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

U.S. mosquito species show minimal risk of spreading Oropouche virus, study finds

US mosquito species exhibit minimal competence for transmitting Oropouche virus (OROV), with low infection and transmission rates across tested populations, suggesting limited potential for local outbreaks despite rising imported cases.

22 Jan 2025

Mental health risks higher for pregnant people with MS

Pregnant people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a higher chance of experiencing mental illness both during their pregnancy and in the first years after they give birth than those without MS, according to a study published in the January 22, 2025 online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

22 Jan 2025

Tanzania's announces Marburg virus outbreak with single case in Kagera

Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declared an outbreak of Marburg virus, confirming a single case in the northwestern region of Kagera after a meeting with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

21 Jan 2025

Unmasking the gender bias in Tourette syndrome diagnosis

Tourette syndrome is currently diagnosed about three times more frequently in males than in females. A new study finds that female individuals are less likely to be diagnosed with the syndrome, take longer to receive a diagnosis and are older when they are diagnosed than male individuals. The study is published in the January 15, 2025, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Jan 2025

Wait times for neurological specialty care vary across conditions

Older people wait an average of just over a month to see a neurologist for specialty care after being referred by their primary care physician or another physician, according to a study published in the January 8, 2025, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

8 Jan 2025

Extended Paxlovid courses show mixed results for long COVID symptoms

A study indicates that longer Paxlovid treatments could improve long COVID symptoms in some patients, highlighting the need for tailored antiviral strategies.

8 Jan 2025

Hidden culprit: Human metapneumovirus identified in severe adult pneumonia case

Severe pneumonia caused by human metapneumovirus in an immunocompetent adult highlights diagnostic challenges and underscores the need for rapid molecular diagnostics to improve outcomes.

6 Jan 2025

Twelve factors to protect brain health in the New Year

Improving your brain health in the new year can start with a simple step, talking with your neurologist or primary care physician about 12 factors to protect your brain.

23 Dec 2024

New migraine drug atogepant shows quick relief

A drug recently approved to prevent migraine may start working right away, according to a study published in the December 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Dec 2024

COVID-19 infection not associated with worsening MS symptoms or disability

For people with multiple sclerosis (MS), having a COVID-19 infection is not associated with worsening MS symptoms or disability, according to a study published in the December 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Dec 2024

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