worth calling 999 about.

Per the NHS, other signs you need to seek help are if:

• your headache keeps coming back
• painkillers do not help and your headache gets worse
• you have a bad throbbing pain at the front or side of your head – it could be a migraine or, more rarely, a cluster headache
• you feel sick, vomit and find light or noise painful
• you regularly get headaches before or during your period.