When should I see a doctor about my headaches?
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Dr. Mark Green of The Mount Sinai Medical Center answered:You should seek medical attention if your headaches are moderate or severe in nature and are not responsive to over-the-counter pain relievers or if you have headaches occurring more frequently than three times per month. You should seek immediate medical attention if you have a new onset severe headache, continuous headache over several days or headache accompanied by other neurological symptoms such as change in vision, numbness, and difficulty with speech or weakness.
You should seek medical attention if your headaches are moderate or severe in nature and are not responsive to over-the-counter pain relievers or if you have headaches occurring more frequently than three times per month. You should seek immediate... More -
Intermountain Healthcare answered:Call or go to the doctor or clinic if:
- Headaches wake you up from sleep
- A headache lasts more than a few days
- Headaches are worse in the morning
- Headaches are now more frequent or more painful than your "usual" headaches
- You have frequent headaches with no known cause
Call or go to the doctor or clinic if: Headaches wake you up from sleep A headache lasts more than a few days Headaches are worse in the morning Headaches are now more frequent or more painful than your "usual" headaches You have frequent... More -
RealAge answered:You have a headache emergency and should see your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately if you are experiencing the following:
- severe headache with sudden onset
- headache pain that feels like an explosion or thunderclap
- severe headache that is clearly your worst-ever headache
- headache pain that is continuous and becoming worse
- headache pain that persists following an injury to the head
- headache accompanied by one or more of these symptoms: stiff neck, severe pain when bending over, confusion, convulsions, loss of consciousness, persistent, severe vomiting
- more than three headaches per week
- daily, or almost daily, use of pain relievers for headache pain
- regular use of more than the recommended dose of nonprescription (over-the-counter) headache medications
- recent onset of headache pain after being headache-free in the past
- headaches beginning after the age of 50
You have a headache emergency and should see your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately if you are experiencing the following: severe headache with sudden onset headache pain that feels like an explosion or thunderclap severe headache... More -
Dr. Egilius Spierings answered:Because the following headache symptoms could indicate a serious health problem, seek medical care promptly if you experience any of these symptoms:
- a sudden headache that feels like a blow to the head (with or without a stiff neck)
- headache with fever
- convulsions
- persistent headache following a blow to the head
- confusion or loss of consciousness
- headache along with pain in the eye or ear
- relentless headache when you were previously headache-free
- headache that interferes with routine activities.
Because the following headache symptoms could indicate a serious health problem, seek medical care promptly if you experience any of these symptoms: a sudden headache that feels like a blow to the head (with or without a stiff neck) headache... More
