It’s estimated that about 45 million Americans complain about headaches yearly. However, only approximately 8 million of them will feel bad enough to see a doctor. A headache doesn’t always need a doctor’s attention but there are definitely some times when you shouldn’t ignore it.
Some people have a headache once or twice per month without an issue. Others can go even longer in between headaches. However, doctors say that anyone who has 10 or more headaches per month should be concerned. Whether or not these days are consecutive, it could be a sign that you have a chronic condition like migraines. While it’s possible to manage headaches without medical intervention, it’s best to have your doctor weigh in.
In most cases, headache pain can be managed with homemade remedies or over-the-counter medications. If your pain is too significant to be handled like this or it prevents you from carrying out your daily duties, you need to have it checked out.
If your headache comes with neck stiffness, you might be dealing with more than a headache. This stiffness could be a sign of migraines or a brain infection. That’s why you need to see a doctor to be assessed.
A fever is rarely a good sign when you have a headache. Typically, it means you have an infection of some kind that you need to see a doctor about. Brain infections such as meningitis can cause headaches, fever, nausea, and neck stiffness.
While headache pain can spread, it shouldn’t travel. Pain that moves down the back of your head to your back could be a sign that there’s been nerve damage.
Typically, headaches start with a slight pain that intensifies over time. In cases where your headache starts with sudden, severe pain, you may have what is known as a ‘thunderclap’ headache. These can be caused by an injury or a stroke so it’s a good idea to see your doctor.
You should never ignore headaches that are severe enough to wake you from a dead sleep. That kind of pain could mean you’ve suffered from a stroke or an aneurysm.
When it comes to headaches, the pain shouldn’t be significantly worse because you’ve moved. That suggests there’s