Serious headaches include those that are sudden and severe, associated with convulsions or seizures, accompanied by confusion or loss of consciousness, associated with a blow on the head or pain in the eye or ear, or persistent in a person who was previously headache-free. Recurring headaches in children, those associated with fever, or those that interfere with normal life should be checked by a doctor. The most common types of headaches include migraine, cluster, and tension-type. Migraines produce throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head. Symptoms, besides pain, may include nausea, vomiting, light and noise sensitivity, fever, chills, flu-like achiness, and sweating.
Some sufferers have warnings before a migraine, such as visual disturbances.
Migraine attacks may last from a few hours to days, and may recur several times a week or once every few years. Cluster headaches, which mainly occur in men, occur as a series of one-sided headaches that are sudden and excruciating and may continue for 15 minutes to 4 hours. Tension-type headaches, which are the most common headache type, produce a dull, achy pain that feels like pressure is being applied to the head or neck. For many people, analgesics may provide relief. Antidepressants may be used to relieve stress-related headaches.