What Is the Difference Between Common Headache Types

The word headache sounds simple, as if it meant one thing, but in real life headaches feel very different from one person to another, and even from one day to another for the same person. One headache may feel like a tight band around the head, dull and steady, lasting for hours. Another may throb on one side, grow stronger with movement or light, and leave a person needing to lie down in a dark, quiet room. A third may come in short, sharp bursts at the same time of day for several days in a row, and then disappear for weeks. These are not just different strengths of the same pain. They are different patterns, with different feelings, different triggers and different ways of affecting daily life. Learning to tell them apart, in general terms, can help you describe what you feel more clearly, notice your own pattern, and have a more useful conversation with a health professional if you need one.

That is the purpose of this article. It explains the common headache types in plain words, using the way they usually feel, where the pain is often felt, how long it tends to last, and what else often comes with it. It does not diagnose anything, and it cannot tell you which type you have. Only a health professional who can hear your full story, ask questions and, if needed, examine you can do that. Some headaches need prompt medical attention, especially if they are sudden and very severe, keep getting worse, or come with other worrying signs, and those signs are described near the end of this article. The information here is general only, so please read it as background, not as personal advice, and talk to a qualified health professional about your own situation.

Why Headaches Are Not All the Same

A headache is a feeling of pain in the head, but the head is a complex place, with muscles, blood vessels, nerves, sinuses and the coverings around the brain, and pain can come from different parts of that system. That is why two headaches can feel so different. A headache linked to tight muscles in the neck and scalp will feel different from a headache linked to changes in blood vessels, and both will feel different from a headache linked to blocked sinuses. The cause is not always clear from the feeling alone, and the same type of headache can feel a little different in different people, but the pattern — where it hurts, how it feels, how long it lasts, and what else happens at the same time — often gives useful clues.

It also helps to know that most headaches people experience in everyday life are what health professionals call primary headaches. That means the headache itself is the main problem, rather than a sign of another illness. Tension-type headaches and migraine are the most common examples. Other headaches are linked to something else, such as a cold, a blocked sinus, a lack of sleep, dehydration, hunger, or time spent in heat, and those are sometimes called secondary headaches, because they follow another cause. This distinction matters, because it changes what is most useful to notice. With a primary headache, the pattern of the headache itself is the main clue. With a secondary headache, the other illness or situation — a cold, a fever, a blocked nose, a long day without water — is often just as important to notice.

Another reason headaches differ is that people differ. Age, sleep, stress, the weather, the time of day, and what you ate or drank can all change how a headache feels. A person who is tired may feel a headache more strongly than a person who is rested. A person who is sensitive to light may find a bright room unbearable during a headache, while another person may barely notice the light. That is why comparing your headache with someone else’s can be confusing. The most useful comparison is with your own past headaches. Is this one like the ones you usually get, or is it different in a way that worries you? Noticing that difference, and being able to describe it clearly, is one of the most helpful things you can do, both for yourself and for a health professional.

Tension-Type Headaches: The Tight Band Feeling

The most common type of headache is the tension-type headache, and many adults have had one at some point. It is often described as a dull, steady ache, or as a feeling of tightness or pressure, as if a band were wrapped around the head and slowly tightening. The pain is usually felt on both sides of the head, across the forehead, around the temples, or at the back of the head and neck. It is rarely a sharp, throbbing pain, and it usually does not get much worse with ordinary movement, such as walking around the house. Many people can keep working through a tension-type headache, even though it is uncomfortable and makes it harder to concentrate, and it often eases with rest, a change of activity, or a good night’s sleep.

Tension-type headaches often build up slowly over hours. They may start in the late morning or afternoon, after a long stretch of work, study or worry, and they may last for a few hours, or sometimes for most of the day. They are often linked to tiredness, stress, poor sleep, long periods of sitting in one position, or holding the neck and shoulders tense without realising it. A person who has been hunched over a desk, looking at a screen, or carrying a heavy bag may notice the muscles in the neck and shoulders becoming tight, and that tightness can spread into the head. Hunger, thirst and a stuffy room can make the feeling worse, and so can a day that has been emotionally demanding, even if the work itself was not physically hard.

