Headache

In medicine a headache or cephalalgia is a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head. Some of the causes are benign while others are medical emergencies.

What is a Headache?

Headache is a common health complaint that affects millions of people in the UK. In the majority of cases, headache is not serious and can be easily treated with medication or lifestyle changes such as reducing stress or ensuring a good level of hydration.

Types of Headaches

Headache Causes and Triggers

Using a Headache Diary

What is Sinus Headache?

What is Tension Headache?

What is Vascular Headache?

What is a Cluster Headache?

What is Muscle Contraction Headache?

What is Medication Overuse Headache?

Headache Behind the Eyes: Understanding the Causes

Can Contact Lenses Cause Headaches?

See more featured articles »

Headaches in Children

Headache Related to Eye Problems

Headaches in Children and Teenagers

Headache Evaluation in Children and Teenagers

Body Posture and Migraines

Migraine with Aura vs. Migraine without Aura

Biofeedback Therapy for Headaches

Frequent Headaches after a Traumatic Brain Injury

Does the Location of a Headache Matter?

Cluster Headaches: Treatment and Prevention

Latest Headache News and Research

Sleep disruptions may increase brain volume in the hippocampus

People with breathing problems during sleep may have a larger hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory and thinking, according to a study published in the December 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Dec 2024

Study finds no link between antibiotic use and cognitive decline in older adults

For healthy older adults, using antibiotics is not associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment or dementia, according to a study published in the December 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Dec 2024

Whooping cough cases on the rise, but public awareness of the disease still persists

Following a several-year lull during the pandemic, cases of whooping cough are increasing across the United States.

17 Dec 2024

Blood pressure fluctuations linked to problems with thinking and memory skills

Older adults whose blood pressure fluctuates over time may be more likely to have problems with thinking and memory skills, according to a study published in the December 11, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Dec 2024

Post-COVID health risks: Obesity fuels sequelae, smoking hits memory

Obesity significantly increases the risk of post-COVID-19 long-term sequelae, while smoking is primarily linked to memory disorders but does not raise the risk of long COVID symptoms or hospitalization.

9 Dec 2024

Filgotinib offers new promise for managing Crohn’s disease

Filgotinib, a JAK1 preferential inhibitor, shows promise as an effective and well-tolerated maintenance therapy for Crohn's disease, achieving clinical and endoscopic remission in phase 3 trials. The findings highlight its potential as a novel therapeutic option for difficult-to-treat patients.

8 Dec 2024

Psilocybin therapy reduces depression in clinicians after pandemic frontline work

This study demonstrates psilocybin's effectiveness in reducing depression symptoms in healthcare workers, offering hope for pandemic-related mental health care.

5 Dec 2024

Spinal manipulation linked to lower butalbital use in tension-type headaches

A team of researchers led by University Hospitals Connor Whole Health have identified an association between spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) and a reduced likelihood of butalbital prescription and medication overuse headache (MOH) for patients experiencing tension-type headaches (TTH). Their retrospective study, published in Health Science Reports, includes more than 6,200 patients from a national US database spanning 2013 to 2024.

3 Dec 2024

Quabodepistat combo shows promise for safer, faster tuberculosis treatment

Study highlights the safety and early bactericidal activity of quabodepistat when combined with delamanid, bedaquiline, or both, offering potential for shorter and more tolerable tuberculosis treatment regimens.

1 Dec 2024

Study links combined risk factors for aggressive behavior in men with CTE

People who have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) who have a family history of mental illness may have a higher risk of aggression in middle age, according to a study published in the November 27, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Nov 2024

Childhood social disadvantage linked to increased MS severity

People who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) as children and grow up in less advantaged neighborhoods may have a larger volume of inflammation and brain tissue loss on imaging than those who grow up in more advantaged neighborhoods, according to a study published in the November 27, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Nov 2024

IQWiG evaluates smoking cessation drugs for severe tobacco dependence treatment

By law, smokers with severe tobacco dependence are entitled to receive one-off drug therapy for smoking cessation as part of evidence-based programmes reimbursed by the German statutory health insurance (SHI).

27 Nov 2024

Late-liver-stage malaria vaccine delivers 89% protection and boosts cellular immunity

Genetically attenuated malaria parasites with extended liver-stage arrest (GA2) showed 89% protection in a clinical trial, surpassing earlier vaccine candidates and highlighting the potential of cellular immunity.

26 Nov 2024

Telemedicine use in neurology affected by race and neighborhood disparities

For people seeing a neurologist, their age, race, ethnicity and neighborhood may play a role in whether they do so in person or virtually, via telemedicine, according to a study published in the November 20, 2024, online issue of Neurology® Clinical Practice , an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Nov 2024

High blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and smoking linked to severe stroke risk

People with conditions or habits such as high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, or smoking, not only have a higher risk of stroke, they may also have more severe strokes than people without these risk factors, according to a study published in the November 13, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

13 Nov 2024

Daytime sleepiness and low enthusiasm may be linked to motoric cognitive risk syndrome

Older people who are sleepy during the day or lack enthusiasm for activities due to sleep issues may be more likely to develop a syndrome that can lead to dementia, according to a study published in the November 6, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

6 Nov 2024

A quick return to school and light exercise may help kids recover from concussions

During cheerleading practice in April, Jana Duey's sixth grade daughter, Karter, sustained a concussion when she fell several feet headfirst onto a gym floor mat. Days after, Karter still had a headache, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and noise.

5 Nov 2024

Patient Claim Line outlines key signs of stroke and how to reduce risks

Every five minutes, someone in the UK will experience a stroke, with 1.3 million people in the country having survived a stroke. The condition can be both life-threatening and life-altering, so knowing what to look out for and how to act in the event of a stroke is essential.

26 Oct 2024

Healthy habits in middle age may protect against neurological conditions

In middle-aged people, having risk factors like blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol that are not well-controlled combined with not following certain healthy habits including exercise, diet and sleep, are linked to a higher risk of stroke, dementia or depression later in life, according to a study published in the October 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Oct 2024

Poor sleep quality linked to increased brain aging in middle age

People in early middle age who have poor sleep quality, including having difficulty falling or staying asleep, have more signs of poor brain health in late middle age, according to a study published in the October 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Oct 2024