Symptoms

Headache symptoms

Symptoms of a headache may include one or more of the following that lasts from minutes to days:

• Dull and steady pain
• Tension or tightening in the forehead and/or back of the head and neck
• Soreness in the neck and shoulders

Migraine symptoms

Not all severe headaches are migraines. Symptoms of a migraine are:

• Throbbing, severe pain lasting for hours or days
• Pain on one side of the head only
• Strange sensations called auras (flashing lights, wavy lines, tunnel vision, tingling, feeling that body is distorted, odd tastes or odours)
• Normal daily activities affected
• Made worse by normal daily activities
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Blurry vision
• Afterwards, tiredness and dull head/neck pains

Less common symptoms of migraine include: abdominal cramps and diarrhea, chills, excessive urination, sweating, nasal congestion, swollen face, extreme tiredness and irritability.

Migraine auras usually occur before the headache starts. They are present in about 10%-30% of migraine sufferers and usually are the same for each individual. They may occur without an ensuing headache.

When to call your doctor

Call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following:

• Weakness in the arms or legs
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Changes in speech or vision
• Feeling faint, confused or disoriented
• Head pain due to a head injury
• Neck stiffness
• A worsening when you cough, bend over, or strain during a bowel movement
• High fever
• Seizures
• A very sudden onset and/or extreme severity, especially if the headache occurs during the night or upon waking
• Headache that gets steadily worse, or lasts longer than 24 hours
• An unfamiliar head pain, especially if you are over the age of 50
• Nausea or vomiting that is not explained by concurrent illness