What usually does not come with a tension-type headache is also useful to know. Most people with this type do not feel sick to their stomach, and they do not usually have a strong dislike of light or sound, though bright light or loud noise may feel more irritating than usual. Their vision does not usually change. The headache is uncomfortable, but it is generally mild to moderate, rather than severe, and it does not usually stop a person from doing everyday things, even if it makes them slower and less comfortable. If a headache feels like a tight band on both sides, comes on gradually after a long, tiring day, and eases with rest, many people will recognise that pattern as a tension-type headache. But only a health professional can confirm the type, and if the pattern changes, or the headaches become frequent, it is worth talking to one.

Migraine: More Than a Bad Headache

Migraine is often misunderstood, because many people use the word to mean a very bad headache, when in fact migraine is a different pattern with its own features. A migraine headache often throbs or pulses, and it is often felt on one side of the head, though it can move to the other side or be felt on both sides. The pain is often moderate to severe, and it can get worse with movement, such as walking up stairs, bending down, or even turning the head quickly. Many people with migraine find that ordinary activities become hard or impossible during an attack, and they need to rest in a quiet, dark room until it passes. A migraine attack can last from a few hours to a day or more, and it often comes with other feelings that a tension-type headache does not usually bring.

One of the most common of those other feelings is nausea, a sick feeling in the stomach, and some people vomit during a migraine. Many people also become sensitive to light, sound and smell during an attack. Bright light may hurt the eyes, ordinary sounds may feel loud and jarring, and strong smells may feel overwhelming. Some people see changes in their vision before the headache starts, such as flashing lights, wavy lines, or a blind spot that slowly grows and then fades. This is sometimes called an aura, and it usually lasts for a short time before the headache begins, though not everyone with migraine experiences it. These extra features are what make migraine feel so different from a simple tension headache, and they are also what make it so tiring, because the person is not just dealing with pain, but with a whole body feeling of being unwell.

Migraine attacks often have triggers, though the triggers are different for different people, and they are not always easy to spot. Common ones include poor sleep or a change in sleep pattern, missing a meal, not drinking enough water, stress or a sudden release from stress, such as the first day of a holiday, bright or flickering light, strong smells, loud noise, and, for some women, changes around their monthly cycle. Some people notice that certain foods or drinks seem to be linked to their attacks, though this varies a great deal, and it is important not to blame a single food without noticing a clear pattern over time. Keeping simple notes about when attacks happen, what you did that day, how you slept, and what you ate and drank can help you see whether a pattern exists. Migraine is a real and common condition, and there is no shame in having it, but because it can be severe and can limit daily life, it is worth talking to a health professional about it, rather than trying to manage it alone.

Cluster Headaches: Short, Severe and Repeated

Cluster headaches are much less common than tension-type headaches or migraine, but they are important to know about because they feel very different, and they can be frightening if a person does not know what is happening. A cluster headache is a very severe, sharp or burning pain, usually felt on one side of the head, often around or behind one eye. The pain often comes on quickly, reaches a high level within minutes, and lasts for a relatively short time, often between fifteen minutes and a few hours. Then it fades, only to return again, sometimes several times in a day, often at a similar time, for days or weeks in a row. That repeated pattern, in a cluster of days, is where the name comes from.

Unlike migraine, where a person usually wants to lie still in a dark room, a person with a cluster headache often feels restless and unable to sit still. They may pace, rock, or press their head, because the pain is so intense that lying still feels impossible. The headache often comes with other signs on the same side as the pain: the eye may water, the nose may run or feel blocked, the eyelid may droop, or the eye may look red. These signs, together with the short, severe, repeated pattern, are what set cluster headaches apart from other types. They often happen at night, waking a person from sleep, or at the same time each day, and they may be linked to a change in daily rhythm, though the exact reason is not fully understood.

Because cluster headaches are severe and can be confused with other problems, it is important to talk to a health professional promptly if you think this pattern fits you, or if you have a headache that is suddenly very severe, comes with a watering eye and a blocked nose on one side, or keeps returning in the same pattern day after day. Do not try to diagnose this yourself. A health professional can ask the right questions, look at the pattern, and decide what should happen next. The pain of a cluster headache is real and can be very hard to bear, and no one should have to face it alone without proper care. Knowing that this type exists, and that it has a name and a pattern, can help a person describe what is happening more clearly, and can help them get the right kind of help sooner.

