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?

Can Contact Lenses Cause Headaches?

Headaches in Children

See more featured articles »

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

A look at how coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affects Parkinson's

Earlier, herpes simplex virus (HSV), influenza virus A, measles virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and mumps virus have all been associated with after-effects of the virus that includes Parkinson's disease (PD). This list may now include SARS-CoV-2.

14 May 2021

Huge healthcare burden of post-COVID-19 symptoms likely, suggests new study

How well do patients who had COVID-19 recover after the virus is cleared from their systems? A new preprint reports on symptom profiles over the first nine months of the illness.

13 May 2021

Case study examines prescriptions and healthcare use in non-hospitalized COVID-19 recoverers

In a new study published in The Lancet, a team of researchers examined prescription drug and healthcare use after SARS-CoV-2 infection in those who did not require hospital admission.

12 May 2021

Study reveals acute immunologic changes in children with long COVID

Many reports are beginning to emerge on the ‘long COVID’ phenomenon. But a new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, describes, for the first time, immunologic changes observed in children with PASC.

11 May 2021

Case study describes consequences of undetected SARS-CoV-2 infection during mRNA vaccination

Now, a new report describes a case of a coincidental mRNA vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection in a 31-year-old doctor, addressing the theoretical considerations for potential risks and further required actions in case more cases appear in the future.

11 May 2021

FDA expands emergency use authorization for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age.

10 May 2021

Cardiac complications found to be rare in college athletes who contracted COVID-19

In a small study, researchers found college athletes who contracted COVID-19 rarely had cardiac complications. Most had mild COVID symptoms that did not require treatment, and in a small percentage of those with abnormal cardiac testing, there was no evidence of heart damage on special imaging tests.

10 May 2021

Study identifies most persistent neurological problems during long COVID-19

Neuropsychiatric issues have been frequently reported in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) long-haulers. A new study on the medRxiv* preprint server has found which neurological symptoms are likely to persist after a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

10 May 2021

New model could help test vaccines against the deadly Strep A bacteria

Researchers have successfully developed a new Strep A human challenge model, paving the way to test vaccines against the common deadly bacteria that causes sore throats, scarlet fever and skin sores.

10 May 2021

Study finds no evidence of increased risk for COVID-19 from aspirin/NSAID use

At the beginning of the pandemic, there were concerns over the use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), increasing the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. NSAIDs are commonly used to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection-related symptoms such as flu and cough and are frequently taken by older adults with multiple health conditions.

6 May 2021

UIC researcher finds potential new way to treat chronic migraine

By discovering a potential new cellular mechanism for migraines, researchers may have also found a new way to treat chronic migraine.

5 May 2021

Emergency physicians use heparin alternative to treat vaccine-induced blood clot

A new case report, detailed in Annals of Emergency Medicine, is the first known case of a patient with VITT (vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia) treated with a heparin alternative following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.

5 May 2021

In Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta, millions face long drives to stroke care

Debbie Cook was in her pajamas on a summer morning in 2019 when she got a call from her son: "Something bad is wrong with Granny."

4 May 2021

A new SARS-CoV-2 variant (HMN.19B) has been identified in France

New research published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s journal Emerging Infectious Diseases has confirmed the emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant called HMN.19B from the viral clade 19B in France. The 19B viral clade — which includes the D614G variant — was prevalent in late 2019 but had since been rarely observed since early 2020 because of newer viral clades.

3 May 2021

Study finds one-third of COVID-19 patients experience neurological symptoms

The research on the short and long-term effects of COVID-19 disease is ongoing. Still, scientists have found severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects the brain causing loss of smell and taste, dizziness, muscle pain, fatigue, and other cognitive impairments. However, it remained unknown why certain people developed neurological symptoms while others did not.

3 May 2021

Guidance on diagnosis and management of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis after a COVID-19 vaccine

Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration lifted the pause in administration of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S.

29 Apr 2021

Review: One-third of children develop post-concussion mental health issues

A third of children and adolescents develop a mental health problem after a concussion, which could persist for several years post-injury, according to a new literature review.

29 Apr 2021

COVID-19 vaccination willingness in Australia hinges on public perception of health threat

A new study reports the results of a survey in Australia on vaccine willingness at two points: the first wave in April 2020, and during November of the same year, when cases had dropped significantly.

29 Apr 2021

Risk factors for long COVID-19 in children

A new study describes the risk factors and outcomes of “long COVID-19” in a cohort of children who were hospitalized with COVID-19.

29 Apr 2021

Safety and efficacy of Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines even better than clinical trials predicted

Researchers in the UK and United States have demonstrated the efficacy of one dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a real-world community setting in the UK.

28 Apr 2021