Taking OTC pain relievers too often, or at a higher dose than advised, could cause more problems. Once the drug wears off, withdrawal symptoms start. This leads to more head pain and the need for more medicine. Doctors call this a rebound headache.
See a GP if:
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.
People who regularly take OTC or prescription pain relief drugs for their headaches can develop medication overuse headaches, otherwise known as rebound headaches. Rebound headaches tend to occur on a recurring basis.
Intractable headache is “doctor speak” for that headache that just doesn't seem to go away, no matter what you and your doctor do. The headache may be migraine or another kind of headache, or a combination of two or more different headache types.
Medication overuse headaches — also known as rebound headaches — are caused by the long-term use of medicines to treat headaches such as migraines. Pain relievers offer relief for occasional headaches. But if you take them more than a couple of days a week, they may trigger headaches.
See your provider soon if: Your headaches wake you up from sleep, or your headaches make it difficult for you to fall asleep. A headache lasts more than a few days. Headaches are worse in the morning.
How long is too long for a headache? Headaches usually go away within 4 hours, but it's not uncommon for the head pain to persist for longer. If your headache persists for longer than 72 hours, however, you should seek immediate medical attention.
See a doctor if you experience headaches that: Occur more often than usual. Are more severe than usual. Worsen or don't improve with appropriate use of over-the-counter drugs.
Seek emergency care if:
The headache is accompanied by high fever, confusion, stiff neck, prolonged vomiting, slurred speech or numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body. Headache medication does not relieve chronic or excruciating pain.
A migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It's often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
Status migrainosus is a headache that doesn't respond to usual treatment or lasts longer than 72 hours. It is a relentless migraine attack that can require medical attention and sometimes a visit to the hospital. Thankfully, most of the time, treatment options are available to stop the pain and help you recover.
The pain is usually like a dull ache, but it can also be sharp. You may have a throbbing (pounding) headache, or the pain might be constant. The pain might get worse when you bend over, shake your head or move around. Other dehydration symptoms usually occur along with headache pain.
Cluster headaches can be more severe than a migraine, but they usually don't last as long. These are the least common type of headaches, affecting fewer than one in 1,000 people. Men get them more than women do.
Many people find that sleep helps to ease their symptoms if they're having a migraine attack. Even sleeping for just an hour or two can be beneficial. Sleep also appears to be particularly good at helping children recover from a migraine attack.
A study was done to test the theory that water can help reduce headaches. The researchers confirmed that 47% of individuals in the group who received the instructions to drink water felt improvement. This means one benefit of drinking water is controlling your headaches and migraines.
Any of these signs warrants an immediate call for medical help: a sudden, severe headache. a severe headache along with a fever, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, weakness anywhere in your body, confusion, double vision, or a stiff neck. the "worst" headache of your life.
New daily persistent headache (NDPH) is a rare disorder that happens unpredictably and for unknown reasons. People with NDPH have a headache that won't stop and doesn't get better with common treatments. For some people, the headache can last years or never goes away.
A sudden, severe headache—one that you might call the worst headache of your life—is one sign of a ruptured brain aneurysm. Nausea, vomiting and drowsiness are other symptoms of a brain bleed, and weakness, facial drooping and difficulty speaking are red flags of a stroke.
The symptoms of a cluster headache include stabbing severe pain behind or above one eye or in the temple. Tearing of the eye, congestion in the associated nostril, and pupil changes and eyelid drooping may also occur.
Occasional headaches are common, and usually require no medical attention. However, consult your doctor if: You usually have two or more headaches a week.