The sinuses are small, air-filled spaces in the bones around the nose, cheeks and forehead, and when they become blocked or swollen, usually during a cold or a sinus infection, the pressure can be felt as a headache. A sinus-related headache is often felt in the face, across the forehead, behind the cheeks, or around the eyes, and it may feel worse when you bend forward, because bending changes the pressure in the head. The pain is often dull and pressing, rather than throbbing, and it usually comes with a blocked or runny nose, a feeling of pressure in the face, and sometimes a reduced sense of smell. If the cause is a cold, there may also be a sore throat, a cough, or a general feeling of being unwell.

It is important to know that many headaches that people call sinus headaches are not actually caused by the sinuses at all. Migraine, in particular, can cause pain in the face and a blocked or runny nose, and it can be mistaken for a sinus headache. That is why the pattern matters more than the place where it hurts. A true sinus-related headache usually comes at the same time as a cold or a sinus problem, and it usually improves as the cold improves. If a headache in the face keeps coming back without a cold, or if it comes with the throbbing pain, nausea and sensitivity to light that are more typical of migraine, it is worth talking to a health professional, because the treatment and the advice are different. Guessing the cause from the location of the pain alone can lead to the wrong conclusion, and to weeks of trying something that does not help.

A sinus-related headache that comes with a high fever, swelling around the eyes, a change in vision, or a headache that is getting worse rather than better as the cold improves needs prompt medical attention. The same is true of any headache that follows a cold and does not ease after a reasonable time, or that keeps returning. In most cases, a sinus-related headache is a temporary part of a cold, and it passes as the nose clears and the body recovers. Rest, drinking enough fluids, and breathing in steam from a warm shower or a bowl of hot water are things many people find soothing, though they do not cure an infection. If you are unsure whether your headache is linked to your sinuses, or if it does not follow the usual pattern of a cold, a health professional can help you work it out.

Headaches Linked to Tiredness, Dehydration and Hunger

Not every headache has a special name or a clear type. Many everyday headaches are linked to the simple strains of the day, and they are best understood by looking at what the day has been like, rather than by trying to fit them into a single category. A headache after a night of poor sleep, a long day without food, a hot afternoon without enough water, or hours at a screen can feel like a tension-type headache, because it is often dull, spread across the head, and linked to tired muscles and a tired mind. But the most useful thing to notice is not the label, but the situation that came before it. If the headache often follows a missed meal, a short night, or a day without water, then the pattern is telling you something about your daily habits, and changing one small habit at a time may make the headaches less frequent.

Dehydration headaches are a good example. When the body has lost more water than it has taken in, through sweat, heat or simply forgetting to drink, the head can feel dull and heavy, and the headache may come with a dry mouth, tiredness, and a feeling of being drained. Drinking water slowly often helps, though it is better to drink regularly through the day than to wait until the headache arrives. Hunger headaches are similar. After many hours without food, the body’s energy falls, and some people feel shaky, irritable or light-headed, with a dull headache that eases after a balanced meal. Neither of these is a separate type in the same way that migraine is, but both are common, and both are worth noticing, because they are linked to something you can change.

Tiredness headaches are also common, and they often arrive in the afternoon, when the body has been working for many hours without a real break. The head may feel heavy, the eyes may feel sore, and thinking clearly may take more effort. A short rest, a change of task, or a few minutes away from the desk can make a real difference on such days. The key point is that these everyday headaches are not a sign of failure, and they are not something to be ashamed of. They are a normal response to a hard day, and they often ease when the body gets what it needs: rest, food, water, fresh air, or a break from the screen. If they keep happening, or if they are severe, it is still worth talking to a health professional, because a pattern that keeps returning deserves a closer look, even if the cause seems ordinary.

Headaches That Come With a Cold or Fever

A headache that comes with a cold, flu or fever is a familiar experience for many people. The head may ache all over, feel heavy and hot, and the person may feel generally unwell, with a sore throat, a blocked nose, a cough, aching muscles, or a temperature. This kind of headache is usually linked to the illness itself, rather than being a separate headache type. The body is fighting an infection, and the headache is part of that wider feeling of being unwell. It often eases as the fever falls and the illness passes, though it can linger for a day or two after the worst of the cold is over. Rest, fluids and time are the usual course, and the headache is not usually a cause for worry on its own, as long as the illness is improving.

