Persistent headache

Headaches are very common. They can be caused by a large number of triggers - stress, alcohol, poor sleep, hunger, fevers, pre-menstrual syndrome, meningitis, high blood pressure, eye strain, arthritis of the neck, sinusitis, brain tumours, dental problems, inflammation of blood vessels (arteritis) and migraine.

But a headache which starts suddenly coupled with nausea or vomiting and dislike of bright light could be meningitis, especially if the person also has a stiffness or rigid neck.

Any headache which is also accompanied by neurological symptoms such as numbness, difficulty speaking, blurry or double vision, needs to be seen by a doctor immediately to rule out a stroke.

A throbbing headache along with dizziness or unsteadiness may also be due to high blood pressure.

Any headache that is persistent and is not responding to normal painkillers should be a strong reason to seek a medical opinion, but don't presume the worst as brain tumours are rare!

This article was published on Tue 21 December 2010