Feeling under the weather in any aspect isn't fun for anyone, but when your head is pounding incessantly, it's a whole different ball game.
It might be a common ailment which usually subsides within a short period of time, but occasionally, it seems as though they are never going to go away. And as a lot of us simply cannot think straight when our foreheads are thumping in pain, headaches can be quite the inconvenient occurrence.
The NHS explains that headaches can last 30 minutes, several hours, or sometimes several days - so you never know how long it could take to get rid of one.
But most of the time, they go away on their own and are not a sign of something more serious.
Advert
Why do we get headaches?
There are a myriad of reasons why you might get a headache - such as stress, illness, bad posture, issues with your eyesight, missing meals and hitting the booze too hard.
Brits who seem to be getting them on a regular basis are advised to keep a 'headache diary' to try and help work out their triggers.
But don't panic and rush to book a GP appointment if you've randomly got a banging headache one day, as it's often nothing sinister.
Drinking plenty of water, getting some rest, avoiding stress and dosing yourself with some painkillers can do you the world of good when a headache is giving you hell.
However, the NHS says that you should check in with your doctor if you fall into any of these following categories and the pain just won't budge no matter what you try.
You should 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 – it could be a migraine or, more rarely, a cluster headache
- you feel sick, vomit and find light or noise painful
- you regularly get headaches before or during your period
These symptoms could indicate that something more concerning might be going on inside your body - so put your mind, and hopefully your head, at ease by going to the doctors.
If you are also experiencing jaw pain when you are eating, blurred or double vision, sore scalp or numbness in your arms and legs, you need an urgent appointment with your GP.
But in some specific headache-related circumstances, you should call 999 or head straight to A&E instead.
For example, if you have a head injury or a headache that came on suddenly and is extremely painful, it's best to get checked out as soon as you can. You should head to the hospital if you also start having communication problems, loss of vision, a very high temperature, drowsiness and confusion, too.
As well as this, the NHS states that if you are experiencing a headache and the white part of your eye is red, you should head to A&E to confirm everything is hunky dory.
Olivia Burke