There are, however, signs that mean a headache with a fever needs prompt medical attention. A very high fever, a stiff neck, a headache that is sudden and very severe, confusion, drowsiness, a rash, weakness, trouble speaking, or a change in vision are all reasons to seek help quickly. The same is true if a headache after a cold keeps getting worse, or if it comes with swelling around the eyes, or with a discharge from the nose that does not improve. These signs do not mean that every headache with a cold is dangerous — most are not — but they are the signs that health professionals ask people to watch for, because they can point to a problem that needs more than rest. Knowing the difference between a familiar cold headache and a headache with warning signs is important, and it is better to seek help and be reassured than to wait and worry.

It is also worth noticing how a headache with an illness feels different from your usual headaches. If you usually get a dull, tight headache in the afternoon, and this time the headache is sudden, severe, and unlike anything you have felt before, that difference matters, even if you also have a cold. A new pattern, a much stronger pain than usual, or a headache that does not ease as the illness improves is worth mentioning to a health professional. Your own history is the best guide here. You know what your usual headaches feel like, and you are the best person to notice when something has changed. Trust that noticing, and act on it if you are worried.

How to Tell Them Apart in Everyday Life

Telling headache types apart in everyday life is not about memorising a list, but about noticing four simple things: where it hurts, how it feels, how long it lasts, and what else happens at the same time. A tension-type headache is usually dull and pressing, on both sides, and lasts for hours, without nausea or a strong dislike of light. A migraine is often throbbing, on one side, moderate to severe, gets worse with movement, and often comes with nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. A cluster headache is very severe, sharp, around one eye, lasts for a short time, and repeats several times a day for days or weeks, often with a watering eye and a blocked nose on the same side. A sinus-related headache is felt in the face, comes with a blocked nose during a cold, and often feels worse when you bend forward. A headache linked to tiredness, hunger or thirst is often dull and spread across the head, and it often eases after rest, food or water.

Writing these four things down, in simple words, can help you see your own pattern more clearly. After a headache, note where it was, how it felt, how long it lasted, and what else you noticed, such as nausea, sensitivity to light, a blocked nose, or a poor night’s sleep. Do this for a few weeks, and then look back. You may find that your headaches almost always follow the same pattern, which is useful information. Or you may find that you have two different patterns, such as a dull afternoon headache on busy days and a throbbing headache with nausea on other days. That is also useful information, because it suggests that more than one type may be involved, and that is not unusual. Many people have more than one type of headache, and recognising that can help a health professional give better advice.

It is important to be honest about the limits of this kind of noticing. A pattern you see in your notes is a clue, not a diagnosis. Two types can feel similar, and the same type can feel different on different days. A migraine can sometimes feel like a tension headache at the start, and a sinus headache can be mistaken for a migraine. That is why health professionals ask many questions, and why they sometimes need to see you over time before they can say what type you have. Your notes do not replace that, but they make the conversation much more useful, because you can describe what happens in clear, specific words, rather than saying only that your head hurts. Clear description is a gift to the person trying to help you, and it is the best thing you can bring to that conversation.

My Take:

If you ask me what I think about the different types of headaches, my first thought is that learning the differences is useful, not because it lets you diagnose yourself, but because it lets you describe what you feel. Before I understood that headaches could feel different in such clear ways, I thought a headache was just a headache, and that the only question was how bad it was. Now I think the more useful question is what kind of headache it is, because the pattern tells a story. A dull, tight feeling on both sides after a long, tiring day tells a different story from a throbbing pain on one side that comes with nausea and a dislike of light. Both are painful, and both deserve to be taken seriously, but they are not the same experience, and they do not have the same meaning. Learning to notice the difference, in simple words, is a skill that helps you understand your own body better, and it helps you talk about it more clearly with other people.

I think the tension-type headache is the one most people know best, because it is the most common, and because it fits the shape of an ordinary hard day. A long morning at a desk, a day of worry, a night of poor sleep, shoulders held tight without realising it — all of these can build into a dull, pressing ache that spreads across the head and makes the afternoon feel heavy. I find this type almost reassuring, in a strange way, because it is so clearly linked to the day you have had. It does not come out of nowhere. It comes after a day that was too long, too busy, or too tense, and it often eases when you rest, stretch, eat, drink water, or sleep. That does not mean it is unimportant, and it does not mean you should ignore it if it keeps coming back, but it does mean that the headache is often a message about the day, rather than a mystery on its own. I think listening to that message, and changing one small thing about the day, is a sensible response.

