Headaches

Most headaches will go away on their own and are not a sign of something more serious.

How you can ease headaches yourself

Headaches can last between 30 minutes and several hours.

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 – this could be a migraine or, more rarely, a cluster headache
• you feel sick, vomit and find light or noise painful
• you get other symptoms – for example, your arms or legs feel numb or weak

What can cause headaches

The most common reasons are:

• having a cold or the flu
• stress
• drinking too much alcohol
• bad posture
• eyesight problems
• not eating regular meals
• not drinking enough fluids (dehydration)
• taking too many painkillers
• women having their period or menopause