Headaches are pain or discomfort in your head or face. They can be primary, which means that the headache itself is the main medical problem, or secondary, which is a headache caused by another medical issue. The three types of headaches are cluster, tension, and migraine.
Headaches have many causes, but the most common are:
- Tight muscles
- Stress
- Illnesses such as colds or sinus infections
- Migraines
- Hormone changes
- Dehydration
- Medications
- Certain foods or a poor diet
- Neck injuries
- Eye issues
- High blood pressure
- Jaw or tooth issues
It's very rare that a headache is caused by a serious issue.
In most cases, headaches will go away on their own. Talk to your healthcare provider if your headache doesn't go away within a few days, happen often, get worse over time, or are severe. You should get help immediately if you have symptoms like confusion, fainting, a high fever, trouble seeing or speaking, any paralysis or trouble walking, or vomiting without an apparent cause in addition to a headache.