Headache in Spanish: how to describe it and get help

Headache is dolor de cabeza. You can say me duele la cabeza (my head hurts), me duele detrás de los ojos (it hurts behind my eyes), or siento presión en las sienes (I feel pressure in my temples). For quality, use pulsátil for throbbing, opresivo for pressure-like, and punzante for stabbing. Say empezó hoy, dura varias horas, or empeora al moverme to explain timing and triggers.

Rest somewhere calm, drink water, and avoid skipping meals. Write down the start time, location, intensity in your own words, and whether light, movement, congestion, or heat changes it. If you need care, bring a list of medicines and explain allergies. A bilingual clinician or professional interpreter can reduce misunderstandings; do not rely on a child to interpret medical details.

Seek urgent medical help for a sudden extreme headache, confusion, fainting, seizure, new weakness or numbness, trouble speaking, a stiff neck with fever, repeated vomiting, or new vision loss. Arrange medical review when headaches keep returning, are changing, or interfere with normal activities. In Spanish, you can say necesito atención urgente (I need urgent care) and tengo dificultad para hablar (I am having trouble speaking).

Ask: ¿Cuál puede ser la causa? (What could be the cause?), ¿Qué puedo tomar? (What can I take?), and ¿Cuándo debo volver? (When should I return?). Tell the clinician whether this feels different from previous headaches.