Migraine, in my view, is the type that is most often misunderstood, and I think that misunderstanding causes real harm. When people say migraine when they mean a bad headache, they make it sound as if migraine were simply a stronger version of an ordinary headache, and that is not true. Migraine is a different pattern, with throbbing pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and sometimes changes in vision, and it can stop a person from doing ordinary things for hours or even a day. I think it is important to say this plainly, because a person with migraine deserves to be believed, and deserves proper help, not a suggestion to simply take a rest and carry on. If you have ever had a migraine, you know how different it feels from a dull afternoon headache, and you know how tiring it is, not just because of the pain, but because of the nausea, the light, the sound, and the feeling of being unwell all over. I would never tell someone with migraine that it is just a headache. It is not just a headache. It is a real condition, and it deserves respect and proper care.

Cluster headaches are the type I find hardest to read about, because the pain sounds so severe, and because the pattern is so distinctive. A short, sharp, very severe pain around one eye, repeating several times a day for days or weeks, with a watering eye and a blocked nose on the same side, is a pattern that is hard to confuse with anything else once you know about it. I think the most important thing to say about cluster headaches is that no one should try to face them alone, or try to diagnose them by themselves. The pain is real, it is intense, and it needs a health professional’s attention promptly. Knowing that this type exists can help a person who is living through it to describe what is happening, and to seek help sooner, rather than suffering in silence and wondering what is wrong. I also think it is a reminder that headaches are not all the same, and that a headache that is very different from your usual pattern is always worth mentioning to a health professional.

Sinus-related headaches are the type I think people most often get wrong, and I include myself in that. It is easy to assume that any pain in the face, or any headache that comes with a blocked nose, must be a sinus headache, when in fact migraine can cause the same feelings. I think the lesson here is to look at the whole picture, not just at where it hurts. If the headache comes with a cold, and improves as the cold improves, then the sinuses may well be involved. If it keeps coming back without a cold, or if it comes with throbbing pain and nausea, then the story may be different. I find that idea useful, because it stops me from jumping to a conclusion based on one detail, and it reminds me that the body is more complicated than a simple map of pain. It also reminds me that guessing, even with the best intentions, can lead to weeks of trying the wrong thing, when a conversation with a health professional could have given a clearer answer much sooner.

The everyday headaches linked to tiredness, hunger and thirst are the ones I think about most often, because they are the ones most of us can do something about. A headache after a missed meal, a short night, or a day without enough water is not a mystery. It is a body asking for something simple, and the answer is often simple too: eat, drink, rest, step away from the screen, get some fresh air. I like this idea because it is practical, and because it puts a little bit of control back in your hands. You cannot control the weather, or the demands of your work, or the fact that you slept badly last night, but you can control whether you eat lunch at a regular time, whether you keep a bottle of water on your desk, and whether you take a short break in the afternoon. Those small choices do not solve everything, and they do not replace medical care when it is needed, but they do make many afternoons easier, and they are worth trying, one at a time, with patience.

I also think the habit of noticing is the most valuable thing in this article, and I would recommend it to anyone who gets headaches often. Writing down, in a few simple words, where the headache was, how it felt, how long it lasted, and what else happened at the same time can reveal a pattern that a single headache would never show. Perhaps your headaches are almost always dull and on both sides, after a long day. Perhaps they are sometimes throbbing and on one side, with nausea, on days when you slept badly. Perhaps they always come with a blocked nose during a cold. Each of those patterns tells a different story, and each one is useful information to share with a health professional. I like this habit because it is honest. It does not ask you to guess, and it does not ask you to remember weeks later what happened. It asks you to notice, in the moment, and to write it down, and then to look back with clear eyes. That is a small effort, but it can make a big difference to the conversation you have with a health professional.

I want to be honest about limits, because an article about headache types can easily give the wrong impression, that reading it is enough to know what you have. It is not enough, and I would not want anyone to think it is. Only a health professional who can ask you questions, hear your full story, and examine you if needed can say what type of headache you have, and whether it needs further care. That is especially true if your headaches are new, if they are different from your usual pattern, if they are severe or getting worse, if they come with fever, a stiff neck, confusion, weakness, trouble speaking, a change in vision, or a watering eye with a blocked nose on one side, or if they follow a head injury. In those cases, please seek help promptly. I say this not to frighten anyone, but to respect the difference between general information and personal care. General information can help you understand and describe, but it cannot diagnose, and it should never replace a real conversation with a health professional.

