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.

Does the Location of a Headache Matter?

The location of a headache may be an important factor in identifying the cause of certain types of headaches, but not in all.

Cluster Headaches: Treatment and Prevention

Headache Behind the Eyes: Understanding the Causes

Can Contact Lenses Cause Headaches?

Frequent Headaches after a Traumatic Brain Injury

Migraine with Aura vs. Migraine without Aura

See more featured articles »

Headache Evaluation in Children and Teenagers

Headaches in Children and Teenagers

Headache Related to Eye Problems

What is Medication Overuse Headache?

Biofeedback Therapy for Headaches

What is Muscle Contraction Headache?

Latest Headache News and Research

Immigrants face longer ICU stays after stroke in Canada

Among people who have a stroke in Canada, immigrants were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at similar rates as long-term residents or people who were born in Canada, but they were more likely to have longer stays in the ICU, according to a study published September 2, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

2 Sep 2026

AAN launches new resource to help people find reliable information about brain health

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has launched BrainHealth.com, a new public resource offering expert-reviewed information, tools and stories to help people improve and protect their brain health.

1 Sep 2026

New guideline updates medications for preventing migraine in adults

To help clinicians determine which medications may be most effective at preventing migraine in adults, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and American Headache Society (AHS) have issued a joint practice guideline update with evidence-based recommendations, published on August 31, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, and in Headache, the official journal of the American Headache Society.

31 Aug 2026

Seminal fluid facilitates monkeypox virus entry into human cells

Monkeypox virus used to be transmitted predominantly from animals to humans. In recent years, however, new virus variants have become increasingly capable of spreading from person to person.

31 Aug 2026

Brain shrinkage biomarker may predict early-onset Alzheimer’s progression

In people diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, a biomarker tool that detects shrinkage of the brain's gray matter may predict how quickly someone may progress from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia, according to a new study published August 26, 2026, in Neurology, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Aug 2026

Research improves understanding of biological mechanisms behind cluster headaches

Inflammation, altered gene regulation, and exposure to substances in tobacco smoke may all contribute to the development of cluster headache.

26 Aug 2026

Paternal valproate use not linked to offspring neurodevelopmental risks

Use of the antiseizure drug valproate by fathers before conception is not associated with neurodevelopmental disorders like autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in their children, according to a new study published August 19, 2026, in Neurology®, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

19 Aug 2026

Women with type 2 diabetes saw striking changes after 24 weeks of this eating pattern

A 24-week randomized trial found that a lacto-vegetarian diet combined with 14-hour time-restricted eating improved glycemic control, insulin resistance, body weight, and lipid measures in Indian women with type 2 diabetes. The combined, nutritionist-supported intervention was generally well tolerated, but its individual dietary and fasting effects cannot be separated and longer-term studies are needed.

18 Aug 2026

Why keto appears to lower blood pressure for some people but not others

A narrative review finds that ketogenic diets may modestly lower blood pressure through weight loss, reduced visceral fat, improved insulin sensitivity, fluid and electrolyte shifts, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, effects vary across studies, long-term cardiovascular evidence remains limited, and diet quality, hydration, electrolyte balance, and medication monitoring are important.

17 Aug 2026

New study focuses on starving bacteria to prevent Lyme disease

Triggered by a near painless tick bite, Lyme disease causes severe pain and inflammation for more than 475,000 people in the U.S annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

13 Aug 2026

Later-life estrogen therapy associated with lower risk of developing dementia

Use of hormone therapy later in life was associated with lower risk of developing dementia, according to a study published August 12, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

12 Aug 2026

Study reveals treatment gaps for atypical Alzheimer's disease patients

Many people with less common forms of Alzheimer's disease may not qualify for newer anti-amyloid treatments designed to slow the disease, according to a study published August 5, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

5 Aug 2026

Medical cannabis compound alleviates nightmares associated with PTSD

Nightmares are among the most agonizing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – a condition that can develop after exposure to severe traumatic experiences, such as disasters, serious accidents, acts of violence, or wartime experiences. Individuals affected relive the events intensely at night, as if they were real, time and time again.

5 Aug 2026

Psilocybin trial shows striking remission rates for veterans with PTSD

The first U.S. clinical trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy in veterans with PTSD who got no relief from conventional treatments has established that the protocol is safe, causing no serious adverse events or increases in suicidal thinking or behavior.

30 Jul 2026

ALS risk varies significantly across U.S. military service branches

Compared to Army veterans, men who are veterans of the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard have higher rates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and men who are Marine veterans have lower rates, according to a new study published July 29, 2026, in Neurology®, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

29 Jul 2026

Early-life sugar restriction may reduce dementia risk later

Consuming less sugar in utero before birth and during the first one to two years of life was associated with a lower risk of developing dementia later in life, according to a study published July 29, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

29 Jul 2026

Deramiocel cell therapy slows muscle and heart damage in advanced DMD

A cell therapy called deramiocel could slow muscle weakening in boys and young men with advanced Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and may also slow heart damage in those who already have heart muscle disease, a phase 3 clinical trial published in The Lancet has found.

29 Jul 2026

Plasma exchange improves recovery in rare inflammatory nerve disease

Plasma exchange can help treat people with a rare inflammatory disease that can cause blindness, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published on July 22, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

22 Jul 2026

Multiple sclerosis deaths occur earlier among Black patients

Black people with multiple sclerosis (MS) die from MS at a younger age than white people, with a peak mortality rate at ages 65 to 74 for Black people and ages 75 to 84 for white people, according to a study published July 22, 2026, in Neurology® Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

22 Jul 2026

Foreign-born Black adults show lower stroke risk than Americans

For Black individuals in the United States, being born in another country was associated with a lower risk of stroke, according to a study published July 15, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

15 Jul 2026