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

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

Clot-busting drug tenecteplase shows promising results for stroke recovery

For people with ischemic stroke, treatment with the clot-busting drug tenecteplase is associated with a slightly higher likelihood of an excellent recovery and reduced disability three months later than the drug alteplase, according to a meta-analysis published in the October 16, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Oct 2024

Study provides detailed analysis of mRNA vaccine circulation and breakdown

A study led by researchers from RMIT University and the Doherty Institute has provided the first detailed analysis of how mRNA vaccines circulate and break down in the human bloodstream.

16 Oct 2024

Novel app enables surveillance of global travel-related illness

On around one in three trips someone falls ill, with gastrointestinal and respiratory complaints among the most common symptoms.

15 Oct 2024

Scientists detect replication-competent Oropouche virus in semen of traveler, sparking transmission fears

Researchers confirmed the presence of replication-competent Oropouche virus in semen, raising concerns about potential sexual transmission following a traveler's infection.

9 Oct 2024

Research shows link between multiple sclerosis to increased risk of certain cancers

A new study has found some cancers to be slightly more frequent in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than in people without MS.

9 Oct 2024

New study links persistent SARS-CoV-2 proteins to long COVID symptoms

Brigham researchers found people with wide-ranging long COVID symptoms were twice as likely to have SARS-CoV-2 proteins in their blood, compared to those without long COVID symptoms.

9 Oct 2024

Increasing cases of mosquito-borne diseases call for greater awareness

The hospitalization last summer of Dr. Anthony Fauci, former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, with West Nile virus – and his account of it this week in the New York Times – have helped raise public awareness of the dangers of mosquito borne-illness, which can range from Zika and malaria to dengue and West Nile virus.

8 Oct 2024

Study paves way to more efficient non-addictive treatment for chronic pain

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed a new comprehensive mapping of genetic activity for understanding the causes of chronic pain.

4 Oct 2024

Oropouche virus spreads in South America as scientists warn of potential outbreaks in the U.S.

Researchers review the reemergence and range expansion of Oropouche virus in South America, highlighting risks of spread to the U.S. and need for improved diagnostic tests. Over 9,000 cases and two deaths were reported in 2024.

4 Oct 2024

Accelerating tobacco decline could boost global life expectancy

Accelerating the decline in tobacco smoking globally, by decreasing smoking prevalence from current levels to 5% everywhere, could increase life expectancy and prevent millions of premature deaths by 2050, according to a study from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries and Risk Factors (GBD) Tobacco Forecasting Collaborators published in The Lancet Public Health journal.

3 Oct 2024

Emergency response underway as Rwanda battles deadly Marburg virus

The World Health Organization (WHO) is readying emergency supplies to send to Rwanda following the country's first outbreak of the highly contagious Marburg virus, as authorities attempt to trace people who may be at risk.

1 Oct 2024

Research highlights negative brain health outcomes among LGBTQ+ individuals

LGBTQ+ people may be more likely to have negative brain health outcomes, including a higher risk of dementia and late-life depression, than people who are cisgender and straight, according to a study published in the September 25, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

25 Sep 2024

Research questions effectiveness of MS medications in slowing disability progression

In people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study has found no difference in the amount of time before disability worsened between people taking certain medications and those not receiving treatment.

25 Sep 2024