What Is a Headache?
A headache is one of the most common types of pain people experience and a leading reason for missed school, work, and doctor visits. Without the right treatment, headaches can become severe and interfere with daily life.
Headaches vary widely. Some people get them only once or twice a year, while others may experience headaches more than 15 days a month. They can last minutes, hours, or even weeks. The pain may be mild, throbbing, or completely debilitating, and can come with nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light and sound.
Why Do Headaches Hurt?
Even though the brain itself does not feel pain, the structures around it do. This includes nerves, blood vessels, and tissues surrounding the skull.
The trigeminal nerve, one of the major cranial nerves, plays the biggest role. It carries pain signals from:
The scalp
Blood vessels inside and outside the skull
The brain’s protective layers (meninges)
The face, mouth, neck, ears, and eyes
When a trigger—such as stress, strong smells, lack of sleep, certain foods, or even medicines—activates pain receptors, these signals travel through the trigeminal nerve to the thalamus, the brain’s pain hub.
The thalamus then communicates with brain regions that control:
Pain awareness
Emotional response
Sensitivity to light and sound
Nausea and vomiting
This explains why a simple headache can sometimes trigger multiple uncomfortable symptoms.
Who Is More Likely to Get Headaches?
Anyone can get a headache. Some types, such as migraine, tend to run in families. Migraines affect both children and adults but occur three times more often in women than in men.
Headaches in Children
Headaches are very common in children and can change as they grow. A child with early migraine symptoms may later develop tension-type headaches, or vice versa.
Key differences in children:
Migraines often affect both sides of the head
Attacks usually last less than 2 hours
Children may look pale, restless, or irritable
They may refuse to eat, feel nauseous, or complain of stomach pain
Sensitivity to light and noise may show up as avoiding TV or screens
Common triggers for children include:
Family stress or emotional tension
School pressure
Weather changes
Poor sleep schedules
Skipping meals
Dehydration
Specific foods
Any headache after a head injury, or accompanied by fever, rash, or excessive sleepiness, needs immediate medical attention.
Treatment usually involves rest, fluids, and safe over-the-counter medicines—but only under a doctor’s advice. Relaxation therapy and behavioural techniques can also help.
Headaches and Sleep Disorders
Sleep and headaches are closely linked. People with insomnia or irregular sleep cycles often experience tension-type headaches. Nearly 75% of individuals with narcolepsy suffer from migraines or cluster headaches.
Issues such as sleep apnea can cause early-morning headaches due to low oxygen levels at night.
Too little sleep, too much sleep, or even daytime naps can also trigger headaches in some people. Some sleep-related headaches may be treated with antidepressants or behavioural therapy.
Always consult a doctor before taking medication for sleep-associated headaches.
How Are Headaches Diagnosed and Treated?
Not all headaches require medical attention, but some signs should never be ignored.
Seek immediate medical care if you experience:
Sudden, severe headache (especially with a stiff neck)
Headache with fever, nausea, or vomiting
Your first or worst headache ever
Headaches that worsen over days or weeks
Headaches after a head injury
Headaches with weakness, numbness, confusion, or double vision
Headache with seizures or breathing difficulty
Frequent headaches (2 or more per week)
New headaches after age 50
New headaches in someone with cancer or HIV
Diagnosing Headaches
A doctor may ask you to keep a headache journal, noting:
Time and duration
Pain intensity
Sensitivity to light/sound
Activities before the headache
Medications taken
Sleep patterns
Food/drinks consumed
Emotional stress
Weather conditions
Menstrual cycle (for women)
This information helps identify patterns and triggers.
A doctor may perform:
Blood and urine tests
Spinal fluid analysis
CT or MRI scans
EEG (brain-wave test)
These tests help rule out infections, bleeding, tumours, nerve issues, or other neurological conditions.
Types of Headaches and Their Treatment
Headaches are broadly classified into primary and secondary.
Primary headaches occur on their own and include:
Migraine
Tension-type headache
Trigeminal autonomic cephalgias (e.g., cluster headaches)
Miscellaneous headache disorders
Primary headaches are often influenced by:
Blood vessel changes
Nerve activity
Chemical messengers (neurotransmitters)
Stress and lifestyle factors
Treatment depends on the type and severity but generally includes:
Medication
Lifestyle changes
Identifying and avoiding triggers
Relaxation and stress-management techniques
FAQs
Frequent headaches can be triggered by stress, dehydration, lack of sleep, irregular meals, hormonal changes, or certain foods. In some cases, they may be linked to underlying conditions like migraines, sinus issues, or sleep disorders. A proper evaluation helps identify the exact cause.
You should seek medical attention if your headache is severe, sudden, occurs after a head injury, keeps getting worse, or is accompanied by symptoms like fever, confusion, weakness, or vision problems. These may indicate a more serious condition.
Yes. Sleep issues such as insomnia, sleep apnea, or irregular sleep patterns can trigger morning or nighttime headaches. Both too little and too much sleep can worsen headache symptoms.
Treatment depends on the type of headache. It may include lifestyle changes, hydration, stress management, medications, or therapies such as relaxation techniques. Children require age-appropriate medicines and treatment plans.