Emergency Headaches

In some cases, a headache can truly be called an emergency headache. Each of the following types of headaches can be what we call a "neurological flag" that something more serious is happening.

You will never have an emergency room turn you away for a complaint that could turn into a stroke.

Please consult your health care provider immediately if:

• You have a new onset of headache and are over the age of 50.
• You have a new onset of headache with a seizure.

• Your headaches begin or are often caused by bending over, coughing, sneezing, or exertion.

• Your headaches are caused by a head injury.
• Your headache is accompanied by fever and a stiff neck.
• This is the worst headache of your life.

• Your headache profile "changes" and is not your usual headache, or your regular headches are now having neurological symptoms like weakness, numbness or vision problems.

• Your headaches are now accompanied by a change in personality or cognition that is also occuring outside of the headache phase.

• Your child with headaches is under 12 and the headaches are either a new onset and/or AWAKEN this child with pain.

While I am not trying to alarm you, some of the complaints listed above may be the result of serious conditions and you should NOT be relying on information from the internet or well meaning friends. You need to be assesed by a medical professional.

This is especially true if the person is a child. Please call your pediatrician to discuss this. Like children, headaches that occur in adults over the age of 50 that are new are serious. In adults this could be temporal arteritis which could lead to blindness and/or a stroke.

Many times, conditions such as brain tumors and aneurysms present with only headache and no other symptoms. If you have never had a headache before OR if the headache is "very different" don't try to talk yourself out of this..get some medical help.

Hopefully you won't be the victim of any of these emergency headaches.

Read more about different types of headaches.

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