For many affected patients, headaches have a tendency to start on the same side each time.
Many patients describe pain behind the eye or in the back of the head and neck.
The headache typically begins as a dull ache that progressively worsens over several minutes to hours to the point of disabling pain. Patients will frequently have the urge to rest in a quiet, dark room. Other symptoms that may herald a more serious diagnosis include loss of consciousness, a change in headache pattern, the presence of the worst headache in one's life, headaches that are more severe when lying down, or a headache that starts extremely abruptly. Such headaches may be the result of stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, aneurysm, or other serious condition and require the immediate attention of a physician. The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition.