What should you know about acute headache?

The speed of onset, severity, accompanying symptoms and whether the pain is new or different from usual determine how urgently it should be checked. A severe abrupt headache or neurological change is an emergency warning sign.

Useful details include where the pain sits, whether it throbs or presses, what you were doing at onset, and whether light, sound, movement or coughing worsens it. Nausea, fever, blocked nose, neck discomfort, visual disturbance or recent heat exposure can help narrow the possibilities.

A new headache deserves extra caution after a head injury, during pregnancy or after birth, with reduced immunity, while taking blood-thinning medicine, or when it differs sharply from a person's established headache pattern.

Pause strenuous activity, drink water, eat if you have missed a meal and rest in a quiet, dim room. Reduce screen glare and loosen anything tight around the head or neck. If heat exposure is possible, move to a cool place and begin gentle rehydration.

A pharmacist can help choose pain relief that fits your age, pregnancy status, medical conditions and other medicines. Follow the label and avoid combining products containing the same ingredient. Frequent use of painkillers can itself maintain recurrent headaches, so repeated episodes need review.

Call emergency services for a headache that reaches extreme intensity suddenly, or one accompanied by facial droop, weakness, numbness, speech trouble, confusion, collapse, seizure or loss of vision. Urgent assessment is also needed after a significant head injury or with severe eye pain and a red eye.

Seek prompt care for headache with fever and a stiff neck, a non-fading rash, repeated vomiting, increasing drowsiness, or worsening pain. Pregnancy or the period after birth lowers the threshold for urgent assessment, particularly with visual changes, swelling or upper abdominal pain.

Ask which features point toward the likely cause, whether blood pressure, an eye examination or another test is needed, and what pain-relief limits apply to you. Bring a note of onset, triggers, associated symptoms, medicines and any previous similar episodes.