Headaches
How you can ease headaches yourself
Headaches can last 30 minutes, several hours, or sometimes several days.
Do
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
Don't
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
See a GP if:
- 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
Get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if:
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.
Call 999 or go to A&E if you or your child:
- 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.
The Migraine Trust has advice about what to record in a headache diary
