New headaches question

[DJDJ09]

Hi everyone,

About three weeks ago I started to have dull headaches and I never get headaches. This is the first time in my life I have had constant headaches. (I am 27/male) Recently they have not been as bad, however on the top right side of my head in one spot I feel a sharp constant pain and that stays there and does not go away.

I plan on speaking with my Dr. about this, but I am waiting for my insurance to kick in which is about a month.

I just wanted to ask and see what you guys think this is. Of course the worry of something more serious comes into mind like a brain tumor, but wanted to know what your thoughts were.

Thanks

[DJDJ09]

Great - thanks guys!

I am going to make an appointment next month (waiting for my insurance at work to kick in - started a new job a few months ago)

As an update sometimes the headaches are still there, but some days they are not. It was just odd to me because I never had any headaches in my life.

I appreciate the answers and help and will keep you guys updated after I see my Dr. Thanks and have a great Thanksgiving!

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
How are you?  If there was no trauma recently, this could be due to primary headaches such as migraine, tension or cluster headache.  Primary headaches is not caused by any underlying condition. While waiting for your check-up, try to identify the possible triggers. This may be stress, diet, and even environmental factors. Knowing the triggers may help you avoid them. Cold compresses and pain medications may also help provide relief. Do keep us posted with your check-up.  Your medical history, physical and neurological examination will help with the diagnosis. Take care and best regards.

[marileew]

Hi DJDJ09,

I am glad that you are planning on speaking to your doctor about this. Any headache that doesn't go away with home treatment should be discussed with your doctor.

Headaches can be caused by many things, and without a proper exam and history it would be too difficult to rule out causes for what could be causing the headache.

The usual suspects for headaches are things like tension headaches and migraine headaches. Although, disease and illness are always possible as underlying causes of headaches too, which is why they need to be ruled out as well.

The fact that you have a one sided headache might suggest migraine. Although the fact that they are constant could suggest a tension headache. It could also be a "rebound headache" depending on what you have used to treat the headache with at home. If you have used over-the-counter medications to treat the original headache, then the fact that the headache did not go away could actually be the result of the over-the-counter medications. Over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen can cause rebound headaches that sometimes do not go away.

As for your worry of something more serious, I would not worry until you see the doctor. If the doctor cannot find an immediate cause of your headaches, they may send you for an X-Ray or a CT scan or an MRI of your brain in order to rule out tumors or any physical abnormality. Although, the probability that your headache is being caused by something severely serious is extremely low. Still, it is always important to go to the doctor just in case. It is also important to go to the doctor because regardless of the outcome, you will need prescription medication to treat the headache, especially if it is a migraine (you will need a prescription for a tripan).

There are some specific times when you should worry though, and I'll let you know when those are: If you ever have a very sudden, very severe headache that you would describe as the "worst headache ever" then please seek immediate medical attention as that could be an emergency. If you ever have a headache accompanied by any stroke or heart attack symptoms, then please seek immediate medical treatment. If you ever have a severe headache that lasts longer than 72 hours straight and no home-treatment relieves the pain, then seek emergency treatment.

Hope that helps!

- marilee