There is one more thing I want to say, and it is about kindness, both to yourself and to other people who have headaches. A headache is invisible. No one can see it, and that can make it hard for other people to understand how much it hurts, or how much it limits what you can do. A person with migraine who needs to lie down in a dark room may be seen as lazy, when in fact they are dealing with a severe and tiring condition. A person with a tension-type headache who is slower and quieter in the afternoon may be seen as uninterested, when in fact they are in pain. I think it matters to believe people when they say their head hurts, and to give them space and patience, rather than judgement. And if you are the person with the headache, I think it matters to be kind to yourself too, and not to feel ashamed or guilty for needing rest, or for asking for help. Pain is not a weakness, and asking for help is not a failure. It is a sensible, human response to a real experience.

So here is my final view, in plain words. Headaches are not all the same, and learning how they usually feel different — the tight band of a tension-type headache, the throbbing pain and nausea of migraine, the short, severe, repeated pain of a cluster headache, the facial pressure of a sinus-related headache, and the dull ache of tiredness, hunger or thirst — can help you understand your own pattern and describe it more clearly. The most useful thing you can do is to notice four simple things each time: where it hurts, how it feels, how long it lasts, and what else happens at the same time. Write those things down for a few weeks, and look back at the pattern. Try one small change at a time if the pattern points to a daily habit, and be patient with yourself while you try it. And if the headaches worry you, if they are new or different, severe or frequent, or if they come with warning signs, talk to a health professional. That combination — noticing clearly, changing one small thing at a time, and asking for help when you need it — is, in my view, the calmest and most sensible way to live with headaches, and it respects both what general information can do and what only personal care can do.

If a friend asked me about their headaches, I would start by listening, and I would ask them to describe what the pain feels like, where it is, how long it lasts, and what else happens at the same time. I would tell them that headaches come in different types, and that the pattern matters, and I would suggest they keep simple notes for a few weeks, so they can see the pattern for themselves. I would not try to tell them which type they have, because that is not something a friend or an article can do, and I would tell them, gently, that if the headaches are severe, frequent, new or different, or if they come with warning signs, a health professional is the right person to talk to. That is the advice I would give to a friend, and it is the advice I would follow myself, because it is honest, it is kind, and it keeps the difference between general information and personal care clear, which is exactly where it should be.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the difference between common headache types something I should worry about?

Most common headaches, such as tension-type headaches, are not a cause for alarm on their own, but the pattern matters. If a headache is sudden and very severe, keeps getting worse, is unlike your usual headaches, or comes with a high fever, a stiff neck, confusion, weakness, trouble speaking or a change in vision, seek medical help promptly. If headaches become frequent or limit your daily life, talk to a health professional.

Why does the difference between common headache types happen to me?

Headaches differ because they can come from different parts of the head and body — tight muscles, changes linked to migraine, blocked sinuses, or the strains of tiredness, hunger and thirst. Your sleep, stress, meals, water, screen time and the weather can all change how a headache feels. Noticing where it hurts, how it feels, how long it lasts, and what else happens at the same time can help you see your own pattern.

Can the difference between common headache types be linked to sleep or tiredness?

Yes, sleep and tiredness often shape how strongly a headache is felt, and they can make some types more likely. Poor sleep, a change in sleep pattern, or a long, tiring day can lead to a dull, pressing headache in the afternoon, and poor sleep is also a common trigger for migraine in some people. A steadier sleep pattern and short breaks during a long day are worth trying.

Does the difference between common headache types happen to many people?

Yes, headaches are very common, and most adults have had a tension-type headache at some point. Migraine is also common, and many people live with it. Cluster headaches are much less common, and sinus-related headaches usually come with a cold. The exact type is different for each person, but having headaches, and having more than one type over time, is not unusual.

What can I do in general when the difference between common headache types happens?

In general, rest in a quiet, cool place if you can, drink some water, and eat if you have not eaten for a long time. Step away from the screen, stretch your neck and shoulders gently, and note where the pain is, how it feels, how long it lasts, and what else happens. If the headache worries you, keeps coming back, or is severe, talk to a health professional rather than trying to work it out alone.

When should I speak with a healthcare professional about the difference between common headache types?

Speak with a health professional promptly if a headache is sudden and very severe, keeps getting worse, is new or very different from your usual headaches, comes with a high fever, a stiff neck, confusion, weakness, trouble speaking or a change in vision, or starts after a head injury. Also seek advice if headaches become frequent, or if they begin to limit your work, sleep or daily life.