Experiences with

Headaches

How you can ease headaches yourself

Headaches can last 30 minutes, several hours, or sometimes several days.

• drink plenty of water

• get plenty of rest if you also have a cold or the flu

• try to relax – stress can make headaches worse

• take paracetamol or ibuprofen

• try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you also have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities

• do not drink alcohol

• do not skip meals (even if you might not feel like eating anything)

• do not sleep more than you usually would – it can make the headache worse

• do not strain your eyes for a long time – for example, by looking at a screen

• your headache keeps coming back
• painkillers do not help and your headache gets worse
• you have a bad throbbing pain at the front or side of your head – it could be a migraine or, more rarely, a cluster headache
• you feel sick, vomit and find light or noise painful
• you regularly get headaches before or during your period

You or your child has a severe headache and:

• jaw pain when eating
• blurred or double vision
• a sore scalp
• other symptoms, such as numbness or weakness in the arms or legs

Also get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if your child is under 12 and has any 1 of the following:

• a headache that wakes them at night
• a headache when they wake up in the morning
• a headache that gets progressively worse
• a headache triggered or made worse by coughing, sneezing or bending down
• a headache with vomiting
• a headache with a squint (where the eyes point in different directions) or an inability to look upward

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online .

• has a head injury – for example, from a fall or accident
• has a headache that came on suddenly and is extremely painful

You or your child has an extremely painful headache and:

• sudden problems speaking or remembering things
• loss of vision
• feel drowsy or confused
• has a very high temperature and symptoms of meningitis
• the white part of the eye is red

Also call 999 or go to A&E if your child is under 12 and has any 1 of the following:

• a headache with vision problems or difficulty speaking, swallowing, balancing or walking
• a headache with drowsiness or a persistent lack of energy
• a headache that starts within 5 days of a head injury

What can cause headaches

Common causes of headaches include:

• having a cold or flu
• stress
• drinking too much alcohol
• bad posture
• eyesight problems
• not eating regular meals
• not drinking enough fluids (dehydration)
• taking too many painkillers
• having your period or during menopause (hormone headache)

Keeping a headache diary might help you work out what triggers your headaches.

To help ease a headache, drink plenty of water, try to rest and relax, and take paracetamol and ibuprofen if you need to.

Common causes of headaches include having a cold or flu, stress, drinking too much alcohol and eyesight problems.

Related links

Headaches

HealthUnlocked contains information from NHS Digital, licensed under the current version of the Open Government Licence